By Ristiina Wigg
NEWFIELD, N.Y. — For many years the July meeting of Finger Lakes Finns has been held at North Van Etten Church, a country church with a beautiful cemetery. It is a small building without plumbing or running water. We bring our own water to make coffee and gather around the tables in the attached hall, sharing the food we made at home, sometimes with elderberry drink. Musicians bring instruments to play traditional Finnish songs afterward. If the weather is good, we bring chairs outside and make a circle to listen.
What is our connection with this church? Finns’ member Richard Koski explained.
“It is in a beautiful country setting that has historical and emotional meaning for many of us,” he said. Another member, Lisa Beck is on the church board, which maintains the building and the cemetery. The building already existed when Finnish families began buying farmland in the area, clearing the land, and building saunas, homes, and farm buildings. The 30th anniversary book about the church states: “In December 1913, about fifty Finnish Americans gathered in the little country church at North Van Etten, New York, to hear the Word of God. The Rev. Kalle Makinen of the Finnish Seamen’s Mission of New York City was the preacher. Following the service these people held a meeting and laid the foundation for the congregation .... It was voted that the congregation should be known as the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of North Van Etten.”
Numerous Finnish ancestors are buried in the cemetery. Some of us know many of them. People walk through the cemetery, remembering relatives who have gone, sometimes leaving flowers. In 2015 Ken Louko, who grew up in this area, started a project to mark Finnish graves with a Finnish flag each summer. Ken’s goal was to “bring visual recognition of the many Finns who contributed to the development and growth of the various communities in the Finger Lakes region.” These pioneers are buried in many cemeteries throughout the Finger Lakes Finns geographic area. Ken hoped to create a “Sea of Finnish Flags” at these cemeteries, honoring those who came before us.
We are located near Ithaca, New York. Like our page on Facebook, and come visit in person. Tervetuloa!