Around 5,000 people are gathering daily on the island of Hönö off Sweden's west coast for the annual Hönö Conference, one of the largest free church gatherings in the Nordic region. Organised by Equmeniakyrkan (the Uniting Church of Sweden), the week-long event brings together families, young adults, and seniors for worship, Bible teaching, and fellowship — with many attendees returning year after year, some for more than a decade.
The conference has evolved significantly over the years. Longtime attendees note that the tent villages of earlier decades have given way to more modern facilities, yet the core appeal remains unchanged: a programme that serves every generation. Morning and afternoon Bible studies draw packed rooms, while children's meetings, youth activities, and evening celebrations run in parallel. New for 2026, each Bible study session is followed by an open question-and-answer period — an innovation that organisers say has exceeded expectations, with participants coming to the sessions well-prepared and eager to engage the biblical texts at depth.
For many families, the conference is a fixed point in the calendar. Parents who attended as teenagers now bring their own children, creating a multi-generational rhythm of summer discipleship. "The best thing about Hönö Conference is that there is something for every age," one mother told Sändaren, the Swedish Christian newspaper covering the event. Beyond the formal programme, the island setting — with its coastline, cycling paths, and informal conversations — creates space for relationships to deepen and new connections to form. The conference runs through the second week of July and remains a significant expression of free church life in Sweden.
(Originally published in Swedish. Summary translated by CC / Connexion.)
Source: Equmeniakyrkan / Sändaren — sandaren.se
