August 23, 2009 at Danish Immigrant Museum Elk Horn, Iowa: Author Joy Ibsen signs books “Unafraid” and “Songs of Denmark” and everyone enjoys Genuine Danish Open-Faced Sandwiches among the treats

Author Joy Ibsen of Trout Creek, MI signs her book “Unafraid” during an August 23, 2009 reception at the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa. (Photo by Kevin Nelson, reporter for the Danish Villages Voice newspaper)
Video shot on August 23, 2009 by Donald Lenef at the Danish Immigrant Museum Elk Horn, Iowa

In the video, Author Joy Ibsen signs books Unafraid and Songs of Denmark.” It was a truly Danish event as poular and tasty genuine Danish open-faced sandwiches were among the treats

Author Joy Ibsen holds her book “Songs of Denmark” while sitting at Victor Borge’s first piano on August 23, 2009 at the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa. The piano was restored for the Victor Borge Centennial Celebration. (Photo by Kevin Nelson, a reporter for Danish Villages Voice newspaper)

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – The sounds of Danish American entertainer and pianist Victor Borge’s piano filled the air as Michigan author Joy Ibsen led a late summer songfest at the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa.

About 70 people sang at the 30-minute songfest on August 24 that was followed by a PowerPoint presentation and a reception for Ibsen to present her latest book Unafraid.

What a thrill to play Victor Borges piano, Ibsen said. What an incredibly rich sound.

The event was co-sponsored by the Danish Immigrant Museum and Danish Brotherhood Lodge #341.

Lovingly called the Clown Prince of Denmark, the piano donated by Borge was restored this past winter after falling silent for 22 years.

The piano, the first owned by Borge, was restored through a gift from Iowa Danish Royal Consul Lowell Kramme and his wife Marilyn. Lowell Kramme is Ibsen’s second cousin.

The Victor Borge centennial celebration at the museum runs through March 8, 2010. Before being donated to the museum, the piano was severely damaged in a hurricane at the Borge home in St. Croix.

Ibsen could feel the spirit of the comedian known as the Unmelancholy Dane.

I felt like falling off the piano bench like Borge did but decided not to try it,’ Ibsen joked.

Songs included Evening Star, Han Skal Leve, Up Little Hans and Theres No Grandma Just Like Mine.

Everyone had a great time singing favorite Danish songs ranging from folksongs to children’s songs, said Ibsen who served 1999-2005 on the museum board of directors and as president in the final year.

For those who do not know the Danish songs, their lyrical simplicity make them easy to learn and they are so beautiful, said Ibsen, who spent her childhood in nearby Kimballton, IA. We ended by singing the Danish hymn, ‘Unafraid,’ which inspired the naming of my book, and I was so glad to hear several sing it in Danish, ‘Altid Frejdig.’

In his introduction of Ibsen, Danish Immigrant Museum Executive Director Dr. John Mark Nielsen said Ibsen’s love for Danish history and wide-ranging career including being a teacher and a development director brought her to the attention of the board in the late 90s.

Ibsen said she was thrilled to attend the museum event that included a book signing. She read portions of Unafraid that take place when the Ibsens lived in Kimballton.

Refreshments included delicious Danish open-faced sandwiches, wine and cookies, Ibsen said.

What a treat that many of my childhood friends are still here and remember me and my family, she said. Im so proud of the museum and all it has accomplished in preserving the Danish Heritage.

Presenting my book ‘Unafraid’ at the Danish Immigrant Museum was especially meaningful for me, because I lived in nearby Kimballton as a child ages 2-8, said Joy Ibsen,who is a writer, lay minister, and musician in the tiny northern Michigan hamlet of Trout Creek.

When I come back to the (Kimballton) area, I feel a little like a little kid again, Ibsen said. This was where I learned to read and roller skate.

Unafraid is co-authored by her late father Rev. Harald Ibsen, who pastored six small churches in four Midwest states including six years (1942-1948) at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kimballton.

At her mother’s home, Ibsen rescued the sermon notes that had Danish symbols and letters because her father used an old Danish typewriter.

The 225-page paperback book is published by Wipf and Stock Publishers of Eugene, OR.

Each of the 36 chapters in Unafraid starts with one of her father’s sermons written during the 1940s, 50s and 60s followed by autobiographical and fictional account how Rev. Ibsen’s message affected parishioners and their lives.

Both Ibsen’s are graduates of Grand View College (now Grand View University) in Des Moines, IA.

Born in South Dakota, Harald Ibsen moved to Denmark at the age of six (1904) with his mother Mathilda, siblings after the death of his father Lars from tuberculosis.

While living in Denmark for 20 years, Harald Ibsen was a member of the Danish Royal Guard stationed at Amalienborg Palace.

Rev. Ibsen’s forthright sermons – delivered in a time often called everything from the Golden to the Atomic ages – reflect the community-first messages of N.F.S. Grundtvig, a 19th century philosopher-theologian.

Several of the sermons featured in the book were given by my father at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, she said.

Well-known Christian author Dr. Walter Brueggemann of Cincinnati, OH, and others who have read Unafraid, have commented on how the post-depression issues that Rev. Ibsen preached are amazingly similar to issues in the 21st Century including the bad economy, war, child-rearing difficulties, terminal illness, death of spouse, career choice, marital problems and loss of faith.

Brueggemann described Ibsen’s father as fresh in his thought, puckish in his style and grounded in faith during his endorsement of Unafraid.

We may thank the daughter for letting us know her remarkable father, Brueggemann wrote. Harald was unafraid as an (Danish) immigrant who lived in a venturesome way.

The hymn Unafraid appears in her first book Songs of Denmark that has 48 songs in both Danish and English.

Published in July 2005, Songs of Denmark was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a ceremony in March 2009, according to an article in the Des Moines Register.

Ibsen is the editor and columnist for Church and Life, a publication of the Danish Interest Conference through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

The hymn Unafraid was sung in the Danish Resistance during World War Two a time of terrible danger, said Ibsen, an original member of the interfaith Upper Peninsula EarthKeeper environment group in northern Michigan.

Nevertheless one can live with confidence, and hope, said Ibsen, who holds arts and humanities degrees from Grand View College and Shimer College in Chicago. Today’s society is bombarded by all kinds of fears and we need to learn to live unafraid.

Other endorsements of Unafraid were written by St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN) religion professor L. DeAne Lagerquist and Danish-American Bishop Emeritus Harry Andersen of the ELCA Northern Great Lakes Synod.

I am mightily moved and impacted by the insightful sermons and the stories that follow, Rev. Anderson wrote.

Anderson stated Unafraid is a powerful testimony to the richness of each individuals unique spiritual journey.

Anderson stated “Unafraid” is a powerful testimony to the richness of each individuals unique spiritual journey.

Lagerquist wrote that pastor Harald Ibsens sermons demonstrate that Grundtvigian happiness was not blind to sorrow or suffering or social ills, but neither was it defeated by such trials.

Reflections from his hearers bring the gospel into the realities of farm life, child rearing, marriage, and disease, Lagerquist stated.

Joy Ibsen contact info:

Joy Marie Ibsen
P O Box 43
Trout Creek, MI
49967

Call:

906-852-3479

email Author Joy Ibsen

Author Joy Ibsen official website

Joy Ibsen social and photograph websites:

Author Joy Ibsen on Facebook

Author Joy Ibsen on Twitter

Author Joy Ibsen on myspace

Author Joy Ibsen on Word Press blog

Author Joy Ibsen on bliptv

Author Joy Ibsen on youtube

Author Joy Ibsen on Flickr

Author Joy Ibsen on Photobucket


Wipf & Stock Publishing: Unafraid by Joy Ibsen and Rev. Harald Ibsen

Wipf and Stock: Author Joy Ibsen bio

Wipf and Stock: Harald Ibsen bio

Joy Ibsen, Editor of “Church and Life”

Joy Ibsen bio on “Church and Life“


Danamerica is the official website of Ibsen’s first book Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By with color photographs by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg. Produced 70 minute CD by the Grand View College Kantorei

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig:

Joy Ibsen writes about four principles of Grundtvigianism

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig aka

N.F.S. Grundtvig, Danish bishop and poet info on Wikipedia and Britannica websites:

Pine Mountain Music Festival:

Joy Ibsen serves as vice president of the Pine Mountain Music Festival board of directors
—
Media coverage 2006-2010:

Omaha World-Herald Preview story on 8-21-09 about Author Joy Ibsen talk to the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn IA

L’Anse Sentinel newspaper preview story on Author Joy Ibsen book signing on July 30, 2009 at North Wind Books in Hancock, MI

Superior Chronicle story on Unafraid on 6-18-09

Iron Mountain Daily News brief on upcoming book signing at Finn Fest 2009 in Covington, MI

Joy Ibsen honored in her childhood home newspaper Yankton Press-Dakotan in July 2008 during annual Danish Days festival for first book Songs of Denmark“

Joy Ibsen first book Songs of Denmark is mentioned in story by Des Moines Register because book was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a March 2009 ceremony. The story “Danish royalty pay visit to Grand View” by Cynthia Reynaud appeared on 3-25-09 (requires subscription to read)

The book Unafraid is sold online by publisher and numerous Windows Booksellers website and other sites:

Target

Tower Books

Boone Bridge Books

Amazon.com UK

Amazon.com UK: Harald Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: Joy Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: “Unafraid” listing

New & Used copies of the book “Unafraid“ on Amazon.com

Cokesbury

Kirjasana

Antiqbook

Biblio

Internet BookShop (IBS)

Other websites related to Denmark, Author Joy Ibsen or information in the story:

Danish Imigrant Museum

Danebod Family Camps & Folk School

Danish American Heritage Society publication “The Bridge”

Danish Royal Family on Wikipedia

Danish Royal Family on Danish Royal Watchers blog

Grand View University, (formerly Grand View College) a four-year, liberal-arts college affiliated with the ELCA in Des Moines

Grand View University on Wikipedia

Shimer College

University of Chicago

Paul Tillich, German-American theologian, Christian existentialist philosopher on Wikipedia

Paul Tillich on theology website

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Wikipedia page on the ELCA

Friends of Author Joy Ibsen:

Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns founded the nonprofit Turtle Island Project in 2007 to foster respect for indigenous people and cultures and to promote what they can teach us about caring and repairing the environment.

Rev. Hubbard is the executive director of the ELCA-related Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona. Rev. Cairns is a Chicago Theological Seminary professor who founded the nonprofit Celtic Christianity Today.

Read the Spirit, an online spiritual magazine with inspirational stories and book reviews created by David Crumm, the longtime religion editor for the Detroit Free Press
.
Crumm established ten pinciples for his work that all people with a religion should read.

The many interfaith and youth-related environment projects founded by Rev. Jon Magnuson of Marquette, MI under the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute.

Magnuson’s CTI co-founded the EarthKeeper Initiative, and founded the Earth Healing Initiative, Manoomin Project and the Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project.

Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project –

Native American and Marquette area teens protecting pollinators project:

Zaagkii TV on youtube

Zaagkii Project Story Part 1 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project Story Part 2 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project hailed as success by U.S. Forest Service

Zaagkii Project blog on wordpress

Non-profit Interfaith

Earth Healing Initiative: Numerous environment projects across the Great Lakes Basin in cooperation with the EPA, American Indian Tribes and local governments

Earth Healing TV on youtube

Earth Healing TV on bliptv

Earth Healing Initiative was part of the first EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge with youtube and bliptv videos.

EarthKeeper TV on youtube has EarthKeeper and Manoomin Project videos including stories and a Manoomin Project music video & more

Manoomin Project story in Indian Country Today

Manoomin Project Story in World Magazine

Author Joy Ibsen encourages everyone to live their life “Unafraid”

August 2009 Danish Immigrant Museum Elk Horn, Iowa: Author Joy Ibsen plays late great comedian Victor Borge’s restored piano

Author Joy Ibsen of Trout Creek, MI signs her book “Unafraid” during an August 23, 2009 reception at the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa. (Photo by Kevin Nelson, reporter for the Danish Villages Voice newspaper)
Video shot on August 23, 2009 by Donald Lenef at the Danish Immigrant Museum Elk Horn, Iowa

In the video, Author Joy Ibsen plays late great Danish comedian and pianist Victor Borge’s restored piano

Author Joy Ibsen holds her book “Songs of Denmark” while sitting at Victor Borge’s first piano on August 23, 2009 at the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa. The piano was restored for the Victor Borge Centennial Celebration. (Photo by Kevin Nelson, a reporter for Danish Villages Voice newspaper)

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – The sounds of Danish American entertainer and pianist Victor Borge’s piano filled the air as Michigan author Joy Ibsen led a late summer songfest at the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa.

About 70 people sang at the 30-minute songfest on August 24 that was followed by a PowerPoint presentation and a reception for Ibsen to present her latest book Unafraid.

What a thrill to play Victor Borges piano, Ibsen said. What an incredibly rich sound.

The event was co-sponsored by the Danish Immigrant Museum and Danish Brotherhood Lodge #341.

Lovingly called the Clown Prince of Denmark, the piano donated by Borge was restored this past winter after falling silent for 22 years.

The piano, the first owned by Borge, was restored through a gift from Iowa Danish Royal Consul Lowell Kramme and his wife Marilyn. Lowell Kramme is Ibsen’s second cousin.

The Victor Borge centennial celebration at the museum runs through March 8, 2010. Before being donated to the museum, the piano was severely damaged in a hurricane at the Borge home in St. Croix.

Ibsen could feel the spirit of the comedian known as the Unmelancholy Dane.

I felt like falling off the piano bench like Borge did but decided not to try it,’ Ibsen joked.

Songs included Evening Star, Han Skal Leve, Up Little Hans and Theres No Grandma Just Like Mine.

Everyone had a great time singing favorite Danish songs ranging from folksongs to children’s songs, said Ibsen who served 1999-2005 on the museum board of directors and as president in the final year.

For those who do not know the Danish songs, their lyrical simplicity make them easy to learn and they are so beautiful, said Ibsen, who spent her childhood in nearby Kimballton, IA. We ended by singing the Danish hymn, ‘Unafraid,’ which inspired the naming of my book, and I was so glad to hear several sing it in Danish, ‘Altid Frejdig.’

