Going to the Font

The Hendricksen family originally came from Denmark, where the original spelling of the name had no d or c - thus Henriksen. My Grandfather Harry was born in 1908 in a village called Finderup, close to the western coast of Jutland in Denmark. Before he was a year old the Henriksen family immigrated to the United States, specifically Nebraska. In 1930 the family moved north to Canada, to farm by Tilley, Alberta. This is where my father was born and raised, and later myself (in the nearby town of Brooks).

A few years ago the Hendricksen family had a reunion, and my Aunt Kathy put together a wonderful book titled Recalled to Life: The Story of Chris and Trina Hendricksen. From this book I learned the interesting history of my ancestors on my father’s side. I pulled the book out again as Beth and I began planning our trip, and I found myself drawn to the idea of visiting Finderup. I started doing research on the internet, looking at train schedules and ferry routes, figuring out how we could get to this region of Denmark. Increasingly it became important to me to visit the place where my Grandfather Harry was born and baptised.

Though the family lived in Finderup, my Grandfather’s baptismal certificate is from the Hanning Church. There was a church in Finderup, thus I wondered why he wasn’t baptised there. The mystery was solved when I found the construction date of the church in Finderup - it wasn’t completed until 1909, after my Grandfather was born. My Great-Grandfather Chris was a professional brick-layer in Denmark, and there is a good chance he, along with his brothers, worked on the construction of the Finderup church before he left for America.

Through the wonders of the internet I was able to find out more about the churches in both Finderup and Hanning (these two villages are about 4 kilometres apart). I also found the email for the pastor currently serving both churches. I have been able to contact him and he has generously agreed to tour Beth and myself through these churches when we arrive in June. I checked with my Dad and it is quite possible that I will be the first Hendricksen connected with the Chris Hendricksen branch of the family tree to be back in Finderup for 100 years! (It may be possible that one or two of my Grandfather’s sisters visited Finderup at one point many years ago, but that is uncertain).

On the website for the Hanning Kirke (Kirke is Danish for Church) there is a picture of the baptismal font (shown above). I found myself thinking: This may well be the font my Grandfather was baptised in - I have to see this, to put my hands in the bowl that held the water which was splashed on my Grandfather’s head as an infant. Suddenly the desire to be there, in that exact spot connected with my family’s history became very strong. Somehow this has become important for my spiritual journey and I feel like returning to the font of my Grandfather’s baptism has become a quest. I’m not sure what I think I will gain by being there. I don’t think anything mystical, or supernatural will happen, but at the same time I find myself drawn to this place. It is something that stirs deep within me. I am truly looking forward to the time that Pastor Jens Holmgaard ushers Beth and I into that sacred space.