60th anniversary

The financial foundation was laid during a large summer party at “Nørrevang”, whose owner, Thora Riisgaard, was very active in the committee.

The party yielded a nice result of around 30,000 DKK, and in 1946 that was a lot of money.

Among other things, you could win a car in a lottery. That was something completely new at the time.

The beginning was good, but here the old saying that “a well begun is half done” didn't quite apply.

The work came to a standstill to some extent.

This was due to several factors. A lot of effort had been put into the aforementioned summer party and therefore they probably felt the need to take a breather and rest on their laurels.

At the same time, the chairman, Pastor Fog, sought a move away from Væggerløse and got a new position in South Jutland.

Without belittling the others, he had been the driving force in the committee, and his absence was naturally felt.

Among other things, a new chairman had to be found, and that took time.

Since the new chairman, CO Tscherning Møller, had only recently begun the demanding work in a large urban parish, where church construction was also being carried out, it took quite a while before the work really started again.

Yes, it actually only happened when a new bishop also arrived.

Bishop Halfdan Høgsbro showed great interest in the church cause. He became chairman, actively participated in the work and became an invaluable help.

In the years 1954-59, so much money was collected through collections, events and gifts that, together with the approximately 30,000 DKK from the summer festival in 1946, they could begin building the church with a clear conscience.

In the early 1940s, the idea matured in Hakon Fog that a beach church should be built in the holiday area.

It was a long way from Marielyst to Væggerløse Church.

This was before motoring had really taken off – and during the war, too.

In 1943, Hakon Fog managed to gather a small committee consisting of people from Væggerløse.

They approached the parish council and presented plans for a beach church.

However, it didn't lead to anything.

There was no money in the coffers – neither to build nor to run a beach church.

There was also no greater interest in or understanding of the matter.

It would be several years before the parish council took a more positive view of the project.

Fog realized that the church issue had to be approached in a different way.

The private initiative had to come into play.

Thus, the case got a new beginning.

In the summer of 1944, an outdoor meeting was held at one of the summer house owners, where Pastor Fog shared his thoughts.

They were listened to, and now the work began in earnest.

A new committee was formed, partly by people from the original committee and partly with new members from Nykøbing F.

Then the work of raising the money began.

After all, a lot of money had to be spent, even though it was only a relatively modest beach church.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Strandkirken, the newspaper SydfalsterNyt published an article by the parish priest in Nykøbing F. Parish, CO Tscherning Møller, in which he told about the history of Strandkirken.

The historical facts surrounding the creation of Strandkirken have not changed. Therefore, the parish priest's article is reprinted here in a slightly edited version, adapted for the 50th anniversary.

While most place names in our country are lost in the darkness of history or prehistory, the situation is different with the holiday area “Marielyst” on the east coast of Falster.

The name of the place originates from the fact that there was once a man who loved his wife very much.

Around the year 1900, the area was owned by a farmer whose wife's name was Marie, and he gave his property her name.

The fact that the area has since grown much larger is a completely different story.

In 1906, the development of what gradually became the Marielyst we know today began.

In Nykøbing F. lived an imaginative and enterprising man named Frederik Graae, who was a lawyer.

He saw the possibilities that were out there.

He bought the old farm and converted it into a seaside hotel. Today the building functions as a senior college.

The lawyer had good connections in Copenhagen, not least in artist circles, and several of the well-known artists of the time soon found their way to Marielyst.

Names such as the painter Olav Rude, the actors Clara Pontoppidan and Johannes Meyer, and not least Henrik Malberg should be mentioned. The latter maintained his connection to Marielyst throughout his life.

Holger Drachmann can also be mentioned in this context. The house where his “muse” Edith lived for a period still stands today. Today there is a campsite on the site.

Gradually, more and more people discovered that one of Denmark's best beaches was located here, only 12 km southeast of Nykøbing F.

People in the city had of course known about the area for many years, but only now did they start to use it seriously, and primitive summer houses began to appear.

More and more people from the capital and other parts of the country also found their way here, and development took off.

Today we have a summer house area that stretches uninterrupted from Elkenøre in the north to Bøtø in the south, and which is inhabited by thousands of people throughout the summer.

Against this background, a problem naturally arose for the Danish National Church.

The church was supposed to be where the people were.

And no one was closer to seeing the real problem than the parish priest in Væggerløse.

He did too.

His name was Hakon Fog.

On December 19, 1957, the foundation stone was laid at a small ceremony, and on June 28, 1959, the church was consecrated by Bishop Høgsbro.

The church was designed by architect Albert Pedersen from Nykøbing F., and master bricklayer Ottar Nielsen from Marielyst was responsible for the masonry work.

A church bell was donated by the shipping company AP Møller. It hangs in a bell tower next to the church.

Master stonemason Axel Schiøler donated a beautiful baptismal font, and plumber Andersen made a baptismal dish out of nickel silver.

Middelboe Outzen donated the church nave.

The chandeliers were designed by Albert Pedersen.

The church cost around 85,000 DKK, and they had 60,000 DKK available.

Today the church is debt-free.

Originally, the idea was that the church should be located near Marielyst Torv, where there was good land available.

However, that was not the case, and it turned out to be an advantage.

During these years, construction increased sharply to the south in the Bøtø area, and if the church was to be located roughly in the middle of the entire summer house area, it had to be placed a little further south.

They therefore searched for a suitable plot of land, found one and bought it for 7,500 kr.

The original idea was that the Strandkirken should be an annex church to Væggerløse Church – that is, economically and administratively, be part of Væggerløse Parish.

That's not how it turned out at all.

This means that since its inauguration, the church has been an independent foundation with ties to the Danish National Church and with the bishop of the diocese as the supreme authority.

Financially, however, the church is self-sufficient and receives no support from the Danish state.

It is still like that now that the Strandkirken has stood in Marielyst for 50 years.

When the church purchased an organ in 1987, it was financed through a loan from the diocese, but this loan has long since been repaid.

In the anniversary year, negotiations are underway to move the somewhat larger organ from Nordre Kirke in Nykøbing F. to Strandkirken.

Financial support for this project is high on the wish list.

The Strandkirken lives off voluntary donations from many different sources: from the parish council, banks, a support group, the annual birthday party, and contributions placed in the church's collection boxes at church services.

When the bell tower needed major renovation a few years ago, the costs were covered by the AP Møller and Wife Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation for General Purposes.

Behind the church there is a storage room for chairs and tables, which are used for outdoor events such as birthday parties.

The beach church is used a lot.

During the three summer months, church services are held every Sunday – often with baptisms.

The beach church has always received great help from the priests in the area, who have made themselves available willingly and without payment.

The task of church servant is carried out by members of the church committee and others who feel connected to the work.

In addition, a number of weddings and a few concerts are held during the summer.

For many years, Strandkirken has happily housed the German Evangelical Church, which holds services for the many German summer guests who come to Marielyst every year.

Of course, one can only hope and wish for the future.

There can be no doubt that there will continue to be a need for the Beach Church in Marielyst.

As long as the holiday town of Marielyst is full of people, the church must be there.

For man does not live by bread alone – or by water and sunshine – but also by the word of the living God.

Therefore, we must hope that this word will continue to be preached in spirit and truth, to be received and believed.

On Sunday, June 28, 2009, a celebratory service will be held at 10:00 a.m. with the diocese's bishop, Steen Skovsgaard.

After the service, there will be a birthday lunch in the square behind the Strandkirken with the usual lottery and the opportunity to give congratulatory speeches for the jubilarian.

Gynter Meede.