Summer Services, a joyful and great occasion

Kimmo Heikkilä

The Summer Services in Ylivieska in 1963 were my first summer services experience. The journey from Pudasjärvi felt long. Our small Fiat 600, nicknamed “Pomppa’s button”, carried a load of luggage on its roof almost as large as the car itself, along with a Sopu tent (a large canvas family tent). From those services, I remember the singing, the large tent, the sermons and announcements echoing from the loudspeakers, and the nights spent sleeping in the tent.

Over the years, there have been many more journeys to summer services. At first, my travel companions were my father, mother, and siblings; as a young person, my friends and brothers; and later, my own family. In recent years, the trips have often been Grandma and Grandpa traveling with their grandchildren. All of these journeys have left behind cherished memories.

Experiencing summer services as a “regular” attendee and as someone involved in organizing the services is somewhat different. The essence of summer services, the sermons, the songs, and the hymns, has always been what matters most. It is just as meaningful to take part in services organized by others as it is to be involved in organizing them.

In a role of responsibility, I have felt privileged. I have had the opportunity to become familiar with the organizing body of summer services from the inside and to see the wide variety of tasks involved in the arrangements. At Toholampi Summer Services in 1995, I served as the host of the press office, one of many. The phones were landlines; journalists were already writing their articles on computers, while photographers brought in full rolls of film to be brought to a photo service place to be developed. Ordered photographs were then sent using an image transmitter, which scanned the photos and transmitted them over the telephone line to the editorial office. The process was slow, so a courier was often faster.

For a few summers, I was involved in preparing the Summer Services issue of the Päivämies as a contributing writer. When the tools were pen and paper, one had to listen very carefully to the sermons and consider what stood out most in each one. As a regular attendee, you listen to the sermons in a slightly different way. The articles were typed up on the computers at the communications center, where you sometimes had to wait your turn. Once laptops came into use, writing could be done in the caravan.

At Nivala Summer Services in 2004, I was given the opportunity to design the festive gate. The process of beginning the task and developing the idea started the previous autumn while I was out in the forest hunting birds, where I received the request. I sat for a while on a mossy hummock in the middle of the forest and reflected on the Summer Services motto: “I am the bread of life.” The idea gradually matured, and a few weeks later I presented my draft to the organizers, who approved my proposal. It was a joy to see the finished gate at the services grounds.

I have served in communications roles in the press office and media center, essentially the same role, although the name has been modernized over time. At Sievi Summer Services in 2008, I served as chair of the communications committee. Working in communications placed me at the center of interaction between media representatives, journalists, and the event organization. In the midst of the constant flow of information, it was easy to stay generally up to date on events at the services, but listening to the sermons inevitably remained quite limited.

At the upcoming Summer Services, I will be responsible for the signage committee, serving as its chair. The committee is responsible for many tasks that I would not be able to do myself, but that is not necessary. I have the opportunity to be involved and to follow along as the skilled members of the committee carry out their work.

In the signage committee, we have planned the visual style of Summer Services based on the event’s motto. This forms the basis for the design of the service website, announcements, and the festive gate. The same visual style is repeated across all printed materials, the event emblem, and the program booklet. On the large summer services grounds, a wide range of signs is needed. These are planned together with other committees, existing materials are used where suitable, and new ones are created when necessary.

In the meetings of the main organizing committee, one gains an overall picture of the arrangements for summer services and the work of all the committees. Many of the tasks are such that they did not even exist a few decades ago. Developments in technology, changes in regulations, new forms of communication, the internet, and increasing internationality have transformed many aspects of the work. Social media has become an important channel for communication about summer services. Many tasks require specialized knowledge and professional expertise. It is a blessing from God that for every role, the right person has been found, someone who is skilled in their field and willing to serve in God’s kingdom.

The central message of Summer Services, the joyful gospel of the forgiveness of sins offered to all, has remained and will remain the same. For this reason, it is worthwhile to take part in the work of summer services.

Published in Päivämies on February 19, 2026

Towards Kauhava Summer Services Preparations for Summer Services 2026 are underway in Kauhava. As spring progresses and summer approaches, the arrangements will become increasingly active. Through this blog series produced by the Communications Committee, you can follow the preparations for summer services and thoughts related to them.