First Christian Church is excited to announce that our Senior Minister, the Reverend Brian Gerard,
participated in and WON an exciting new reality television show that aired recently on Sweden’s largest
television channel SVT. The show, “Allt for Sverige,” tells the story of ten Americans of Swedish
descent (Brian is 50% Swedish) who returned to Sweden to learn about their ancestral homeland and
compete for the grand prize of meeting their living Swedish relatives.
In order to win, Brian had to compete in both team and individual competitions that have
connections to Swedish history and culture. But this show was about much more than just a
competition, it was about great personal discovery as each cast member learned about his or her
ancestral family. For example, Brian travels to the church where his Great Grandfather was confirmed
and experienced a call to ministry. While there, Brian learns of a powerful and very spiritual connection
he has with his Great Grandfather. When speaking of that day, Brian regards it as one of the most
powerful and life changing events he has ever experienced (see first video below).
We invite you to join us as we watch Brian and his cast mates experience the journey of a lifetime
that is filled with laughter, tears, and nail biting competitions. We have DVD copies of each show
available in the church office. You might also be able to find episodes on YouTube.
To see the show’s facebook page, please go to www.facebook.com/alltforsverige .
For more personal insights, you can visit Brian’s cast member page at www.facebook.com/swedishbrian .
Congratulations Brian! We are so proud of your journey and your VICTORY!
Enjoy these videos from both the show and the media coverage of it.
In this first video (Permission to share provided by SVT), you will see the show's
introduction of Brian as they visit FCC in Louisville as well as Brian's home. Then
you will see Brian get to visit the church where his great-grandfather was confirmed
and experienced his call to ministry. The show had a genealogist on staff who did
research on each cast member's family. In this video, Brian learns a great deal about
his great-grandfather and about how even though they are generations apart, that
their ministries share a powerful similarity. Also, please note that while Brian's
description of his experience in Montgomery is accurate, it leaves out a couple of
corrections and positive stories that he also shared. Additionally, the stories he
recounts happened over 10 years ago. A lot has changed in that time and that church
is not the same as it was. It is a great community of faith that now has a powerful
witness of racial inclusion. Brian and Carrie value their time there and they came to
know and love many wonderful people.
Each week, Brian and the cast were faced with competition. These competitions
were designed to teach about Swedish history and culture (modern as well). In this
challenge, they have taken a scene from an Astrid Lindgren story. She wrote Pippi
Longstocking and is one of Sweden's most famous authors. In this second video,
Brian will have to catch meatballs dropped from 26 feet (Video courtesy of SVT).
This third video features WHAS 11 anchor Melissa Swan coverage of Brian's
Participation on the show. This is a great segment to watch to learn what the show
is about.
In the next video WHAS 11 anchor Melissa Swan comes to the church and films the
viewing of the final episode when Brian wins the show. Coverage includes interviews
with several church members.
In the next video, Brian visits Great Day Live the day after he won Allt för Sverige.
Sunday, November 06, 2011 9:56 PM
Guds frid i stugan ! (GODs peace in your cottage)
Here is a letter from old Sverige (Sweden).
We in sweden have taken you all to our hearts. We find it so nice and heartfull warming to see your happiness as true small children in the green fields of Sweden.
We are all small children with the common fear of not to be loved and to be left alone in this world. Now when we have seen you all and you Brian Gerard on the biggest TV channel on the biggest Broadcasting company Swedish Television you and your family so very welcome.
It is with big concerned that some cant have the same opportunity to meet their swedish family, and i can tell you that it is big discussions among the swedish people of this fact. We would like to see everyone to have the same chanse to met with their swedish family.
Well take care you all now in Louisville and there is thousands of familys who would like to welcome you back to sweden for staying in many places in sweden.