In his introduction of Ibsen, Danish Immigrant Museum Executive Director Dr. John Mark Nielsen said Ibsen’s love for Danish history and wide-ranging career including being a teacher and a development director brought her to the attention of the board in the late 90s.

Ibsen said she was thrilled to attend the museum event that included a book signing. She read portions of Unafraid that take place when the Ibsens lived in Kimballton.

Refreshments included delicious Danish open-faced sandwiches, wine and cookies, Ibsen said.

What a treat that many of my childhood friends are still here and remember me and my family, she said. Im so proud of the museum and all it has accomplished in preserving the Danish Heritage.

Presenting my book ‘Unafraid’ at the Danish Immigrant Museum was especially meaningful for me, because I lived in nearby Kimballton as a child ages 2-8, said Joy Ibsen,who is a writer, lay minister, and musician in the tiny northern Michigan hamlet of Trout Creek.

When I come back to the (Kimballton) area, I feel a little like a little kid again, Ibsen said. This was where I learned to read and roller skate.

Unafraid is co-authored by her late father Rev. Harald Ibsen, who pastored six small churches in four Midwest states including six years (1942-1948) at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kimballton.

At her mother’s home, Ibsen rescued the sermon notes that had Danish symbols and letters because her father used an old Danish typewriter.

The 225-page paperback book is published by Wipf and Stock Publishers of Eugene, OR.

Each of the 36 chapters in Unafraid starts with one of her father’s sermons written during the 1940s, 50s and 60s followed by autobiographical and fictional account how Rev. Ibsen’s message affected parishioners and their lives.

Both Ibsen’s are graduates of Grand View College (now Grand View University) in Des Moines, IA.

Born in South Dakota, Harald Ibsen moved to Denmark at the age of six (1904) with his mother Mathilda, siblings after the death of his father Lars from tuberculosis.

While living in Denmark for 20 years, Harald Ibsen was a member of the Danish Royal Guard stationed at Amalienborg Palace.

Rev. Ibsen’s forthright sermons – delivered in a time often called everything from the Golden to the Atomic ages – reflect the community-first messages of N.F.S. Grundtvig, a 19th century philosopher-theologian.

Several of the sermons featured in the book were given by my father at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, she said.

Well-known Christian author Dr. Walter Brueggemann of Cincinnati, OH, and others who have read Unafraid, have commented on how the post-depression issues that Rev. Ibsen preached are amazingly similar to issues in the 21st Century including the bad economy, war, child-rearing difficulties, terminal illness, death of spouse, career choice, marital problems and loss of faith.

Brueggemann described Ibsen’s father as fresh in his thought, puckish in his style and grounded in faith during his endorsement of Unafraid.

We may thank the daughter for letting us know her remarkable father, Brueggemann wrote. Harald was unafraid as an (Danish) immigrant who lived in a venturesome way.

The hymn Unafraid appears in her first book Songs of Denmark that has 48 songs in both Danish and English.

Published in July 2005, Songs of Denmark was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a ceremony in March 2009, according to an article in the Des Moines Register.

Ibsen is the editor and columnist for Church and Life, a publication of the Danish Interest Conference through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

The hymn Unafraid was sung in the Danish Resistance during World War Two a time of terrible danger, said Ibsen, an original member of the interfaith Upper Peninsula EarthKeeper environment group in northern Michigan.

Nevertheless one can live with confidence, and hope, said Ibsen, who holds arts and humanities degrees from Grand View College and Shimer College in Chicago. Today’s society is bombarded by all kinds of fears and we need to learn to live unafraid.

Other endorsements of Unafraid were written by St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN) religion professor L. DeAne Lagerquist and Danish-American Bishop Emeritus Harry Andersen of the ELCA Northern Great Lakes Synod.

I am mightily moved and impacted by the insightful sermons and the stories that follow, Rev. Anderson wrote.

Anderson stated Unafraid is a powerful testimony to the richness of each individuals unique spiritual journey.

Anderson stated “Unafraid” is a powerful testimony to the richness of each individuals unique spiritual journey.

Lagerquist wrote that pastor Harald Ibsens sermons demonstrate that Grundtvigian happiness was not blind to sorrow or suffering or social ills, but neither was it defeated by such trials.

Reflections from his hearers bring the gospel into the realities of farm life, child rearing, marriage, and disease, Lagerquist stated.

Joy Ibsen contact info:

Joy Marie Ibsen
P O Box 43
Trout Creek, MI
49967

Call:

906-852-3479

email Author Joy Ibsen

Author Joy Ibsen official website

Joy Ibsen social and photograph websites:

Author Joy Ibsen on Facebook

Author Joy Ibsen on Twitter

Author Joy Ibsen on myspace

Author Joy Ibsen on Word Press blog

Author Joy Ibsen on bliptv

Author Joy Ibsen on youtube

Author Joy Ibsen on Flickr

Author Joy Ibsen on Photobucket


Wipf & Stock Publishing: Unafraid by Joy Ibsen and Rev. Harald Ibsen

Wipf and Stock: Author Joy Ibsen bio

Wipf and Stock: Harald Ibsen bio

Joy Ibsen, Editor of “Church and Life”

Joy Ibsen bio on “Church and Life“


Danamerica is the official website of Ibsen’s first book Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By with color photographs by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg. Produced 70 minute CD by the Grand View College Kantorei

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig:

Joy Ibsen writes about four principles of Grundtvigianism

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig aka

N.F.S. Grundtvig, Danish bishop and poet info on Wikipedia and Britannica websites:

Pine Mountain Music Festival:

Joy Ibsen serves as vice president of the Pine Mountain Music Festival board of directors
—
Media coverage 2006-2010:

Omaha World-Herald Preview story on 8-21-09 about Author Joy Ibsen talk to the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn IA

L’Anse Sentinel newspaper preview story on Author Joy Ibsen book signing on July 30, 2009 at North Wind Books in Hancock, MI

Superior Chronicle story on Unafraid on 6-18-09

Iron Mountain Daily News brief on upcoming book signing at Finn Fest 2009 in Covington, MI

Joy Ibsen honored in her childhood home newspaper Yankton Press-Dakotan in July 2008 during annual Danish Days festival for first book Songs of Denmark“

Joy Ibsen first book Songs of Denmark is mentioned in story by Des Moines Register because book was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a March 2009 ceremony. The story “Danish royalty pay visit to Grand View” by Cynthia Reynaud appeared on 3-25-09 (requires subscription to read)

The book Unafraid is sold online by publisher and numerous Windows Booksellers website and other sites:

Target

Tower Books

Boone Bridge Books

Amazon.com UK

Amazon.com UK: Harald Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: Joy Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: “Unafraid” listing

New & Used copies of the book “Unafraid“ on Amazon.com

Cokesbury

Kirjasana

Antiqbook

Biblio

Internet BookShop (IBS)

Other websites related to Denmark, Author Joy Ibsen or information in the story:

Danish Imigrant Museum

Danebod Family Camps & Folk School

Danish American Heritage Society publication “The Bridge”

Danish Royal Family on Wikipedia

Danish Royal Family on Danish Royal Watchers blog

Grand View University, (formerly Grand View College) a four-year, liberal-arts college affiliated with the ELCA in Des Moines

Grand View University on Wikipedia

Shimer College

University of Chicago

Paul Tillich, German-American theologian, Christian existentialist philosopher on Wikipedia

Paul Tillich on theology website

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Wikipedia page on the ELCA

Friends of Author Joy Ibsen:

Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns founded the nonprofit Turtle Island Project in 2007 to foster respect for indigenous people and cultures and to promote what they can teach us about caring and repairing the environment.

Rev. Hubbard is the executive director of the ELCA-related Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona. Rev. Cairns is a Chicago Theological Seminary professor who founded the nonprofit Celtic Christianity Today.

Read the Spirit, an online spiritual magazine with inspirational stories and book reviews created by David Crumm, the longtime religion editor for the Detroit Free Press
.
Crumm established ten pinciples for his work that all people with a religion should read.

The many interfaith and youth-related environment projects founded by Rev. Jon Magnuson of Marquette, MI under the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute.

Magnuson’s CTI co-founded the EarthKeeper Initiative, and founded the Earth Healing Initiative, Manoomin Project and the Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project.

Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project –

Native American and Marquette area teens protecting pollinators project:

Zaagkii TV on youtube

Zaagkii Project Story Part 1 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project Story Part 2 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project hailed as success by U.S. Forest Service

Zaagkii Project blog on wordpress

Non-profit Interfaith

Earth Healing Initiative: Numerous environment projects across the Great Lakes Basin in cooperation with the EPA, American Indian Tribes and local governments

Earth Healing TV on youtube

Earth Healing TV on bliptv

Earth Healing Initiative was part of the first EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge with youtube and bliptv videos.

EarthKeeper TV on youtube has EarthKeeper and Manoomin Project videos including stories and a Manoomin Project music video & more

Manoomin Project story in Indian Country Today

Manoomin Project Story in World Magazine

Author Joy Ibsen encourages everyone to live their life “Unafraid”

August 23, 2009 Danish Immigrant Museum Elk Horn, Iowa: Author Joy Ibsen reads Kimballton “Unafraid” chapter

Author Joy Ibsen of Trout Creek, MI signs her book “Unafraid” during an August 23, 2009 reception at the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa. (Photo by Kevin Nelson, reporter for the Danish Villages Voice newspaper)
Video shot on August 23, 2009 by Donald Lenef at the Danish Immigrant Museum Elk Horn, Iowa

In the video, Author Joy Ibsen reads a part of a chapter from Unafraid and gives a presentation in which she explains the book’s Kimballton connection

Author Joy Ibsen holds her book “Songs of Denmark” while sitting at Victor Borge’s first piano on August 23, 2009 at the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa. The piano was restored for the Victor Borge Centennial Celebration. (Photo by Kevin Nelson, a reporter for Danish Villages Voice newspaper)

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – The sounds of Danish American entertainer and pianist Victor Borge’s piano filled the air as Michigan author Joy Ibsen led a late summer songfest at the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa.

About 70 people sang at the 30-minute songfest on August 24 that was followed by a PowerPoint presentation and a reception for Ibsen to present her latest book Unafraid.

What a thrill to play Victor Borges piano, Ibsen said. What an incredibly rich sound.

The event was co-sponsored by the Danish Immigrant Museum and Danish Brotherhood Lodge #341.

Lovingly called the Clown Prince of Denmark, the piano donated by Borge was restored this past winter after falling silent for 22 years.

The piano, the first owned by Borge, was restored through a gift from Iowa Danish Royal Consul Lowell Kramme and his wife Marilyn. Lowell Kramme is Ibsen’s second cousin.

The Victor Borge centennial celebration at the museum runs through March 8, 2010. Before being donated to the museum, the piano was severely damaged in a hurricane at the Borge home in St. Croix.

Ibsen could feel the spirit of the comedian known as the Unmelancholy Dane.

I felt like falling off the piano bench like Borge did but decided not to try it,’ Ibsen joked.

Songs included Evening Star, Han Skal Leve, Up Little Hans and Theres No Grandma Just Like Mine.

Everyone had a great time singing favorite Danish songs ranging from folksongs to children’s songs, said Ibsen who served 1999-2005 on the museum board of directors and as president in the final year.

For those who do not know the Danish songs, their lyrical simplicity make them easy to learn and they are so beautiful, said Ibsen, who spent her childhood in nearby Kimballton, IA. We ended by singing the Danish hymn, ‘Unafraid,’ which inspired the naming of my book, and I was so glad to hear several sing it in Danish, ‘Altid Frejdig.’

In his introduction of Ibsen, Danish Immigrant Museum Executive Director Dr. John Mark Nielsen said Ibsen’s love for Danish history and wide-ranging career including being a teacher and a development director brought her to the attention of the board in the late 90s.

Ibsen said she was thrilled to attend the museum event that included a book signing. She read portions of Unafraid that take place when the Ibsens lived in Kimballton.

Refreshments included delicious Danish open-faced sandwiches, wine and cookies, Ibsen said.

What a treat that many of my childhood friends are still here and remember me and my family, she said. Im so proud of the museum and all it has accomplished in preserving the Danish Heritage.

Presenting my book ‘Unafraid’ at the Danish Immigrant Museum was especially meaningful for me, because I lived in nearby Kimballton as a child ages 2-8, said Joy Ibsen,who is a writer, lay minister, and musician in the tiny northern Michigan hamlet of Trout Creek.

When I come back to the (Kimballton) area, I feel a little like a little kid again, Ibsen said. This was where I learned to read and roller skate.

Unafraid is co-authored by her late father Rev. Harald Ibsen, who pastored six small churches in four Midwest states including six years (1942-1948) at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kimballton.

At her mother’s home, Ibsen rescued the sermon notes that had Danish symbols and letters because her father used an old Danish typewriter.

The 225-page paperback book is published by Wipf and Stock Publishers of Eugene, OR.

Each of the 36 chapters in Unafraid starts with one of her father’s sermons written during the 1940s, 50s and 60s followed by autobiographical and fictional account how Rev. Ibsen’s message affected parishioners and their lives.

Both Ibsen’s are graduates of Grand View College (now Grand View University) in Des Moines, IA.

Born in South Dakota, Harald Ibsen moved to Denmark at the age of six (1904) with his mother Mathilda, siblings after the death of his father Lars from tuberculosis.

While living in Denmark for 20 years, Harald Ibsen was a member of the Danish Royal Guard stationed at Amalienborg Palace.

Rev. Ibsen’s forthright sermons – delivered in a time often called everything from the Golden to the Atomic ages – reflect the community-first messages of N.F.S. Grundtvig, a 19th century philosopher-theologian.

Several of the sermons featured in the book were given by my father at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, she said.

Well-known Christian author Dr. Walter Brueggemann of Cincinnati, OH, and others who have read Unafraid, have commented on how the post-depression issues that Rev. Ibsen preached are amazingly similar to issues in the 21st Century including the bad economy, war, child-rearing difficulties, terminal illness, death of spouse, career choice, marital problems and loss of faith.

Brueggemann described Ibsen’s father as fresh in his thought, puckish in his style and grounded in faith during his endorsement of Unafraid.

