On a hilltop, overlooking containers and cranes at Singapore’s southern harbour, stands a bright white two-story building with a brick roof. Two flagpoles are raised in front of the house. One carries the horizontal red and white stripes with the stars; Bendera Singapura. From the other flies the red, blue and white cross.
This is the Norwegian Sjømannskirke. This is where priest Sjur Askjer works to help keep the Norwegian community together.
Even as a boy growing up in a small village in Telemark on Norway’s southern coast, Sjur felt a calling to help people.
“There was a man on my street who was dealing with alcoholism, and as a kid, I thought maybe he could use a friend,” Sjur remembers.
Sjur grew up in a religious family in a free church. However the strict churchgoing and rules did not appeal to him, as he grew older. The faith in God did not waiver, and at a young age, Sjur felt a calling in life.
“Being concerned about people, and wanting to help, combined with my strong faith that God is there and loves us, makes it very obvious to me to be a priest.”
Sjur studied at the University of Oslo and graduated from Menighetsfakultetet. He spent formative years of his career working at a rehabilitation center for drug addiction. He later became the parish priest in his home town of Tønsberg.
Calling for the world
As a boy in Tønsberg, Sjur would often sneak away to his “secret” spot, a hilltop, where he could lie in the grass watching planes fly by and wonder what it would be like to be on board one.
“I was quite the dreamer back then,” Sjur laughs.
That desire for travel followed Sjur into adult life. After his time as the parish priest in Norway, Sjur and his family packed up their belongings and joined Sjømannskirken.
That decision has taken Sjur and his family all over the world, from Sydney to Dubai to Rio de Janeiro and, as of September 2024, to Singapore, where he now serves as Port Chaplain and priest to the Norwegian Community.
More than a priest
In his position as the Norwegian priest in Singapore, Sjur has had to adjust to new challenges. Sjømannskirken is, in principle, a church and performs the same rituals as a normal church: baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and funerals. However, for a large part of the Norwegian expat community in Singapore, Sjømannskirken serves as a cultural hub where Norwegians can come together.
“We are much more than a church. We are a community center. People come for so many reasons. Many wish to stay in touch with Norwegian culture and meet fellow Norwegians. Making that possible is a very important part of my job,” Sjur says.
Sjur performs many roles in the Norwegian expat community, and many are unlike those of a typical priest in Norway. Instead of conducting church service every Sunday, Sjur is up on Tuesday at noon making waffles for the different social events and clubs. Instead of meeting people in the priest’s office at the church, he meets them at their workplaces or in their homes.
To Sjur, the religious aspects are still important, but less in a Bible-study sense.
“I meet people in their daily life. I meet people who are in crisis or going through struggles, like we all do at times. I am a trusted ear when they need someone who isn’t their spouse, coworker, or close friend. I believe the christianity teaches us kindness, humility, and community. That is what I wish to share with people,” Sjur says.
Life in Singapore
Sjur is enjoying life in Singapore with his wife. The weather is great, and he can always wear shorts. He gets to meet many different people.
The nature of Singapore’s expat community is that many career-driven people move to the island for work and only stay a few years. There is a high turnover, but in the meantime, Sjur and Sjømannskirken can provide a place for people to stay in touch with their Norwegian roots.
On a given day, Sjur and his wife will take their bikes and ride through Singapore’s many connected parks. They both love nature. They will go to one of Singapore’s hundreds of hawker centers for dinner, and then to a jazz bar in the evening for a beer and good music.
“We came here to make a home for Norwegians in Singapore, to provide an oasis of community to travelers, and to help people the best way we could. In the process, I think we have made a home for ourselves too.”