You know that sweden is a very friendly country and there is so many things that we would like you to know of our history. Did you know that we as vikings where over and started 3 small cities on the coastline on the atlantic side of canada and USA. That was for 1000 years ago and the maps that Brennan the Holy drawn Colubus heard about it when he was in England and he started to want to se this with hes own eyes. There is parchments originals from the times of 1003 AD and many after that to the year of 1396 A.D. (originals are in The Riksarkivet in Stockholm) we have the name of 5 archbishops in a succesionline for Vinland (Amerika).
So it was Norwegan, Icelandic and Swedes who was their over after the holy Brendan for aprox. 1500 years ago. Well i can go on for a long time. But do know that we are very happy to see you Pastor/Min. Brian G. and your new travelling friends from US.
Take care now all of you and GID bless you all + + + Amen !
Monday, November 07, 2011 6:52 AM
Hello Brian!
First i must say that i have been looking forward to “Allt för Sverige” to start. And that the series is as great as i hoped it to be! And you 10 are just the sweetest people I have ever seen, so genuine. and you have really made an huge impression on me. This second episode was so touching, when you read about your “farfarsfar”= great grandfather, and spoke about the racist people.
You and Jennifer are my favorites (you two look so Swedish too) , she seemed so into the Swedish experience, so it was sad to see her leave the programme. I really hope that you get to meet your relatives in Småland.
At least I think it was traumatic to Sweden when we lost so many people, mostly to North America, but Sweden was poor at that time, and ruled by a king so there was nothing else to expect, than people wanting a better future.
Good luck!
Wishes a genealogist in Norrland, Sweden .
Tuesday, November 15, 2011 11:28 AM
I just wanted to say that Allt för Sverige, have great viewer ratings. The first episode is the third most watched program of all channels, the week it was sent!
The second episode is the sixth most watched of all swedish channels, still 1.2 million viewers. Super great!
http://www.mms.se/_dokument/rapporter/vecka/VeTvTitt1143.pdf
Friday, December 09, 2011 3:42 PM
Hej Brian and all the members of First Christian Church.
It's funny that the first four comments to you are coming from Sweden, but in my case I am an American who came to Sweden 11 years ago on a short-term contract--and well, here I am still (and became a Swede too, while keeping my American citizenship). Brian, your contribution to "Allt för Sverige" should make your community, and the United States, very proud. Your empathy and pragmatic goodness shine brightly. As you probably know, very few Swedes are interested in church attendance; most are what I might call spiritual agnostic, myself included. Still, in many ways, Sweden is one big church--practicing an ethic that many churches aspire to. I'd like to think that if a nation, or a world, can learn to live with goodness, empathy, and love, then like the patient who no longer needs a psychiatrist--we might not need churches. I do not think that day will come soon, and good spiritual leaders like yourself are essential! I fear that the secular unity of spirit that evolved over time in Sweden from the roots of the Catholic church and then the Lutheran, or Swedish Church, is slowly eroding as the country struggles to learn to accept its ever-growing diversity. We should, I believe, keep in mind your story of Ethan--and even if many of us do not attend physical church regularly, we should continue to strive to accept all humanity as our brothers and sisters. Merry Christmas, GOD JUL and thanks for your inspiration and kindness.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011 1:05 PM
Hello First Christian Church and Rev. Brian Gerard!
My name is Erik Brickman and I am neither an American, but... yes you guessed right - another Swede! I would just like to say this, and it may sound somewhat presumptuous: but I think the big reason that you got to participate in the Swedish TV reality show, is a grand plan of God himself!
What I mean, is that you got to tell your splendid story in the second episode about how you yourself always have felt that racism, and stuff like that, is quite the opposite of what you like to preach. And then to find out that your relative met a vicar that felt the same during that time, is just spiritual dynamite! It made me (and I'd bet a whole bunch of other viewers) both so full of warm and loving feelings that I just couldn't do much but cry, happily. A ray from the heavens shaboom right into the heart! Thank you very much for telling about that and your great personality. Kindest regards, Erik.