Here you can have a cup of coffee (Swedish, of course) and a kanelbulle. You can read Swedish newspapers, borrow Swedish books and watch Swedish movies. You can also go to concerts and enroll your offspring in Swedish playgroups. And then there’s the religious aspect, of course. Svenska Kyrkan in New York is really a haven for Swedes living in the tri-state area as well as those visiting the Big Apple.

Last time we passed by we met two young German women who had also discovered the charm of the Swedish Church. Hilja Gebest and Caroline Kern, who both work at the nearby United Nations, said they come to the church because it reminded them of home.

“I like the calm and the European feel,” said Hilda. “And then of course it’s just around the corner from where I work, so it’s easy to drop by for a coffee.”

She says she discovered Svenska Kyrkan when a Swedish colleague in her team took her there for a retreat.
“The open-faced sandwiches are great, but I do wish they served salads.”
Caroline has a sister in Sweden and has visited her there.
“It’s a bit like Germany,” she explains. “I mean compared to the U.S. it’s much more like Germany. But Sweden is calmer, it has more nature, it’s more relaxed.”

For more information: www.svenskakyrkan.se