[Magdalen] This church rocks!

[ROGER STOKES]

I am currently on a fly-drive holiday in Norway, and for a couple of nights in the village of Balestrand on Sognefjord. A notice in the hotel said that several times a week in the Summer a Church of England priest conducts a service in St Olaf's church here. The priests do two weeks at a time on a rota. This evening there was a service, from which I have just returned.
The church was built 120 years ago in fulfilment of a promise by a local hotelier to his English wife before she died. The design was inspired by the medieval stave churches but is lighter than them with more windows. The old oil lamps have also now been modernised with LED bulbs. The church is also more conveniently situated than the local Lutheran church which is some distance from the main village so they use it as well.
Before the service the priest's husband rang the church bell, which must have been heard all over the village it was so loud. It also made the church rock, very visibly with the lamps but I could fell it in my pew. As a tourist destination the congregation came from all over but united in prayer and worship. 

Roger