We may thank the daughter for letting us know her remarkable father, Brueggemann wrote. Harald was unafraid as an (Danish) immigrant who lived in a venturesome way.

The hymn Unafraid appears in her first book Songs of Denmark that has 48 songs in both Danish and English.

Published in July 2005, Songs of Denmark was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a ceremony in March 2009, according to an article in the Des Moines Register.

Ibsen is the editor and columnist for Church and Life, a publication of the Danish Interest Conference through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

The hymn Unafraid was sung in the Danish Resistance during World War Two a time of terrible danger, said Ibsen, an original member of the interfaith Upper Peninsula EarthKeeper environment group in northern Michigan.

Nevertheless one can live with confidence, and hope, said Ibsen, who holds arts and humanities degrees from Grand View College and Shimer College in Chicago. Today’s society is bombarded by all kinds of fears and we need to learn to live unafraid.

Other endorsements of Unafraid were written by St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN) religion professor L. DeAne Lagerquist and Danish-American Bishop Emeritus Harry Andersen of the ELCA Northern Great Lakes Synod.

I am mightily moved and impacted by the insightful sermons and the stories that follow, Rev. Anderson wrote.

Anderson stated Unafraid

Rare 1946 color movies of Kimballton, Iowa by late Rev. Harald Ibsen, co-author of “Unafraid” with daughter Joy Ibsen

Rare 1946 color movies of Kimballton, Iowa by late Rev. Harald Ibsen, a Danish-American pastor and co-author of “Unafraid” with daughter Joy Ibsen.

Author Joy Ibsen is sharing her father’s home movies because very few people took color home movies in the 1940s.

Her father, Rev. Harald Ibsen, took hours and hours of rare color and black and white movies in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.

The movies were taken at locations across the midwest including six churches in four Midwest states at which he was pastor (The Diamond Lake Lutheran Church in Lake Benton, MN; Hope Lutheran Church, Ruthton, MN; Immanuel Lutheran Church, Kimballton, IA; Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Viborg, SD; Trinity Lutheran Church, Gayville, SD and St. John Lutheran Church, Marquette, NE.), plus Yellowstone National Park and in Denmark.

Sermons used in Unafraid were given by Rev. Harald Ibsen at Christmas, New Year, Epiphany, Lent, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost, Trinity, and Advent.

Rev. Ibsen belonged to the American Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC), formerly the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, that merged into the American Lutheran Church (ALC) in 1962 that merged into the ELCA in 1987.

Joy Ibsen manages Danamerica, a Danish-American website about her first book Songs of Denmark.

Photographs in Songs of Denmark are by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg and a 70-minute CD of the songs was produced by the Grand View College Kantorei.
Harald Ibsen was an athletic, outdoor person who loved to hunt, fish, hike, play golf, and always had an amazing garden, Joy Ibsen said.

Joy Ibsen contact info:

Joy Marie Ibsen
P O Box 43
Trout Creek, MI
49967

Call:

906-852-3479

email Author Joy Ibsen

Author Joy Ibsen official website

Joy Ibsen social and photograph websites:

Author Joy Ibsen on Facebook

Author Joy Ibsen on Twitter

Author Joy Ibsen on myspace

Author Joy Ibsen on Word Press blog

Author Joy Ibsen on bliptv

Author Joy Ibsen on youtube

Author Joy Ibsen on Flickr

Author Joy Ibsen on Photobucket


Wipf & Stock Publishing: Unafraid by Joy Ibsen and Rev. Harald Ibsen

Wipf and Stock: Author Joy Ibsen bio

Wipf and Stock: Harald Ibsen bio

Joy Ibsen, Editor of “Church and Life”

Joy Ibsen bio on “Church and Life“


Danamerica is the official website of Ibsen’s first book Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By with color photographs by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg. Produced 70 minute CD by the Grand View College Kantorei

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig:

Joy Ibsen writes about four principles of Grundtvigianism

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig aka

N.F.S. Grundtvig, Danish bishop and poet info on Wikipedia and Britannica websites:

Pine Mountain Music Festival:

Joy Ibsen serves as vice president of the Pine Mountain Music Festival board of directors
—
Media coverage 2006-2010:

Omaha World-Herald Preview story on 8-21-09 about Author Joy Ibsen talk to the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn IA

L’Anse Sentinel newspaper preview story on Author Joy Ibsen book signing on July 30, 2009 at North Wind Books in Hancock, MI

Superior Chronicle story on Unafraid on 6-18-09

Iron Mountain Daily News brief on upcoming book signing at Finn Fest 2009 in Covington, MI

Joy Ibsen honored in her childhood home newspaper Yankton Press-Dakotan in July 2008 during annual Danish Days festival for first book Songs of Denmark“

Joy Ibsen first book Songs of Denmark is mentioned in story by Des Moines Register because book was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a March 2009 ceremony. The story “Danish royalty pay visit to Grand View” by Cynthia Reynaud appeared on 3-25-09 (requires subscription to read)

The book Unafraid is sold online by publisher and numerous Windows Booksellers website and other sites:

Target

Tower Books

Boone Bridge Books

Amazon.com UK

Amazon.com UK: Harald Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: Joy Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: “Unafraid” listing

New & Used copies of the book “Unafraid“ on Amazon.com

Cokesbury

Kirjasana

Antiqbook

Biblio

Internet BookShop (IBS)

Other websites related to Denmark, Author Joy Ibsen or information in the story:

Danish Imigrant Museum

Danebod Family Camps & Folk School

Danish American Heritage Society publication “The Bridge”

Danish Royal Family on Wikipedia

Danish Royal Family on Danish Royal Watchers blog

Grand View University, (formerly Grand View College) a four-year, liberal-arts college affiliated with the ELCA in Des Moines

Grand View University on Wikipedia

Shimer College

University of Chicago

Paul Tillich, German-American theologian, Christian existentialist philosopher on Wikipedia

Paul Tillich on theology website

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Wikipedia page on the ELCA

Friends of Author Joy Ibsen:

Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns founded the nonprofit Turtle Island Project in 2007 to foster respect for indigenous people and cultures and to promote what they can teach us about caring and repairing the environment.

Rev. Hubbard is the executive director of the ELCA-related Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona. Rev. Cairns is a Chicago Theological Seminary professor who founded the nonprofit Celtic Christianity Today.

Read the Spirit, an online spiritual magazine with inspirational stories and book reviews created by David Crumm, the longtime religion editor for the Detroit Free Press
.
Crumm established ten pinciples for his work that all people with a religion should read.

The many interfaith and youth-related environment projects founded by Rev. Jon Magnuson of Marquette, MI under the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute.

Magnuson’s CTI co-founded the EarthKeeper Initiative, and founded the Earth Healing Initiative, Manoomin Project and the Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project.

Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project –

Native American and Marquette area teens protecting pollinators project:

Zaagkii TV on youtube

Zaagkii Project Story Part 1 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project Story Part 2 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project hailed as success by U.S. Forest Service

Zaagkii Project blog on wordpress

Non-profit Interfaith

Earth Healing Initiative: Numerous environment projects across the Great Lakes Basin in cooperation with the EPA, American Indian Tribes and local governments

Earth Healing TV on youtube

Earth Healing TV on bliptv

Earth Healing Initiative was part of the first EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge with youtube and bliptv videos.

EarthKeeper TV on youtube has EarthKeeper and Manoomin Project videos including stories and a Manoomin Project music video & more

Manoomin Project story in Indian Country Today

Manoomin Project Story in World Magazine

Author Joy Ibsen encourages everyone to live their life “Unafraid”

Danish Days 2009 Viborg, SD: Impressive Young Danish Folk Dancers

Viborg, South Dakota native and author Joy Ibsen returned home for Danish Days 2009 to present her new book “Unafraid” that includes a slice of Viborg life

Michigan Author Job Ibsen visits Bethania Cemetery aka West Cemetery near Viborg, South Dakota where several generations of her family are buried including grandfather, great-grand parents

Photo by Don Lenef

Author Joy Ibsen visits Turkey Ridge, SD location where her great-grandfather Mads Ibsen homesteaded after 1893 Depression

Photo by Don Lenef

Young Danish Folk Dancers from Author Joy Ibsen’s late father’s Sunday School performed traditional dancing

Photo & videos by Don Lenef

(Viborg, South Dakota) – Michigan Author Joy Ibsen returned to her childhood hometown during Danish Days 2009 to present her latest book “Unafraid” that includes a slice of Viborg life.
From a great-grandfather forced to live in a local cave during a depression in the 1890s to a father who pastored two area churches after a stint protecting Danish royalty, Ibsen’s Viborg heritage is as colorful as the bright red and white Danish flag.

Author Joy Ibsen’s books: “Unafraid” and “Songs of Denmark”

During Danish Days, Ibsen lead a Songfest on Saturday, July 18, 2009 using her popular first book “Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By” that was followed by a PowerPoint presentation about her book “Unafraid” and then sign her books for friends, former neighbors and local residents.
“I read a chapter from Unafraid and explained its Grundtvigian philosophy,” said Ibsen, whose presentation included her family history and stories based in Viborg.

A 1958 graduate of Viborg High School, Joy’s new book “Unafraid” has many stories about the years she lived in Viborg.

The late Rev. Harald Ibsen (left) relaxes in his Viborg study; Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (center) in Viborg; Our Savior’s Danish Gymnasium Hall (right) in Viborg circa 1925

“Unafraid” is co-authored by her late father Harald who served Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Viborg and the Trinity Lutheran Church in Gayville, SD (near Meckling) from 1948 to 1960.
Ibsen died in 1972 at age of 74.
“The book is co-authored by my (late) father because the sermons are the basis of the book and the thoughts and ideas are his and they are very relevant to today’s world,” Ibsen said.
Joy Ibsen brought “some of the Danish influence” and organizers were“excited to have her back again this year,” said Danish Days co-chair Julie Hartmann.
“My mom grew up in her dad’s church,” said Hartmann adding many of her relatives attended Harald Ibsen’s Viborg services.

Danish Folk Dancers on July 18, 2009 in Viborg High School

Photo by Don Lenef

Young Sunday school students from her Rev. Ibsen’s one-time church (Our Savior’s Lutheran Church ) comprise the Danish Folk Dancers performed traditional dances at Viborg High School during Danish Days just prior to Ibsen’s appearance.
While going through an old wooden file cabinet in her mother’s home, Ibsen rescued her late father’s sermon notes. The sermons were given in small town and rural churches in four Midwest states with his longest service in Viborg.
Her stories in “Unafraid” are fiction but begin with autobiographical stories mainly from Viborg.
The 225-page paperback book is published by Wipf and Stock Publishers of Eugene, Oregon.
Each of the 36 chapters in “Unafraid” starts with a portion of her father’s sermons followed by the thoughts of parishioners and what is going on in their lives. Transcribing her father’s sermon notes was a challenge, because they were in note form and created on an old Danish Royal typewriter with its Danish symbols and letters.
After graduating from Viborg High School, Ibsen received arts and humanities degrees from Grand View College in Des Moines and Shimer College in Chicago. Ibsen is now a writer, piano teacher, musician, lay minister in the tiny northern Michigan hamlet of Trout Creek.
“Unafraid” is on sale at the Viborg Museum. “Songs of Denmark” is available along with CD by the Grand View College Kantorei for $39.95.

The CD alone is $10.

The 1890s homestead (left, center) of Mads Ibsen in Turkey Ridge; Author Joy Ibsen visits West Cemetery to visit graves of her grandfather Lars Ibsen and great-grandparents Mads and Margrethe Ibsen

Photos by Don Lenef

During her visit to the Viborg area, Joy Ibsen visited her great-grandfather Mads Ibsen’s old homestead and visited her family plots at the West Cemetery.
“I consider Viborg my hometown because that’s where I grew up from third grade through high school,” Ibsen said. “I always visit the West Cemetery where my great-grandparents, grandfather and many other relatives are buried.”
The Ibsen family’s deep South Dakota roots include her great-grandfather Mads Ibsen who settled in Viborg (formerly Danneville) in 1889 which then had a population of 50 families.

Joy Ibsen’s great-grandfather Mads (left); Joy Ibsen’s book “Unafraid” (top left, right collage) that’s co-authored by her late father Rev. Harald Ibsen; Author Joy Ibsen (collage top right) of Trout Creek, MI; (collage bottom left) Author Joy Ibsen’s grandparents Lars and Mathilda Ibsen, and Joy’s father Harald Ibsen, Age 4 in South Dakota. His parents are holding sister Ingeborg; and (bottom right) the Harald and Asta Ibsen Family (Joy’s parents) in Viborg, SD in 1957, and author Joy Ibsen (right sitting on grass), her parents Rev. Harald Ibsen and Asta Juhl Ibsen, and her brother (standing right) David (now of Portland, OR) and sister (left sitting on grass) Karma (now of Urbana, IL). Father Harald Ibsen died in 1972. Mother Asta Juhl Ibsen died in 1993.

During Danish Days, Joy Ibsen visited her great-grandfather’s homestead on 100 acres of unplowed prairie that included a small stream near Turkey Ridge where he built an 8 by 12 foot wooden shack with a slanted roof.
“He bought the farm for $600 by making small payments to a former homesteader who was losing her rights to the property,” Ibsen said.
Ibsen hopes to one day find the cave near Spring Valley where her great-grandfather (Mads) and two of his sons were forced to live during the winters of 1892 and 1893 after a beleaguered railroad project’s contractors twice went broke.

Mads and Margrethe Ibsen and their Children: Back Row: Frederick, Lars, Grethe, Villads, Janus Front Row: Ida, Mads, Margrethe, Ingeborg, Jens

The Depression of 1893 was one of the worst in American history and the unemployment rate exceeded ten percent for half a decade, according to historical records
“It’s my hope to sometime find the cave,” said Ibsen.
“He had no money and would not accept charity so he dug out a cave in the side of a hill,” Ibsen said. “They only had a table, bench and a bed.”
A 50-page family history poignantly includes a story about a Methodist shoemaker celebrating Christmas in the cave with Mads and sons.
“They cooked and ate the Christmas dinner, played cards, sang and danced,” she said. “The conservative visitor forgot himself while waltzing with Mads and it dawned on him he was holy man who was not supposed to dance. He ran out of the cave like a whirlwind.”

