A new and larger church

Olden New Church is a wooden long church built in 1934. The church was designed by Daniel J. Muri.

Quickly built

On Midsummer's Day 1934, the cornerstone of the church was laid. Barely half a year later, the church was ready for Christmas. The rapid work demonstrates great work enthusiasm in the village. There was high unemployment around this time, so there were more than enough young men who were happy to earn a few kroner on church construction. The long disagreement about whether to build a new church or restore the old one had also tested the village's patience, and now they just wanted a church.

Interior and exterior

The church has a traditional basilica form with raised central space and side aisles. The tower is placed on a roof rider slightly inward on the ridge. The tower base has the same colors and angles as the rest of the church and has gables facing west and east. The architect, Daniel J. Muri, met resistance from the State Building Inspector who wanted the church both smaller and lower, but Muri stood his ground and closely monitored the construction process to ensure it was built exactly as drawn.

The interior is painted dark, but the windows and large chandeliers ensure that the room remains bright. In several places in the church there are larger and smaller angels carved in wood. Arne Kinsarvik was responsible for these, well helped by local wood carvers. These are gold-colored, like some of the other details in the church.

The altarpiece has a somewhat special motif. The painting, made by Bjørn Smith-Hald in 1934, shows Christ as tired and turned away from the disciples as he emerges from the grave. This contrasts with the altar text which says "He is risen". There have been discussions since 1992 about replacing the painting.

The stained glass from 1936 was made by glazier R. Rognaldsen and depicts the Ascension of Christ. Above the stained glass is an eye, which is a symbol that God watches over the congregation.

Above the entrance door is a Christ figure and the inscription "He who comes to me I will certainly not turn away".

The organ is from 1954 and has 18 stops.

The hurricane that almost took the church

Winter storms can be strong in Olden, and it was a south wind storm that brought down an almost new timber church in 1757, on the site where the cross church stands today. In 1975, nature struck again in such a way that the entire church shook in the hurricane gusts. This happened in the afternoon on December 21, the fourth Sunday of Advent, when the congregation had gathered to sing in Christmas. The chandeliers in the nave began to sway, and just before the service was to begin, the lights went out. Suddenly the congregation sat in darkness. There were creaking sounds in the walls, and everyone just wanted to get safely home. Since the hurricane struck from the mountains on the east side, it was impossible to get out through the main door, as the wind could fill the church room and lift the roof. In small groups, people left the church through a door on the west side, but the short trip to the parking lot was tough enough. Several lost their glasses, hats and bags. One woman had brought her old-age pension to church and experienced her bag opening and the money disappearing in the wind. After this incident, the parish council decided that guy wires should be fastened to the church walls.

Information retrieved from County Archive.