Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Swedish Reading Club: The Colony (Stacken) by Annika Norlin
7 PM
Our meeting will be held online using Zoom. For more information, including the link to join the meeting, please email info@sahswm.org.
Burnt-out from a demanding job and a bustling life in the city, Emelie has left town to spend a few days in the country. Once there, in the peaceful, verdant hills, down by the river she encounters a mysterious group of seven people, each with personal stories full of pain, alienation, and the longing to live differently. They are misfits, each in their own way, and all led by the enigmatic and charismatic Sara.
How did they end up there? Are they content with the rigid roles they’ve been assigned? And what happens when an outsider appears and is initially drawn to their alternative lifestyle but cannot help but stir things up?
A masterful blend of humor, emotion, unforgettable characters, and sharp social commentary, The Colony is a magnetic and deeply touching story about love, community, and the unfathomable power we other others and that others have over us.
You can buy the book online at Schuler’s, or at a 20% discount in the store.
Thursday, October 22, 2026
Meet & Eat at The Søvengård
6 PM
Join a group of SAHS members and friends for a Meet & Eat at The Søvengård (1232 Bridge Street NW, Grand Rapids). Please email info@sahswm.org to let us know that you plan to attend by October 19.
Each person will order from the menu and pay. Check out their menu online, sovengard.com.
In addition to the dinner, there will be brief Annual Reports given.
Saturday, December 5, 2026
Annual Lucia Celebration
Mayflower Congregational Church
10 AM
We invite you to come and enjoy this lovely Swedish introduction to the Christmas season and listen to the Lucia choir sing in a beautiful setting. It will once again be held in the beautiful sanctuary of Mayflower Congregational Church (2345 Robinson Rd. SE, Grand Rapids). There will be plenty of free parking. There will be baked goods and coffee to enjoy afterwards plus a Julmarknad sale! Bring cash if you are interested in purchasing any items.
Admission is $12 for non-member adults, $8 for members, and students and children are free. Pre-registration (coming soon) is very helpful, but you may also pay at the door.
Once again, SAHS is sponsoring our annual Lucia scholarship competition. The Doris & Clarence Anderson Memorial Scholarship is in memory of two of our organization’s founding members. Doris and Clarence were involved in almost every activity that our organization undertook. Doris was an especially integral part in our annual Lucia celebration. Among Doris’ many achievements was her selection many years ago as Chicago’s first Lucia.
The Scholarship Committee will award $500 each to a high school senior girl and senior boy who have been participants in our local Lucia pageant. Additionally, each applicant must be either the child or grandchild of a member of SAHS/WM. Applications can be downloaded here (PDF) and are due Nov. 25. We look forward to announcing the winners of this annual competition in December.
Volunteers Needed!
We could really use some extra hands to help make this year’s Lucia celebration a success! Volunteers are needed Friday from noon–3 PM to help with preparations in the church atrium.
On Saturday, volunteers are needed from 9 AM–1 PM to help get the girls ready for the performance, assist with the food tables, and help with cleanup afterward.
If you would like to help, please contact Elise Roe at eroe1580@gmail.com.
Tuesday, January 19, 2027
Swedish Reading Club: The Last Light Over Oslo by Alix Rickloff
7 PM
Our meeting will be held online using Zoom. For more information, including the link to join the meeting, please email info@sahswm.org.
A fascinating historical novel set in Norway and Sweden in 1940, based on true events, which follows one of the first female U.S. Ministers, Daisy Harriman, and her fictional niece as the two are caught up in the German invasion of Norway.
“Rickloff does a phenomenal job depicting the time period and the sense of urgency as the women escape to the countryside. The Last Light Over Oslo celebrates the life of a brave American woman on the world stage during World War II.”
—Novels Alive
You can buy the book online at Schuler’s, or at a 20% discount in the store.