1960 photo of 25th wedding anniversary of Rev. Harald Ibsen and Asta Juhl Ibsen in Viborg, SD. Photo by “Click Hans,” a popular Danish photographer in Viborg. “Click Hans” earned the nickname because he was always clicking photos.

Ibsen’s father Harald – the co-author of “Unafraid” – was born in Irene, South Dakota in 1898, but moved back to Denmark at the age of six (1904) with his mother Mathilda, sister and baby brother after the death of his father Lars from tuberculosis, a disease that would kill millions of Americans including many Viborg residents.
While living in Denmark for 20 years, Harald Ibsen served in the Danish Royal Guard at Amalienborg Palace. He returned to Viborg two decades later (1924), only to leave again seeking work including a stint as a construction worker at Yellowstone National Park. Ibsen graduated from Grand View Seminary in Des Moines, Iowa and became pastor of six Midwestern churches during the 40s, 50s and 60s.
Ibsen said her father did not require his children to practice his religion and encouraged them to seek their own spirituality.
“Because my Dad was a Lutheran minister, we went to church every Sunday, but when I went away to college, to my surprise he suggested that I attend other churches so that I would be exposed to different faiths,” said Ibsen.
“He wanted his children to have a religion that was chosen, real and meaningful to them because that was much more important than appearances,” said Ibsen, who did graduate work in religion and literature at the University of Chicago and completed the theological education program in Episcopal lay ministry at the University of the South school of theology in Sewanee, TN.
The mother of three grown children and two grandchildren, Ibsen says her parents “have been models for my own parenting.”
The Ibsen children were anything but the traditional “preacher’s kids” due to the unconventional child-rearing views her dad held in the conventional 1940s and 1950s. Her dad’s view of raising children was different from many fathers as shown in his comments at the weddings of Ibsen and her sister, Karma.
“We always enjoyed having Joy as a guest in our home,” said Harald Ibsen.
Joy Ibsen said “dad believed children are ‘guests’ who during their growing up years, lived with parents, who help and guide them but we were not expected to fulfill the dreams of our parents.”
“Of course, we had to comply with house rules because ‘guests’ don’t track in mud or stay out unreasonable hours,” Ibsen said of her upbringing. “Welcome ‘guests’ always lend a hand, help out, and they certainly don’t get spanked.”
Several titles for her second book were mulled over but Ibsen named it after the Danish hymn “Unafraid” one of the 48 songs in both Danish and English in her first book “Songs of Denmark.”
“Songs of Denmark” was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a ceremony in March 2009.
The hymn “Unafraid” was “sung in the Danish Resistance during World War Two – a time of terrible danger,” Ibsen said.
“Unafraid doesn’t mean a person is problem-free and it surely doesn’t mean to be reckless,” Ibsen said. “Today’s society is bombarded by all kinds of fears and we need to learn to live unafraid with confidence and hope.”
Well-known Christian author Dr. Walter Brueggemann described Ibsen’s father as “fresh in his thought, puckish in his style and grounded in faith” during his endorsement of “Unafraid.”
“We may thank the daughter for letting us know her remarkable father,” Brueggemann wrote. “Harald was unafraid as an immigrant who lived in a venturesome way.”
Brueggemann and others have said the book is relevant today because some of the same issues discussed by Ibsen’s congregation members are the same today including the bad economy, war, child-rearing difficulties, terminal illness, death of spouse, career choice, marital problems and loss of faith.
Endorsements of “Unafraid” were also written by St. Olaf College religion professor L. DeAne Lagerquist and retired Lutheran Bishop Emeritus Harry Andersen of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Northern Great Lakes Synod in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.P.).
Ibsen is currently working on two other books including “Hatchings” that describes “experiences of death and how it is similar to birthing.”
Ibsen is the editor and columnist for “Church and Life,” a publication of the Danish Interest Conference through the ELCA. An original member of the interfaith U.P. EarthKeeper environment group, Ibsen is a lay minister with the AELC Lutheran Church and an organist at Trinity Lutheran Church in Trout Creek, MI. She served as president of the Danish Immigrant Museum and is a participant at the Danebod Folk School.
Sermons used in “Unafraid” are from Christmas, New Year, Epiphany, Lent, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost, Trinity, and Advent.
Chapters in “Unafraid” are based on Harald Ibsen’s other churches including St. John Lutheran Church (1960-1965) in the Danish village of Kronborg, NE; Immanuel Lutheran Church (1942-1948) in Kimballton, IA; and from 1936 to 1942 at the Diamond Lake Lutheran Church in Lake Benton, MN and the Hope Lutheran Church in Ruthton, MN.
Rev. Ibsen belonged to the American Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC), formerly the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, that merged into the American Lutheran Church (ALC) in 1962 that merged into the ELCA in 1987.
Ibsen manages Danamerica, a Danish-American website about her first book “Songs of Denmark.”
Photographs in “Songs of Denmark” are by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg and a 70-minute CD of the songs was produced by the Grand View College Kantorei.

—

Joy Ibsen contact info:

Joy Marie Ibsen

P O Box 43

Trout Creek, MI

49967

Call:

906-852-3479

email Author Joy Ibsen

—

Author Joy Ibsen official website

—

Joy Ibsen social and photograph websites:

Author Joy Ibsen on Facebook

Author Joy Ibsen on Twitter

Author Joy Ibsen on myspace

Author Joy Ibsen on Word Press blog

Author Joy Ibsen on bliptv

Author Joy Ibsen on youtube

Author Joy Ibsen on Flickr

Author Joy Ibsen on Photobucket

—

Wipf & Stock Publishing: “Unafraid” by Joy Ibsen and Rev. Harald Ibsen

Wipf and Stock: Author Joy Ibsen bio

Wipf and Stock: Harald Ibsen bio

—

Joy Ibsen, Editor of “Church and Life”

Joy Ibsen bio on “Church and Life“

—

Danamerica is the official website of Ibsen’s first book “Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By” with color photographs by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg. Produced 70 minute CD by the Grand View College Kantorei

—

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig:

Joy Ibsen writes about four principles of Grundtvigianism

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig aka

N.F.S. Grundtvig, Danish bishop and poet info on Wikipedia and Britannica websites:

—

Pine Mountain Music Festival:

Joy Ibsen serves as vice president of the Pine Mountain Music Festival board of directors

—

Media coverage 2006-2010:

Omaha World-Herald Preview story on 8-21-09 about Author Joy Ibsen talk to the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn IA

L’Anse Sentinel newspaper preview story on Author Joy Ibsen book signing on July 30, 2009 at North Wind Books in Hancock, MI

Superior Chronicle story on “Unafraid” on 6-18-09

Iron Mountain Daily News brief on upcoming book signing at Finn Fest 2009 in Covington, MI

Joy Ibsen honored in her childhood home newspaper Yankton Press-Dakotan in July 2008 during annual Danish Days festival for first book “Songs of Denmark“

Joy Ibsen first book “Songs of Denmark” is mentioned in story by Des Moines Register because book was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a March 2009 ceremony. The story “Danish royalty pay visit to Grand View” by Cynthia Reynaud appeared on 3-25-09 (requires subscription to read)

—

The book “Unafraid” is sold online by publisher and numerous Windows Booksellers website and other sites:

Target

Tower Books

Boone Bridge Books

Amazon.com UK

Amazon.com UK: Harald Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: Joy Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: “Unafraid” listing

New & Used copies of the book “Unafraid“ on Amazon.com

Cokesbury

Kirjasana

Antiqbook

Biblio

Internet BookShop (IBS)

Other websites related to Denmark, Author Joy Ibsen or information in the story:

Danish Imigrant Museum

Danebod Family Camps & Folk School

Danish American Heritage Society publication “The Bridge”

Danish Royal Family on Wikipedia

Danish Royal Family on Danish Royal Watchers blog

Grand View University, (formerly Grand View College) a four-year, liberal-arts college affiliated with the ELCA in Des Moine

s

Grand View University on Wikipedia

Shimer College

University of Chicago

Paul Tillich, German-American theologian, Christian existentialist philosopher on Wikipedia

Paul Tillich on theology website

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Wikipedia page on the ELCA

—

Friends of Author Joy Ibsen:

Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns founded the nonprofit Turtle Island Project in 2007 to foster respect for indigenous people and cultures and to promote what they can teach us about caring and repairing the environment.

Rev. Hubbard is the executive director of the ELCA-related Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona. Rev. Cairns is a Chicago Theological Seminary professor who founded the nonprofit Celtic Christianity Today.

Read the Spirit, an online spiritual magazine with inspirational stories and book reviews created by David Crumm, the longtime religion editor for the Detroit Free Press

. Crumm established ten pinciples for his work that all people with a religion should read.

The many interfaith and youth-related environment projects founded by Rev. Jon Magnuson of Marquette, MI under the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute.

Magnuson’s CTI co-founded the EarthKeeper Initiative, and founded the Earth Healing Initiative, Manoomin Project and the Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project.

Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project –

Native American and Marquette area teens protecting pollinators project:

Zaagkii TV on youtube

Zaagkii Project Story Part 1 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project Story Part 2 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project hailed as success by U.S. Forest Service

Zaagkii Project blog on wordpress

Non-profit Interfaith

Earth Healing Initiative: Numerous environment projects across the Great Lakes Basin in cooperation with the EPA, American Indian Tribes and local governments

Earth Healing TV on youtube

Earth Healing TV on bliptv

Earth Healing Initiative was part of the first EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge with youtube and bliptv videos.

EarthKeeper TV on youtube has EarthKeeper and Manoomin Project videos including stories and a Manoomin Project music video & more

Manoomin Project story in Indian Country Today

Manoomin Project Story in World Magazine

Author Joy Ibsen encourages everyone to live their life “Unafraid”

Viborg Enterprise newspaper

Viborg Enterprise newspaper

Viborg Enterprise newspaper

Omaha World-Herald newspaper

L’Anse Sentinel Newspaper

Danish Days 2009 Viborg, SD: Mich. Author Joy Ibsen holds songfest, reads Viborg part of her book “Unafraid”

Viborg, South Dakota native and author Joy Ibsen returned home for Danish Days 2009 to present her new book “Unafraid” that includes a slice of Viborg life

Michigan Author Job Ibsen visits Bethania Cemetery aka West Cemetery near Viborg, South Dakota where several generations of her family are buried including grandfather, great-grand parents

Photo by Don Lenef

Author Joy Ibsen visits Turkey Ridge, SD location where her great-grandfather Mads Ibsen homesteaded after 1893 Depression

Photo by Don Lenef

Young Danish Folk Dancers from Author Joy Ibsen’s late father’s Sunday School performed traditional dancing

Photo & videos by Don Lenef

(Viborg, South Dakota) – Michigan Author Joy Ibsen returned to her childhood hometown during Danish Days 2009 to present her latest book “Unafraid” that includes a slice of Viborg life.
From a great-grandfather forced to live in a local cave during a depression in the 1890s to a father who pastored two area churches after a stint protecting Danish royalty, Ibsen’s Viborg heritage is as colorful as the bright red and white Danish flag.

Author Joy Ibsen’s books: “Unafraid” and “Songs of Denmark”

During Danish Days, Ibsen lead a Songfest on Saturday, July 18, 2009 using her popular first book “Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By” that was followed by a PowerPoint presentation about her book “Unafraid” and then sign her books for friends, former neighbors and local residents.
“I read a chapter from Unafraid and explained its Grundtvigian philosophy,” said Ibsen, whose presentation included her family history and stories based in Viborg.

A 1958 graduate of Viborg High School, Joy’s new book “Unafraid” has many stories about the years she lived in Viborg.

The late Rev. Harald Ibsen (left) relaxes in his Viborg study; Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (center) in Viborg; Our Savior’s Danish Gymnasium Hall (right) in Viborg circa 1925

“Unafraid” is co-authored by her late father Harald who served Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Viborg and the Trinity Lutheran Church in Gayville, SD (near Meckling) from 1948 to 1960.
Ibsen died in 1972 at age of 74.
“The book is co-authored by my (late) father because the sermons are the basis of the book and the thoughts and ideas are his and they are very relevant to today’s world,” Ibsen said.
Joy Ibsen brought “some of the Danish influence” and organizers were“excited to have her back again this year,” said Danish Days co-chair Julie Hartmann.
“My mom grew up in her dad’s church,” said Hartmann adding many of her relatives attended Harald Ibsen’s Viborg services.

Danish Folk Dancers on July 18, 2009 in Viborg High School

Photo by Don Lenef

Young Sunday school students from her Rev. Ibsen’s one-time church (Our Savior’s Lutheran Church ) comprise the Danish Folk Dancers performed traditional dances at Viborg High School during Danish Days just prior to Ibsen’s appearance.
While going through an old wooden file cabinet in her mother’s home, Ibsen rescued her late father’s sermon notes. The sermons were given in small town and rural churches in four Midwest states with his longest service in Viborg.
Her stories in “Unafraid” are fiction but begin with autobiographical stories mainly from Viborg.
The 225-page paperback book is published by Wipf and Stock Publishers of Eugene, Oregon.
Each of the 36 chapters in “Unafraid” starts with a portion of her father’s sermons followed by the thoughts of parishioners and what is going on in their lives. Transcribing her father’s sermon notes was a challenge, because they were in note form and created on an old Danish Royal typewriter with its Danish symbols and letters.
After graduating from Viborg High School, Ibsen received arts and humanities degrees from Grand View College in Des Moines and Shimer College in Chicago. Ibsen is now a writer, piano teacher, musician, lay minister in the tiny northern Michigan hamlet of Trout Creek.
“Unafraid” is on sale at the Viborg Museum. “Songs of Denmark” is available along with CD by the Grand View College Kantorei for $39.95.

The CD alone is $10.

The 1890s homestead (left, center) of Mads Ibsen in Turkey Ridge; Author Joy Ibsen visits West Cemetery to visit graves of her grandfather Lars Ibsen and great-grandparents Mads and Margrethe Ibsen

Photos by Don Lenef

During her visit to the Viborg area, Joy Ibsen visited her great-grandfather Mads Ibsen’s old homestead and visited her family plots at the West Cemetery.
“I consider Viborg my hometown because that’s where I grew up from third grade through high school,” Ibsen said. “I always visit the West Cemetery where my great-grandparents, grandfather and many other relatives are buried.”
The Ibsen family’s deep South Dakota roots include her great-grandfather Mads Ibsen who settled in Viborg (formerly Danneville) in 1889 which then had a population of 50 families.

