The Sodankylä Free Church in Finnish Lapland has appointed Jaakko Simula as its new pastor, following a vote at an extraordinary congregational meeting held at the end of May. Simula, who moves to Sodankylä from Helsinki, is reported by Suomen Viikkolehti to be eagerly anticipating the new role. He will begin his ministry in the northern parish on 1 September 2026.
Simula succeeds Markku Kettunen, who is retiring after serving the Sodankylä congregation for 35 years — a tenure that reflects the deep roots Free Church ministry has established in northern Finland, where pastors often remain with the same congregation for decades. The Sodankylä Free Church belongs to the Suomen Vapaakirkko (Free Church of Finland), a founding member of the International Federation of Free Evangelical Churches (IFFEC).
The appointment brings a generational transition to the Lapland congregation. Simula arrives from the capital region, bringing fresh perspective to a church situated well above the Arctic Circle. The Free Church of Finland maintains congregations across the country, from the southern cities to the sparsely populated north, with pastorates like Sodankylä serving as vital anchors for free evangelical witness in remote communities.
(Originally published in Finnish. Summary translated by CC / Connexion.)
Source: Suomen Vapaakirkko / Suomen Viikkolehti — svl.fi
