Husfolk at Lia Gård
Wondering about how to spend your gap year before University? Or looking to take a break from your studies? Perhaps joining our community is the right thing for you?
Watch our new video to learn more about becoming husfolk. If you have any questions and want to know more, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
WE DEPEND ON GOD AND HUSFOLK
Lia Gård is unique in terms of location, architecture and atmosphere, as well as how the place was established and operated. The household is made up of people who commit to a working and prayer community for a shorter or longer time called husfolk. These are the mainstay of Lia. Over the years, many, many helping hands and warm hearts have made Lia what it is today. Together, we learned what happens when God and people work together.
The retreat centre is originally an old farm, dating from the Middle Ages and has been abandoned several times until the present owners moved here in the 1970s and rebuilt the place to start with family retreats. In more than 30 years the place has been filled with life, and as time has passed more and more buildings has appeared - houses and chapels.
We who live and serve here call ourselves "husfolk" (litt. "house people"), and we live, work and pray together for shorter or longer periods of time.
Where we are: 240 km north of Oslo. 2 ½ hours away from Oslo Airport – Gardermoen. 260 km south of Trondheim.
We arrange retreats – both for adults, on an individual basis, for families, and for large and small groups; as well as retreats with a special theme, courses, conferences, and one-day arrangements. We also offer a refuge for those in need of quiet and relaxation.
Accommodation: Nylia – our newest house – has 20 en-suite rooms. In addition to these, we have 14 other rooms. All-in-all, we can welcome up to 80 guests. With Nylia, our flexibility and capacity have increased enormously. Lia Gård is now a place offering av variety of opportunities and choices for churches, Christian organisations, as well as other needs and different settings.
Owners: Ingeborg and Sigmund Bø
Church background: Ecumenical
What does it mean to be husfolk?
Making the commitment to stay with us for 12 months or more means joining a Christian community made up by these four pillars:
Living with God
Being husfolk means spending time with him and getting to know him better
Being a christian community, God is the centre in our lives. Not only do we want our guests to meet up with God. We as a fellowship and each of us as a person have a desire to live with God. Our living relationship with him is expressed through the daily prayers, personal times with God, the weekly life group and many more things.
Sharing your life
Being husfolk means living in community
We live and work together on the site, and the experience is much more than that of just being ‘staff’. There is a real depth of relationship, a sharing of our lives, as we support and encourage each other.
Serving God through serving others
Being husfolk means using your talents and time for his Kingdom
The vision of Lia Gård is: As a community we want to offer people a place where they can experience God. To make that possible we as a community are serving the guests through offering clean and propper housing, good food, different kinds of program and many more things. Although the serving at Lia Gård is sometimes costly it is also great to experience that God is touching and healing people through our willingness to serve him.
Growing as a person
Being husfolk means developing spiritually and personally, as well as, attaining new skills
There are many opportunities to try new things, to be challenged and stretched and to discover what your gifts and strengths are. Being thrown together so closely with other people can be difficult, thrilling and an intense time of growth! God works powerfully through the community experience to heal, change and mature people.