Joy Ibsen’s great-grandfather Mads (left); Joy Ibsen’s book “Unafraid” (top left, right collage) that’s co-authored by her late father Rev. Harald Ibsen; Author Joy Ibsen (collage top right) of Trout Creek, MI; (collage bottom left) Author Joy Ibsen’s grandparents Lars and Mathilda Ibsen, and Joy’s father Harald Ibsen, Age 4 in South Dakota. His parents are holding sister Ingeborg; and (bottom right) the Harald and Asta Ibsen Family (Joy’s parents) in Viborg, SD in 1957, and author Joy Ibsen (right sitting on grass), her parents Rev. Harald Ibsen and Asta Juhl Ibsen, and her brother (standing right) David (now of Portland, OR) and sister (left sitting on grass) Karma (now of Urbana, IL). Father Harald Ibsen died in 1972. Mother Asta Juhl Ibsen died in 1993.

During Danish Days, Joy Ibsen visited her great-grandfather’s homestead on 100 acres of unplowed prairie that included a small stream near Turkey Ridge where he built an 8 by 12 foot wooden shack with a slanted roof.
“He bought the farm for $600 by making small payments to a former homesteader who was losing her rights to the property,” Ibsen said.
Ibsen hopes to one day find the cave near Spring Valley where her great-grandfather (Mads) and two of his sons were forced to live during the winters of 1892 and 1893 after a beleaguered railroad project’s contractors twice went broke.

Mads and Margrethe Ibsen and their Children: Back Row: Frederick, Lars, Grethe, Villads, Janus Front Row: Ida, Mads, Margrethe, Ingeborg, Jens

The Depression of 1893 was one of the worst in American history and the unemployment rate exceeded ten percent for half a decade, according to historical records
“It’s my hope to sometime find the cave,” said Ibsen.
“He had no money and would not accept charity so he dug out a cave in the side of a hill,” Ibsen said. “They only had a table, bench and a bed.”
A 50-page family history poignantly includes a story about a Methodist shoemaker celebrating Christmas in the cave with Mads and sons.
“They cooked and ate the Christmas dinner, played cards, sang and danced,” she said. “The conservative visitor forgot himself while waltzing with Mads and it dawned on him he was holy man who was not supposed to dance. He ran out of the cave like a whirlwind.”

1960 photo of 25th wedding anniversary of Rev. Harald Ibsen and Asta Juhl Ibsen in Viborg, SD. Photo by “Click Hans,” a popular Danish photographer in Viborg. “Click Hans” earned the nickname because he was always clicking photos.

Ibsen’s father Harald – the co-author of “Unafraid” – was born in Irene, South Dakota in 1898, but moved back to Denmark at the age of six (1904) with his mother Mathilda, sister and baby brother after the death of his father Lars from tuberculosis, a disease that would kill millions of Americans including many Viborg residents.
While living in Denmark for 20 years, Harald Ibsen served in the Danish Royal Guard at Amalienborg Palace. He returned to Viborg two decades later (1924), only to leave again seeking work including a stint as a construction worker at Yellowstone National Park. Ibsen graduated from Grand View Seminary in Des Moines, Iowa and became pastor of six Midwestern churches during the 40s, 50s and 60s.
Ibsen said her father did not require his children to practice his religion and encouraged them to seek their own spirituality.
“Because my Dad was a Lutheran minister, we went to church every Sunday, but when I went away to college, to my surprise he suggested that I attend other churches so that I would be exposed to different faiths,” said Ibsen.
“He wanted his children to have a religion that was chosen, real and meaningful to them because that was much more important than appearances,” said Ibsen, who did graduate work in religion and literature at the University of Chicago and completed the theological education program in Episcopal lay ministry at the University of the South school of theology in Sewanee, TN.
The mother of three grown children and two grandchildren, Ibsen says her parents “have been models for my own parenting.”
The Ibsen children were anything but the traditional “preacher’s kids” due to the unconventional child-rearing views her dad held in the conventional 1940s and 1950s. Her dad’s view of raising children was different from many fathers as shown in his comments at the weddings of Ibsen and her sister, Karma.
“We always enjoyed having Joy as a guest in our home,” said Harald Ibsen.
Joy Ibsen said “dad believed children are ‘guests’ who during their growing up years, lived with parents, who help and guide them but we were not expected to fulfill the dreams of our parents.”
“Of course, we had to comply with house rules because ‘guests’ don’t track in mud or stay out unreasonable hours,” Ibsen said of her upbringing. “Welcome ‘guests’ always lend a hand, help out, and they certainly don’t get spanked.”
Several titles for her second book were mulled over but Ibsen named it after the Danish hymn “Unafraid” one of the 48 songs in both Danish and English in her first book “Songs of Denmark.”
“Songs of Denmark” was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a ceremony in March 2009.
The hymn “Unafraid” was “sung in the Danish Resistance during World War Two – a time of terrible danger,” Ibsen said.
“Unafraid doesn’t mean a person is problem-free and it surely doesn’t mean to be reckless,” Ibsen said. “Today’s society is bombarded by all kinds of fears and we need to learn to live unafraid with confidence and hope.”
Well-known Christian author Dr. Walter Brueggemann described Ibsen’s father as “fresh in his thought, puckish in his style and grounded in faith” during his endorsement of “Unafraid.”
“We may thank the daughter for letting us know her remarkable father,” Brueggemann wrote. “Harald was unafraid as an immigrant who lived in a venturesome way.”
Brueggemann and others have said the book is relevant today because some of the same issues discussed by Ibsen’s congregation members are the same today including the bad economy, war, child-rearing difficulties, terminal illness, death of spouse, career choice, marital problems and loss of faith.
Endorsements of “Unafraid” were also written by St. Olaf College religion professor L. DeAne Lagerquist and retired Lutheran Bishop Emeritus Harry Andersen of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Northern Great Lakes Synod in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.P.).
Ibsen is currently working on two other books including “Hatchings” that describes “experiences of death and how it is similar to birthing.”
Ibsen is the editor and columnist for “Church and Life,” a publication of the Danish Interest Conference through the ELCA. An original member of the interfaith U.P. EarthKeeper environment group, Ibsen is a lay minister with the AELC Lutheran Church and an organist at Trinity Lutheran Church in Trout Creek, MI. She served as president of the Danish Immigrant Museum and is a participant at the Danebod Folk School.
Sermons used in “Unafraid” are from Christmas, New Year, Epiphany, Lent, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost, Trinity, and Advent.
Chapters in “Unafraid” are based on Harald Ibsen’s other churches including St. John Lutheran Church (1960-1965) in the Danish village of Kronborg, NE; Immanuel Lutheran Church (1942-1948) in Kimballton, IA; and from 1936 to 1942 at the Diamond Lake Lutheran Church in Lake Benton, MN and the Hope Lutheran Church in Ruthton, MN.
Rev. Ibsen belonged to the American Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC), formerly the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, that merged into the American Lutheran Church (ALC) in 1962 that merged into the ELCA in 1987.
Ibsen manages Danamerica, a Danish-American website about her first book “Songs of Denmark.”
Photographs in “Songs of Denmark” are by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg and a 70-minute CD of the songs was produced by the Grand View College Kantorei.

—

Joy Ibsen contact info:

Joy Marie Ibsen

P O Box 43

Trout Creek, MI

49967

Call:

906-852-3479

email Author Joy Ibsen

—

Author Joy Ibsen official website

—

Joy Ibsen social and photograph websites:

Author Joy Ibsen on Facebook

Author Joy Ibsen on Twitter

Author Joy Ibsen on myspace

Author Joy Ibsen on Word Press blog

Author Joy Ibsen on bliptv

Author Joy Ibsen on youtube

Author Joy Ibsen on Flickr

Author Joy Ibsen on Photobucket

—

Wipf & Stock Publishing: “Unafraid” by Joy Ibsen and Rev. Harald Ibsen

Wipf and Stock: Author Joy Ibsen bio

Wipf and Stock: Harald Ibsen bio

—

Joy Ibsen, Editor of “Church and Life”

Joy Ibsen bio on “Church and Life“

—

Danamerica is the official website of Ibsen’s first book “Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By” with color photographs by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg. Produced 70 minute CD by the Grand View College Kantorei

—

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig:

Joy Ibsen writes about four principles of Grundtvigianism

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig aka

N.F.S. Grundtvig, Danish bishop and poet info on Wikipedia and Britannica websites:

—

Pine Mountain Music Festival:

Joy Ibsen serves as vice president of the Pine Mountain Music Festival board of directors

—

Media coverage 2006-2010:

Omaha World-Herald Preview story on 8-21-09 about Author Joy Ibsen talk to the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn IA

L’Anse Sentinel newspaper preview story on Author Joy Ibsen book signing on July 30, 2009 at North Wind Books in Hancock, MI

Superior Chronicle story on “Unafraid” on 6-18-09

Iron Mountain Daily News brief on upcoming book signing at Finn Fest 2009 in Covington, MI

Joy Ibsen honored in her childhood home newspaper Yankton Press-Dakotan in July 2008 during annual Danish Days festival for first book “Songs of Denmark“

Joy Ibsen first book “Songs of Denmark” is mentioned in story by Des Moines Register because book was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a March 2009 ceremony. The story “Danish royalty pay visit to Grand View” by Cynthia Reynaud appeared on 3-25-09 (requires subscription to read)

—

The book “Unafraid” is sold online by publisher and numerous Windows Booksellers website and other sites:

Target

Tower Books

Boone Bridge Books

Amazon.com UK

Amazon.com UK: Harald Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: Joy Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: “Unafraid” listing

New & Used copies of the book “Unafraid“ on Amazon.com

Cokesbury

Kirjasana

Antiqbook

Biblio

Internet BookShop (IBS)

Other websites related to Denmark, Author Joy Ibsen or information in the story:

Danish Imigrant Museum

Danebod Family Camps & Folk School

Danish American Heritage Society publication “The Bridge”

Danish Royal Family on Wikipedia

Danish Royal Family on Danish Royal Watchers blog

Grand View University, (formerly Grand View College) a four-year, liberal-arts college affiliated with the ELCA in Des Moine

s

Grand View University on Wikipedia

Shimer College

University of Chicago

Paul Tillich, German-American theologian, Christian existentialist philosopher on Wikipedia

Paul Tillich on theology website

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Wikipedia page on the ELCA

—

Friends of Author Joy Ibsen:

Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns founded the nonprofit Turtle Island Project in 2007 to foster respect for indigenous people and cultures and to promote what they can teach us about caring and repairing the environment.

Rev. Hubbard is the executive director of the ELCA-related Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona. Rev. Cairns is a Chicago Theological Seminary professor who founded the nonprofit Celtic Christianity Today.

Read the Spirit, an online spiritual magazine with inspirational stories and book reviews created by David Crumm, the longtime religion editor for the Detroit Free Press

. Crumm established ten pinciples for his work that all people with a religion should read.

The many interfaith and youth-related environment projects founded by Rev. Jon Magnuson of Marquette, MI under the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute.

Magnuson’s CTI co-founded the EarthKeeper Initiative, and founded the Earth Healing Initiative, Manoomin Project and the Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project.

Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project –

Native American and Marquette area teens protecting pollinators project:

Zaagkii TV on youtube

Zaagkii Project Story Part 1 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project Story Part 2 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project hailed as success by U.S. Forest Service

Zaagkii Project blog on wordpress

Non-profit Interfaith

Earth Healing Initiative: Numerous environment projects across the Great Lakes Basin in cooperation with the EPA, American Indian Tribes and local governments

Earth Healing TV on youtube

Earth Healing TV on bliptv

Earth Healing Initiative was part of the first EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge with youtube and bliptv videos.

EarthKeeper TV on youtube has EarthKeeper and Manoomin Project videos including stories and a Manoomin Project music video & more

Manoomin Project story in Indian Country Today

Manoomin Project Story in World Magazine

Author Joy Ibsen encourages everyone to live their life “Unafraid”

Viborg Enterprise newspaper

Viborg Enterprise newspaper

Viborg Enterprise newspaper

Omaha World-Herald newspaper

L’Anse Sentinel Newspaper

Danish Days 2009 Viborg, SD: Michigan Author Joy Ibsen revisits family heritage

Viborg, South Dakota native and author Joy Ibsen returned home for Danish Days 2009 to present her new book “Unafraid” that includes a slice of Viborg life

Michigan Author Job Ibsen visits Bethania Cemetery aka West Cemetery near Viborg, South Dakota where several generations of her family are buried including grandfather, great-grand parents

Photo by Don Lenef

Author Joy Ibsen visits Turkey Ridge, SD location where her great-grandfather Mads Ibsen homesteaded after 1893 Depression

Photo by Don Lenef

Young Danish Folk Dancers from Author Joy Ibsen’s late father’s Sunday School performed traditional dancing

Photo & videos by Don Lenef

(Viborg, South Dakota) – Michigan Author Joy Ibsen returned to her childhood hometown during Danish Days 2009 to present her latest book “Unafraid” that includes a slice of Viborg life.
From a great-grandfather forced to live in a local cave during a depression in the 1890s to a father who pastored two area churches after a stint protecting Danish royalty, Ibsen’s Viborg heritage is as colorful as the bright red and white Danish flag.

Author Joy Ibsen’s books: “Unafraid” and “Songs of Denmark”

During Danish Days, Ibsen lead a Songfest on Saturday, July 18, 2009 using her popular first book “Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By” that was followed by a PowerPoint presentation about her book “Unafraid” and then sign her books for friends, former neighbors and local residents.
“I read a chapter from Unafraid and explained its Grundtvigian philosophy,” said Ibsen, whose presentation included her family history and stories based in Viborg.

A 1958 graduate of Viborg High School, Joy’s new book “Unafraid” has many stories about the years she lived in Viborg.

