The soaring steeple of Sodermalmskyrkan pierces the Stockholm sky. Doesn’t it feel like a beacon?
Sodermalmskyrkan isn’t just a church. It’s a living testament to faith resilience and community. Founded in 1929 it’s a merger of two Pentecostal congregations Tabor and Smyrna. These congregations were already vibrant parts of Sodermalm’s life before their union.
Initially the combined congregation the Sodermalm Free Assembly as it was then known met in the rented Mosebacke Biograf-Teatern. Imagine 500 members crammed into a space meant for entertainment. It was certainly a tight squeeze. The search for a permanent home led them to a plot in the Monumentet block. The construction of their current building was a struggle with city authorities. The building finally opened its doors on March 16 1941. Architect Adrian Pettersson later changed his name to Adrian Langendal.
The church flourished under pastors like Alfred Gustavsson a former associate of Lewi Pethrus and later C G Hjelm. Today its leadership rests with Lennart and Carolina Torebring. In 1999 the congregation officially adopted the name Sodermalmskyrkan a name it had been known by informally for years.
Sodermalmskyrkan is far more than a place of worship. It runs a Christian school in Hammarbyhojden. This school won the City of Stockholm’s prize for best school in 2009. The church also supports several schools in Indian slums providing education food and clothing to impoverished children. Currently there are 17 schools each with around 100 students. That’s a considerable impact.
The church regularly holds events including an annual Christian conference and a Christmas concert. It even rented Globen for a large gospel concert in 2007 and held a full day of concerts and services in Kungstradgarden in 2010. Another major gospel concert in Globen was broadcast live on Kanal 10 in 2013. The scale of these events shows the reach and influence of Sodermalmskyrkan.
In 2019 Sodermalmskyrkan adopted a new name We Are One Church reflecting its growth and the diverse community it serves. This dynamic church continues to grow and adapt remaining a vital part of the Sodermalm landscape. The legacy of faith and community it embodies is inspiring.