The late Rev. Harald Ibsen (left) relaxes in his Viborg study; Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (center) in Viborg; Our Savior’s Danish Gymnasium Hall (right) in Viborg circa 1925

“Unafraid” is co-authored by her late father Harald who served Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Viborg and the Trinity Lutheran Church in Gayville, SD (near Meckling) from 1948 to 1960.
Ibsen died in 1972 at age of 74.
“The book is co-authored by my (late) father because the sermons are the basis of the book and the thoughts and ideas are his and they are very relevant to today’s world,” Ibsen said.
Joy Ibsen brought “some of the Danish influence” and organizers were“excited to have her back again this year,” said Danish Days co-chair Julie Hartmann.
“My mom grew up in her dad’s church,” said Hartmann adding many of her relatives attended Harald Ibsen’s Viborg services.

Danish Folk Dancers on July 18, 2009 in Viborg High School

Photo by Don Lenef

Young Sunday school students from her Rev. Ibsen’s one-time church (Our Savior’s Lutheran Church ) comprise the Danish Folk Dancers performed traditional dances at Viborg High School during Danish Days just prior to Ibsen’s appearance.
While going through an old wooden file cabinet in her mother’s home, Ibsen rescued her late father’s sermon notes. The sermons were given in small town and rural churches in four Midwest states with his longest service in Viborg.
Her stories in “Unafraid” are fiction but begin with autobiographical stories mainly from Viborg.
The 225-page paperback book is published by Wipf and Stock Publishers of Eugene, Oregon.
Each of the 36 chapters in “Unafraid” starts with a portion of her father’s sermons followed by the thoughts of parishioners and what is going on in their lives. Transcribing her father’s sermon notes was a challenge, because they were in note form and created on an old Danish Royal typewriter with its Danish symbols and letters.
After graduating from Viborg High School, Ibsen received arts and humanities degrees from Grand View College in Des Moines and Shimer College in Chicago. Ibsen is now a writer, piano teacher, musician, lay minister in the tiny northern Michigan hamlet of Trout Creek.
“Unafraid” is on sale at the Viborg Museum. “Songs of Denmark” is available along with CD by the Grand View College Kantorei for $39.95.

The CD alone is $10.

The 1890s homestead (left, center) of Mads Ibsen in Turkey Ridge; Author Joy Ibsen visits West Cemetery to visit graves of her grandfather Lars Ibsen and great-grandparents Mads and Margrethe Ibsen

Photos by Don Lenef

During her visit to the Viborg area, Joy Ibsen visited her great-grandfather Mads Ibsen’s old homestead and visited her family plots at the West Cemetery.
“I consider Viborg my hometown because that’s where I grew up from third grade through high school,” Ibsen said. “I always visit the West Cemetery where my great-grandparents, grandfather and many other relatives are buried.”
The Ibsen family’s deep South Dakota roots include her great-grandfather Mads Ibsen who settled in Viborg (formerly Danneville) in 1889 which then had a population of 50 families.

Joy Ibsen’s great-grandfather Mads (left); Joy Ibsen’s book “Unafraid” (top left, right collage) that’s co-authored by her late father Rev. Harald Ibsen; Author Joy Ibsen (collage top right) of Trout Creek, MI; (collage bottom left) Author Joy Ibsen’s grandparents Lars and Mathilda Ibsen, and Joy’s father Harald Ibsen, Age 4 in South Dakota. His parents are holding sister Ingeborg; and (bottom right) the Harald and Asta Ibsen Family (Joy’s parents) in Viborg, SD in 1957, and author Joy Ibsen (right sitting on grass), her parents Rev. Harald Ibsen and Asta Juhl Ibsen, and her brother (standing right) David (now of Portland, OR) and sister (left sitting on grass) Karma (now of Urbana, IL). Father Harald Ibsen died in 1972. Mother Asta Juhl Ibsen died in 1993.

During Danish Days, Joy Ibsen visited her great-grandfather’s homestead on 100 acres of unplowed prairie that included a small stream near Turkey Ridge where he built an 8 by 12 foot wooden shack with a slanted roof.
“He bought the farm for $600 by making small payments to a former homesteader who was losing her rights to the property,” Ibsen said.
Ibsen hopes to one day find the cave near Spring Valley where her great-grandfather (Mads) and two of his sons were forced to live during the winters of 1892 and 1893 after a beleaguered railroad project’s contractors twice went broke.

Mads and Margrethe Ibsen and their Children: Back Row: Frederick, Lars, Grethe, Villads, Janus Front Row: Ida, Mads, Margrethe, Ingeborg, Jens

The Depression of 1893 was one of the worst in American history and the unemployment rate exceeded ten percent for half a decade, according to historical records
“It’s my hope to sometime find the cave,” said Ibsen.
“He had no money and would not accept charity so he dug out a cave in the side of a hill,” Ibsen said. “They only had a table, bench and a bed.”
A 50-page family history poignantly includes a story about a Methodist shoemaker celebrating Christmas in the cave with Mads and sons.
“They cooked and ate the Christmas dinner, played cards, sang and danced,” she said. “The conservative visitor forgot himself while waltzing with Mads and it dawned on him he was holy man who was not supposed to dance. He ran out of the cave like a whirlwind.”

1960 photo of 25th wedding anniversary of Rev. Harald Ibsen and Asta Juhl Ibsen in Viborg, SD. Photo by “Click Hans,” a popular Danish photographer in Viborg. “Click Hans” earned the nickname because he was always clicking photos.

Ibsen’s father Harald – the co-author of “Unafraid” – was born in Irene, South Dakota in 1898, but moved back to Denmark at the age of six (1904) with his mother Mathilda, sister and baby brother after the death of his father Lars from tuberculosis, a disease that would kill millions of Americans including many Viborg residents.
While living in Denmark for 20 years, Harald Ibsen served in the Danish Royal Guard at Amalienborg Palace. He returned to Viborg two decades later (1924), only to leave again seeking work including a stint as a construction worker at Yellowstone National Park. Ibsen graduated from Grand View Seminary in Des Moines, Iowa and became pastor of six Midwestern churches during the 40s, 50s and 60s.
Ibsen said her father did not require his children to practice his religion and encouraged them to seek their own spirituality.
“Because my Dad was a Lutheran minister, we went to church every Sunday, but when I went away to college, to my surprise he suggested that I attend other churches so that I would be exposed to different faiths,” said Ibsen.
“He wanted his children to have a religion that was chosen, real and meaningful to them because that was much more important than appearances,” said Ibsen, who did graduate work in religion and literature at the University of Chicago and completed the theological education program in Episcopal lay ministry at the University of the South school of theology in Sewanee, TN.
The mother of three grown children and two grandchildren, Ibsen says her parents “have been models for my own parenting.”
The Ibsen children were anything but the traditional “preacher’s kids” due to the unconventional child-rearing views her dad held in the conventional 1940s and 1950s. Her dad’s view of raising children was different from many fathers as shown in his comments at the weddings of Ibsen and her sister, Karma.
“We always enjoyed having Joy as a guest in our home,” said Harald Ibsen.
Joy Ibsen said “dad believed children are ‘guests’ who during their growing up years, lived with parents, who help and guide them but we were not expected to fulfill the dreams of our parents.”
“Of course, we had to comply with house rules because ‘guests’ don’t track in mud or stay out unreasonable hours,” Ibsen said of her upbringing. “Welcome ‘guests’ always lend a hand, help out, and they certainly don’t get spanked.”
Several titles for her second book were mulled over but Ibsen named it after the Danish hymn “Unafraid” one of the 48 songs in both Danish and English in her first book “Songs of Denmark.”
“Songs of Denmark” was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a ceremony in March 2009.
The hymn “Unafraid” was “sung in the Danish Resistance during World War Two – a time of terrible danger,” Ibsen said.
“Unafraid doesn’t mean a person is problem-free and it surely doesn’t mean to be reckless,” Ibsen said. “Today’s society is bombarded by all kinds of fears and we need to learn to live unafraid with confidence and hope.”
Well-known Christian author Dr. Walter Brueggemann described Ibsen’s father as “fresh in his thought, puckish in his style and grounded in faith” during his endorsement of “Unafraid.”
“We may thank the daughter for letting us know her remarkable father,” Brueggemann wrote. “Harald was unafraid as an immigrant who lived in a venturesome way.”
Brueggemann and others have said the book is relevant today because some of the same issues discussed by Ibsen’s congregation members are the same today including the bad economy, war, child-rearing difficulties, terminal illness, death of spouse, career choice, marital problems and loss of faith.
Endorsements of “Unafraid” were also written by St. Olaf College religion professor L. DeAne Lagerquist and retired Lutheran Bishop Emeritus Harry Andersen of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Northern Great Lakes Synod in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.P.).
Ibsen is currently working on two other books including “Hatchings” that describes “experiences of death and how it is similar to birthing.”
Ibsen is the editor and columnist for “Church and Life,” a publication of the Danish Interest Conference through the ELCA. An original member of the interfaith U.P. EarthKeeper environment group, Ibsen is a lay minister with the AELC Lutheran Church and an organist at Trinity Lutheran Church in Trout Creek, MI. She served as president of the Danish Immigrant Museum and is a participant at the Danebod Folk School.
Sermons used in “Unafraid” are from Christmas, New Year, Epiphany, Lent, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost, Trinity, and Advent.
Chapters in “Unafraid” are based on Harald Ibsen’s other churches including St. John Lutheran Church (1960-1965) in the Danish village of Kronborg, NE; Immanuel Lutheran Church (1942-1948) in Kimballton, IA; and from 1936 to 1942 at the Diamond Lake Lutheran Church in Lake Benton, MN and the Hope Lutheran Church in Ruthton, MN.
Rev. Ibsen belonged to the American Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC), formerly the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, that merged into the American Lutheran Church (ALC) in 1962 that merged into the ELCA in 1987.
Ibsen manages Danamerica, a Danish-American website about her first book “Songs of Denmark.”
Photographs in “Songs of Denmark” are by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg and a 70-minute CD of the songs was produced by the Grand View College Kantorei.

—

Joy Ibsen contact info:

Joy Marie Ibsen

P O Box 43

Trout Creek, MI

49967

Call:

906-852-3479

email Author Joy Ibsen

—

Author Joy Ibsen official website

—

Joy Ibsen social and photograph websites:

Author Joy Ibsen on Facebook

Author Joy Ibsen on Twitter

Author Joy Ibsen on myspace

Author Joy Ibsen on Word Press blog

Author Joy Ibsen on bliptv

Author Joy Ibsen on youtube

Author Joy Ibsen on Flickr

Author Joy Ibsen on Photobucket

—

Wipf & Stock Publishing: “Unafraid” by Joy Ibsen and Rev. Harald Ibsen

Wipf and Stock: Author Joy Ibsen bio

Wipf and Stock: Harald Ibsen bio

—

Joy Ibsen, Editor of “Church and Life”

Joy Ibsen bio on “Church and Life“

—

Danamerica is the official website of Ibsen’s first book “Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By” with color photographs by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg. Produced 70 minute CD by the Grand View College Kantorei

—

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig:

Joy Ibsen writes about four principles of Grundtvigianism

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig aka

N.F.S. Grundtvig, Danish bishop and poet info on Wikipedia and Britannica websites:

—

Pine Mountain Music Festival:

Joy Ibsen serves as vice president of the Pine Mountain Music Festival board of directors

—

Media coverage 2006-2010:

Omaha World-Herald Preview story on 8-21-09 about Author Joy Ibsen talk to the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn IA

L’Anse Sentinel newspaper preview story on Author Joy Ibsen book signing on July 30, 2009 at North Wind Books in Hancock, MI

Superior Chronicle story on “Unafraid” on 6-18-09

Iron Mountain Daily News brief on upcoming book signing at Finn Fest 2009 in Covington, MI

Joy Ibsen honored in her childhood home newspaper Yankton Press-Dakotan in July 2008 during annual Danish Days festival for first book “Songs of Denmark“

Joy Ibsen first book “Songs of Denmark” is mentioned in story by Des Moines Register because book was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a March 2009 ceremony. The story “Danish royalty pay visit to Grand View” by Cynthia Reynaud appeared on 3-25-09 (requires subscription to read)

—

The book “Unafraid” is sold online by publisher and numerous Windows Booksellers website and other sites:

Target

Tower Books

Boone Bridge Books

Amazon.com UK

Amazon.com UK: Harald Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: Joy Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: “Unafraid” listing

New & Used copies of the book “Unafraid“ on Amazon.com

Cokesbury

Kirjasana

Antiqbook

Biblio

Internet BookShop (IBS)

Other websites related to Denmark, Author Joy Ibsen or information in the story:

Danish Imigrant Museum

Danebod Family Camps & Folk School

Danish American Heritage Society publication “The Bridge”

Danish Royal Family on Wikipedia

Danish Royal Family on Danish Royal Watchers blog

Grand View University, (formerly Grand View College) a four-year, liberal-arts college affiliated with the ELCA in Des Moine

s

Grand View University on Wikipedia

Shimer College

University of Chicago

Paul Tillich, German-American theologian, Christian existentialist philosopher on Wikipedia

Paul Tillich on theology website

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Wikipedia page on the ELCA

—

Friends of Author Joy Ibsen:

Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns founded the nonprofit Turtle Island Project in 2007 to foster respect for indigenous people and cultures and to promote what they can teach us about caring and repairing the environment.

Rev. Hubbard is the executive director of the ELCA-related Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona. Rev. Cairns is a Chicago Theological Seminary professor who founded the nonprofit Celtic Christianity Today.

Read the Spirit, an online spiritual magazine with inspirational stories and book reviews created by David Crumm, the longtime religion editor for the Detroit Free Press

. Crumm established ten pinciples for his work that all people with a religion should read.

The many interfaith and youth-related environment projects founded by Rev. Jon Magnuson of Marquette, MI under the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute.

Magnuson’s CTI co-founded the EarthKeeper Initiative, and founded the Earth Healing Initiative, Manoomin Project and the Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project.

Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project –

Native American and Marquette area teens protecting pollinators project:

Zaagkii TV on youtube

Zaagkii Project Story Part 1 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project Story Part 2 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project hailed as success by U.S. Forest Service

Zaagkii Project blog on wordpress

Non-profit Interfaith

Earth Healing Initiative: Numerous environment projects across the Great Lakes Basin in cooperation with the EPA, American Indian Tribes and local governments

Earth Healing TV on youtube

Earth Healing TV on bliptv

Earth Healing Initiative was part of the first EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge with youtube and bliptv videos.

EarthKeeper TV on youtube has EarthKeeper and Manoomin Project videos including stories and a Manoomin Project music video & more

Manoomin Project story in Indian Country Today

Manoomin Project Story in World Magazine

Author Joy Ibsen encourages everyone to live their life “Unafraid”

Viborg Enterprise newspaper

Viborg Enterprise newspaper

Viborg Enterprise newspaper

Omaha World-Herald newspaper

L’Anse Sentinel Newspaper

Author Joy Ibsen to speak at Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, IA; Will play piano donated by late great Danish comedian Victor Borge

Michigan Author Joy Ibsen will present her latest book “Unafraid” at 7 p.m. (ET) on Monday, August 24, 2009 in the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, Iowa.

Ibsen spent her childhood in Kimballton, IA and the former president of the Danish Immigrant Museum. The book includes stories about Kimballton.

“Unafraid” is subtitled “Life Lessons: Sermons to Live By and Tales of Listeners Learning to Live Unafraid.”

The book, published by Wipf and Stock of Eugene OR, is co-authored by Joy’s father, the late Rev. Harald Ibsen, who was pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kimballton, IA from 1942 to 1948.

The Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kimballton, IA

The family of Rev. Harald Ibsen in Kimballton, IA during 1947

“Reconstructing her father’s sermons and imagining the listener’s responses, Joy Ibsen opens a window in worshipers’ lives through the cycle of the church year,” said DeAne Lagerquist, Professor of Religion at St. Olaf College.

“The dynamics of faith are illuminated by her combination of fact and fiction that under lays the intertwining of scripture, proclamation, world events, and the stuff of daily life: illness and death, birth and hope, disappointments and satisfactions,” Lagerquist said.

Sponsored by local Danish Brotherhood Lodge #342 and hosted by The Danish Immigrant Museum, the program will begin with a songfest of Danish-American folk songs from Joy Ibsen’s first book, “Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By.”

Ibsen will play the recently restored piano owned by famous Danish comedian Victor Borge.

Victor Borge (Jan. 3, 1909-Dec. 23, 2000) was a Danish comedian, conductor and pianist.

Borge, who donated the piano to the museum, was known by his fans as the “Clown Prince of Denmark,” “The Unmelancholy Dane” and “The Great Dane.”

Her presentation will include scenes from the local area in the 40s. and Kimballton’s 50th anniversary.

After the presentation there will be time for questions and a book signing.

Light refreshments will be served; copies of the book will be available at the museum.

“Unafraid is a book worth reading and rereading,” said retired Kimballton, IA pastor, W. Clayton Nielsen, who was in Harald Ibsen’s first confirmation class.

“I didn’t realize how good a preacher Harald Ibsen was, since I was only a teenager when I first heard him,” Nielsen said. “The sermons are made more relevant by his daughter Joy, in her stories which follow each sermon.”

“They bring out the personal quality of what was spoken,” Nielsen said. “While the responses are primarily fictional, they are true to life, very interesting, and well-written. Each chapter is complete in itself.”

Selections from nearly thirty years of timeless straightforward sermons are grouped according to the seasons of the church year, beginning with Christmas 1939.

Pastor Nielsen said he heard that Christmas 1939 sermon in his home congregation.

The book includes three sermons and stories from the Rev. Ibsen’s Kimballton years.

Joy Ibsen was born in Tyler, MN, grew up at Kimballton, IA and attended Grand View University, Shimer College and the University of Chicago.

Living in the tiny hamlet of Trout Creek in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Ibsen is a writer, lay minister, and musician.

She was a member of the board of directors of The Danish Immigrant Museum from 1999-2005, is editor of the journal, “Church and Life” and the author of “Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By.”

Of interest to local area residents is the fact that the late Karl Christensen is featured in a number of the songs included on the CD which accompanies the songbook.

The songbook features photographs of Denmark by Sisse Brimberg; several of the photos have been featured in National Geographic.

Harald Ibsen (1898-1972) was born in South Dakota, grew up in Denmark, and graduated from Grand View Seminary in Des Moines.

He was a gymnast, woodworker, sportsman, and scholar who served small town and rural congregations in Lake Benton, MN; Kimballton, IA; Viborg, SD and Marquette (Kronberg), NE.

His candid sermons reflect the community-centered theology (Human first, then Christian) of N.F.S. Grundtvig, a 19th century philosopher-theologian, with unexpected relevance to issues of the 21st Century.

The public is invited to Danish Immigrant Museum on August 4 to experience Joy Ibsen’s enthusiasm, exuberance, and genuine empathy with her audience.

Don’t miss the opportunity to meet author Joy Ibsen, see her father through her eyes and his sermons, sing some of the good Danish-American songs, and share an evening of fellowship in song, presentation, and refreshments.

For further information, please call Clayton Nielsen at 1-712-764-4343 or Annette Andersen at 1-712-773-2025.

Click on related links:

Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, IA

Joy Ibsen contact info:

Joy Marie Ibsen

P O Box 43

Trout Creek, MI

49967

Call:

906-852-3479

email Author Joy Ibsen

—

Author Joy Ibsen official website

—

Joy Ibsen social and photograph websites:

Author Joy Ibsen on Facebook

Author Joy Ibsen on Twitter

Author Joy Ibsen on myspace

Author Joy Ibsen on Word Press blog

Author Joy Ibsen on bliptv

Author Joy Ibsen on youtube

Author Joy Ibsen on Flickr

Author Joy Ibsen on Photobucket

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Wipf & Stock Publishing: “Unafraid” by Joy Ibsen and Rev. Harald Ibsen

Wipf and Stock: Author Joy Ibsen bio

Wipf and Stock: Harald Ibsen bio

—

Joy Ibsen, Editor of “Church and Life”

Joy Ibsen bio on “Church and Life“

—

Danamerica is the official website of Ibsen’s first book “Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By” with color photographs by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg. Produced 70 minute CD by the Grand View College Kantorei

—

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig:

Joy Ibsen writes about four principles of Grundtvigianism

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig aka N.F.S. Grundtvig, Danish bishop and poet info on Wikipedia and Britannica websites:

—

Pine Mountain Music Festival:

Joy Ibsen serves as vice president of the Pine Mountain Music Festival board of directors

—

Media coverage 2006-2010:

Superior Chronicle story on “Unafraid” on 6-18-09

Iron Mountain Daily News brief on upcoming book signing at Finn Fest 2009 in Covington, MI

Joy Ibsen honored in her childhood home newspaper Yankton Press-Dakotan in July 2008 during annual Danish Days festival for first book “Songs of Denmark“

Joy Ibsen first book “Songs of Denmark” is mentioned in story by Des Moines Register because book was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a March 2009 ceremony. The story “Danish royalty pay visit to Grand View” by Cynthia Reynaud appeared on 3-25-09 (requires subscription to read)

—

The book “Unafraid” is sold online by publisher and numerous Windows Booksellers website and other sites:

Target

Tower Books

Boone Bridge Books

Amazon.com UK

Amazon.com UK: Harald Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: Joy Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: “Unafraid” listing

New & Used copies of the book “Unafraid“ on Amazon.com

Cokesbury

Kirjasana

Antiqbook

Biblio

Internet BookShop (IBS)

Other websites related to Denmark, Author Joy Ibsen or information in the story:

Danish Imigrant Museum

Danebod Family Camps & Folk School

Danish American Heritage Society publication “The Bridge”

Danish Royal Family on Wikipedia

Danish Royal Family on Danish Royal Watchers blog

Grand View University, (formerly Grand View College) a four-year, liberal-arts college affiliated with the ELCA in Des Moines

Grand View University on Wikipedia

Shimer College

University of Chicago

Paul Tillich, German-American theologian, Christian existentialist philosopher on Wikipedia

Paul Tillich on theology website

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Wikipedia page on the ELCA

—

Friends of Author Joy Ibsen:

Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns founded the nonprofit Turtle Island Project in 2007 to foster respect for indigenous people and cultures and to promote what they can teach us about caring and repairing the environment.

Rev. Hubbard is the executive director of the ELCA-related Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona. Rev. Cairns is a Chicago Theological Seminary professor who founded the nonprofit Celtic Christianity Today.

Read the Spirit, an online spiritual magazine with inspirational stories and book reviews created by David Crumm, the longtime religion editor for the Detroit Free Press. Crumm established ten pinciples for his work that all people with a religion should read.

The many interfaith and youth-related environment projects founded by Rev. Jon Magnuson of Marquette, MI under the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute.

Magnuson’s CTI co-founded the EarthKeeper Initiative, and founded the Earth Healing Initiative, Manoomin Project and the Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project.

Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project – Native American and Marquette area teens protecting pollinators project:

Zaagkii TV on youtube

Zaagkii Project Story Part 1 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project Story Part 2 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project hailed as success by U.S. Forest Service

Zaagkii Project blog on wordpress

Non-profit Interfaith Earth Healing Initiative: Numerous environment projects across the Great Lakes Basin in cooperation with the EPA, American Indian Tribes and local governments

Earth Healing TV on youtube

Earth Healing TV on bliptv

Earth Healing Initiative was part of the first EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge with youtube and bliptv videos.

EarthKeeper TV on youtube has EarthKeeper and Manoomin Project videos including stories and a Manoomin Project music video & more

Manoomin Project story in Indian Country Today

Manoomin Project Story in World Magazine

Author Joy Ibsen encourages everyone to live their life “Unafraid”

Michigan author Joy Ibsen reads “Unafraid’ co-authored by her late dad Rev. Harald Ibsen

Northern Michigan Author Joy Ibsen’s second book Unafraid released in time to honor her dad on Father’s Day 2009; First book Songs of Denmark presented to Danish Royalty during March 2009 U.S. visit

Official Website of Author Joy Ibsen

“Unafraid” page on website of Pubisher Wipf and Stock

(Trout Creek, Michigan)- While going through an old oak file cabinet in her mother’s Nebraska home, Upper Peninsula Author Joy Ibsen of Trout Creek, Michigan rescued her late dad’s sermon notes and that led to one of the nicest gifts a daughter could give for Father’s Day.

Danish-American pastor Rev. Harald Ibsen is the lead co-author of his daughter’s second book Unafraid that was just released in paperback just before Father’s Day 2009 by Wipf and Stock Publishers of Eugene, Oregon.

Rev. Harald Ibsen died in 1972 at age of 74.

Each of the 36 chapters in the 225-page book Unafraid starts with one of her father’s sermons written during the 1940s, 50s and 60s followed by autobiographical and fictional account of what many pastors wonder the thoughts of parishioners listening and what is going on in their lives.

A Lutheran pastor, Harald Ibsen had rural, small town churches in Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska.

On Fathers Day I think about how lucky I was to have a dad like mine, said Ibsen, a writer, piano teacher, musician, lay minister.

Ibsen rescued the sermon notes that had Danish symbols and letters because her father used an old Danish typewriter.

A wild blue jay seems at home as it lands on the hand of the late Rev. Harald Ibsen. Calling the blue jay a “friend,” Ibsen led an unusual and unafraid life and is now co-author of the book “Unafraid” nearly four decades after his death.

Author Joy Ibsen’s grandparents Lars and Mathilda Ibsen are pictured above in a 1902 photo. Joy’s father Harald Ibsen (far right), is shown at age 4 in South Dakota. His parents are holding sister Ingeborg. Harald Ibsen was born in the United States in 1898 but returned to Denmark with his mother in 1904 following the death of his father in 1903. Harald and Ingeborg had two brothers: Lars died as an infant before photo and Ernst was born after the photo.

Unafraid co-author Rev. Harald Ibsen (left) wears his Danish Royal Guard uniform and bear hat in 1919. Ibsen served in the Danish Royal Guard at Amalienborg Castle in Copenhagen. Meanwhile a more modern photo on the right by photographer Sisse Brimberg shows the uniform has changed little in a century including the bear skin hat.

From protecting a castle as a member of the Danish Royal Guard to being a construction worker at Yellowstone National Park, Rev. Ibsen’s career was as unusual as his parenting style.

The mother of three grown children and two grandchildren, Ibsen say her parents have been models for my own parenting.

The Ibsen children were anything but the traditional preacher’s kids due to the unconventional child-rearing views her dad held in the conventional 1940s and 1950s.

Rev. Harald Ibsen and Asta Juhl get married on September 8, 1935. Ibsen officially became a pastor on his wedding day. Ibsen would later show his unique fatherly view of the world during the weddings of his daughters, Joy and Karma.

Her dad’s view of the world was different from many fathers as shown in his comments at the weddings of Ibsen and her sister.

We always enjoyed having Joy as a guest in our home, said Harald Ibsen, a 1933 graduate of Grand View College Seminary.

Joy Ibsen said, dad believed children are ‘guests’ who during their growing up years, lived with parents, who help and guide them but we were not expected to fulfill the dreams of our parents.

Of course, we had to comply with house rules because ‘guests’ dont track in mud or stay out unreasonable hours, Ibsen said of her upbringing. Welcome ‘guests’ always lend a hand, help out, and they certainly dont get spanked.

Dr. Walter Brueggemann

Well-known Christian author Dr. Walter Brueggemann described Ibsen’s father as fresh in his thought, puckish in his style and grounded in faith during his endorsement of Unafraid.

We may thank the daughter for letting us know her remarkable father, Brueggemann wrote. Harald was unafraid as an immigrant who lived in a venturesome way.

Brueggemann and others have said the book is relevant today because some of the same issues discussed by Ibsen’s congregation members are the same today including the bad economy, war, child-rearing difficulties, terminal illness, death of spouse, career choice, marital problems and loss of faith.

L. DeAne Lagerquist Rev. Harry Andersen

Endorsements of Unafraid were also written by St. Olaf College religion professor L. DeAne Lagerquist and and retired Lutheran Bishop Emeritus Harry Andersen of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Northern Great Lakes Synod.

Langerquist wrote that the sermons by late Rev. Ibsen “demonstrate that Grundtvigian happiness was not blind to sorrow or suffering or social ills, but neither was it defeated by such trials. Reflections from his hearers bring the gospel into the realities of farm life, child rearing, marriage, and disease.”

Anderson stated he is “mightily moved and impacted by the insightful sermons and the stories that follow.”

Unafraid doesn’t mean a person is problem-free and it surely doesn’t mean to be reckless, said Ibsen, who is vice president of the Pine Mountain Music Festival board of directors.

Several titles for her second book were mulled over but Ibsen named it after the Danish hymn Unafraid from her first book Songs of Denmark that has 48 songs in both Danish and English.

Published in July 2005, Songs of Denmark was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a March 2009 ceremony, according to an article in the Des Moines Register.

The hymn Unafraid was sung by the Danish Resistance during World War Two a time of terrible danger, said Ibsen.

Joy Ibsen lived in Davenport, IA for 11 years (1967 to 1978), Milwaukee for four years (1978-1982), and in the Chicago suburbs of Oak Park and Evanston, IL for 18 years (1982 to 2000). She has since lived in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the town of trout Creek.

Nevertheless one can live with confidence, and hope. Today’s society is bombarded by all kinds of fears and we need to learn to live unafraid.

Ibsen said her father did not require his children to practice his religion and encouraged them to seek their own spirituality.

Because my Dad was a Lutheran minister, we went to church every Sunday, but when I went away to college, to my surprise he suggested that I attend other churches so that I would be exposed to different faiths, said Ibsen, who holds arts and humanities degrees from Grand View College in Des Moines and Shimer College in Chicago.

He wanted his children to have a religion that was chosen, real and meaningful to them because that was much more important than appearances, said Ibsen, who did graduate work in religion and literature at the University of Chicago and completed the theological education program in Episcopal lay ministry at the University of the South school of theology in Sewanee, TN.

In one of his sermons, Harald Ibsen said the primary task of parents is to help their children understand the purpose of their lives.

That sermon says it all about her father’s view of parenting, Joy Ibsen said. Fathers and mothers are not to mold their children, but rather to listen to them, be attune to their strengths, respect them, help them realize their God-given purpose in life, allow them to make mistakes, Ibsen said. How else do we learn lifes hard lessons and walk a different path than what the parents might have chosen?

While his parenting was untypical, Harald Ibsen was an athletic, outdoor person who loved to hunt, fish, hike, play golf, and always had an amazing garden, Joy Ibsen said.

These are important values for me, Ibsen said. Every time I play golf I still think of my Dad, although he was much better at it than I am.

By his not asking me to be like him, I am more able to understand and honor who he was apart from me, and to celebrate differences between other people in my world, Ibsen said.

In many ways, I try to be like him. On the other hand, I honor our differences.

Ibsen is currently working on two other books including Hatchings that describes experiences of death and how it is similar to birthing.

Trout Creek Library (left) in Trout Creek, Michigan. Author Joy Ibsen (far right) signs “Unafraid” for Joyce Game on June 7, 2009 at the Trout Creek Library during the kick-off of her Midwest book signing events. (Photos by Don Lenef)

Ibsen has book signings scheduled through August in several towns near where she grew up and held her first public appearance on June 7 in her hometown Trout Creek Library.

In the summer of 2009, Ibsen will appear in her hometown of Viborg, SD on July 18 (She graduated from Viborg High School in 1958), at North Wind Books in Hancock, MI at 4 p.m. on Thurs., July 30 and the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, IA on August 17.

Ibsen will be presenting a paper on Danish ingenuity as expressed in the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen at the Danish-American Heritage Society conference on October 3 in Minneapolis.

Unafraid can be purchased from the publisher at the $29 normal retail price. The book is briefly on sale for $25 from the author and will be in U.P. bookstores including North Wind Books in Hancock and the Ontonagon Herald offices.

Ibsen is the editor and columnist for Church and Life, a publication of the Danish Interest Conference through the ELCA.

An original member of the interfaith U.P. EarthKeeper environment group, Ibsen is a lay minister with the AELC Lutheran Church and an organist at Trinity Lutheran Church in Trout Creek, MI. She served as president of the Danish Immigrant Museum and is a participant at the Danebod Folk School.

Collage of the Harald Ibsen Family through the years in several Midwest states including (top left) Rev. Harald Ibsen and Asta Juhl on their Wedding Day September 8, 1935; (top right) Ibsen Family in Diamond Lake, MN in 1942; (bottom left) Ibsens in Kimballton, Iowa in 1947 and (bottom right) Ibsens in Viborg, SD in 1957

Sermons used in Unafraid are from Christmas, New Year, Epiphany, Lent, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost, Trinity, and Advent. The sermons were given by Rev. Harald Ibsen at six churches in four states: The Diamond Lake Lutheran Church in Lake Benton, MN; Hope Lutheran Church, Ruthton, MN; Immanuel Lutheran Church, Kimballton, IA; Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Viborg, SD; Trinity Lutheran Church, Gayville, SD and St. John Lutheran Church, Marquette, NE.

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (left) and the Danish Gynamsium Hall (right) in Viborg, SD. The churches in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s used to include gymnastics as an important part of the church life.

Immanuel Lutheran Church (left) in Kimballton, IA and the St. John’s Lutheran Church (right) is located in the Danish village of Kronborg, NE (no post office) and is located three miles east of Marquette, NE, the closest town and the official address for the church.

Rev. Ibsen belonged to the American Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC), formerly the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, that merged into the Lutheran Church in Amerca (LCA) in 1962 that merged into the ELCA in 1987.

Ibsen manages Danamerica, a Danish-American website about her first book Songs of Denmark.

Photographs in Songs of Denmark are by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg and a 70-minute CD of the songs was produced by the Grand View College Kantorei.

—

Joy Ibsen contact info:

Joy Marie Ibsen

P O Box 43

Trout Creek, MI

49967

Call:

906-852-3479

email Author Joy Ibsen

—

Author Joy Ibsen official website

—

Joy Ibsen social and photograph websites:

Author Joy Ibsen on Facebook

Author Joy Ibsen on Twitter

Author Joy Ibsen on myspace

Author Joy Ibsen on Word Press blog

Author Joy Ibsen on bliptv

Author Joy Ibsen on youtube

Author Joy Ibsen on Flickr

Author Joy Ibsen on Photobucket

—

Wipf & Stock Publishing: Unafraid by Joy Ibsen and Rev. Harald Ibsen

Wipf and Stock: Author Joy Ibsen bio

Wipf and Stock: Harald Ibsen bio

—

Joy Ibsen, Editor of “Church and Life”

Joy Ibsen bio on “Church and Life“

—

Danamerica is the official website of Ibsen’s first book Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By with color photographs by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg. Produced 70 minute CD by the Grand View College Kantorei

—

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig:

Joy Ibsen writes about four principles of Grundtvigianism

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig aka N.F.S. Grundtvig, Danish bishop and poet info on Wikipedia and Britannica websites:

—

Pine Mountain Music Festival:

Joy Ibsen serves as vice president of the Pine Mountain Music Festival board of directors

—

Media coverage 2006-2010:

Superior Chronicle story on Unafraid on 6-18-09

Iron Mountain Daily News brief on upcoming book signing at Finn Fest 2009 in Covington, MI

Joy Ibsen honored in her childhood home newspaper Yankton Press-Dakotan in July 2008 during annual Danish Days festival for first book Songs of Denmark“

Joy Ibsen first book Songs of Denmark is mentioned in story by Des Moines Register because book was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning during a March 2009 ceremony. The story “Danish royalty pay visit to Grand View” by Cynthia Reynaud appeared on 3-25-09 (requires subscription to read)

—

The book Unafraid is sold online by publisher and numerous Windows Booksellers website and other sites:

Target

Tower Books

Boone Bridge Books

Amazon.com UK

Amazon.com UK: Harald Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: Joy Ibsen listing

Amazon.com UK: “Unafraid” listing

New & Used copies of the book “Unafraid“ on Amazon.com

Cokesbury

Kirjasana

Antiqbook

Biblio

Internet BookShop (IBS)

Other websites related to Denmark, Author Joy Ibsen or information in the story:

Danish Imigrant Museum

Danebod Family Camps & Folk School

Danish American Heritage Society publication “The Bridge”

Danish Royal Family on Wikipedia

Danish Royal Family on Danish Royal Watchers blog

Grand View University, (formerly Grand View College) a four-year, liberal-arts college affiliated with the ELCA in Des Moines

Grand View University on Wikipedia

Shimer College

University of Chicago

Paul Tillich, German-American theologian, Christian existentialist philosopher on Wikipedia

Paul Tillich on theology website

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Wikipedia page on the ELCA

—

Friends of Author Joy Ibsen:

Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns founded the nonprofit Turtle Island Project in 2007 to foster respect for indigenous people and cultures and to promote what they can teach us about caring and repairing the environment.

Rev. Hubbard is the executive director of the ELCA-related Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona. Rev. Cairns is a Chicago Theological Seminary professor who founded the nonprofit Celtic Christianity Today.

Read the Spirit, an online spiritual magazine with inspirational stories and book reviews created by David Crumm, the longtime religion editor for the Detroit Free Press. Crumm established ten pinciples for his work that all people with a religion should read.

The many interfaith and youth-related environment projects founded by Rev. Jon Magnuson of Marquette, MI under the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute.

Magnuson’s CTI co-founded the EarthKeeper Initiative, and founded the Earth Healing Initiative, Manoomin Project and the Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project.

Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project – Native American and Marquette area teens protecting pollinators project:

Zaagkii TV on youtube

Zaagkii Project Story Part 1 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project Story Part 2 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project hailed as success by U.S. Forest Service

Zaagkii Project blog on wordpress

Non-profit Interfaith Earth Healing Initiative: Numerous environment projects across the Great Lakes Basin in cooperation with the EPA, American Indian Tribes and local governments

Earth Healing TV on youtube

Earth Healing TV on bliptv

Earth Healing Initiative was part of the first EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge with youtube and bliptv videos.

EarthKeeper TV on youtube has EarthKeeper and Manoomin Project videos including stories and a Manoomin Project music video & more

Manoomin Project story in Indian Country Today

Manoomin Project Story in World Magazine

Author Joy Ibsen encourages everyone to live their life “Unafraid”

Michigan Author Joy Ibsen “Unafraid” honors late father; Her first book recently presented to Danish Royalty

Michigan author Joy Ibsen’s second book “Unafraid: published in June 2009 by Wipf and Stock Publishers of Eugene, Oregon.

Ibsen recently started a several month Midwest book tour including book stores in northern Michigan, Iowa and South Dakota bookstores.

“Unafraid is co-authored by her late father the Rev. Harald Ibsen.

Ibsen died in 1972 at age of 74.

He was born in the U.S. but was moved back to Denmark at age four by his mother following the death of his dad.

A Lutheran pastor, Harald Ibsen had rural churches in Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska.

Each of the 36 chapters in the 225-page book “Unafraid” starts with a portion one of her Ibsen’s sermons following special events in the church calendar like Trinity

Ibsen started her book tour on June 7, 2009 at her hometown library in Trout Creek, Michigan.

That was followed by another Upper Peninsula appearance at Finn Fest 2009.

Joy rescued her dad’s old sermons from an old file cabinet at her mom’s home.

Each chapter details how Rev. Ibsen’s sermon affected a congregation member using both autobiographical experiences of the author and fiction.

Reviewers have said it is interesting that the same social problems in the 40s, 50s and 60s are similar today like war, bad economy, social issues and personal challenges like divorce, childrearing etc.

To purchase Joy’s book call 906-852-3479 or 906-401-0109 .

(Above photo of Dr. Walter Brueggemann)

Endorsements of “Unafraid” were written by well-known Christian author Dr. Walter Brueggemann, St. Olaf College religion professor L. DeAne Lagerquist and and retired Lutheran Bishop Emeritus Harry Andersen of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Northern Great Lakes Synod.

Harald Isben was “fresh in his thought, puckish in his style and grounded in faith,” Brueggemann said. “Harald was unafraid as an immigrant who lived in a venturesome way”.

Reviewers say the book is relevant today because the issues then and now are the same including the bad economy, war, marital problems, loss of faith and other social issues.

“Unafraid doesn’t mean a person is problem-free and it surely doesn’t mean to be reckless,” said Ibsen, Pine Mountain Music Festival board VP.

The work is named after the Danish hymn “Unafraid” from Ibsen’s first book “Songs of Denmark.”

“Songs of Denmark” was presented to Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary by Grand View University President Kent Henning in March 2009.

The hymn “Unafraid” was “sung by the Danish Resistance during World War Two – a time of terrible danger,” said Ibsen.

“Nevertheless one can live with confidence, and hope. Today’s society is bombarded by all kinds of fears and we need to learn to live unafraid.”

(Above photo on right by photographer Sisse Brimberg; photo on left shows Harald Ibsen in 1919 wearing his Danish Royal Guard uniform and guarding a castle)

From protecting a castle as a member of the Danish Royal Guard to being a construction worker at Yellowstone National Park, Rev. Ibsen’s career was as unusual as his parenting style.

The mother of three grown children and two grandchildren, Joy Ibsen say her parents “have been models for my own parenting.”

Related websites

Joy Ibsen official website:

http://www.joyibsen.com

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/JoyIbsen

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/AuthorJoyIbsen

youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/JoyIbsenUnafraid

bliptv:

http://unafraidthebook.blip.tv

Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joyibsen

Photobucket:

http://s650.photobucket.com/albums/uu227/JoyIbsenUnafraid

Myspace:

http://www.myspace.com/AuthorJoyIbsen

Word Press Blog:

https://authorjoyibsen.wordpress.com

Joy Ibsen, Editor, Church and Life:

http://www.churchandlife.org/credits.htm

Danamerica is the official website of book “Songs of Denmark: Songs to Live By” – color photographs by National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg

http://www.danamerica.com

Superior Chronicle story on “Unafraid” 6-18-09:

http://www.superiorchronicle.com/archives/09_june/ibsen.html

——-

Contact info:

Joy Marie Ibsen

P O Box 43

Trout Creek, MI 49967

or call:

906-852-3479

joyibsen@jamadots.com