Meet the pastors and administration in Citykirken
Meet the pastors
My name is Jürgen Galonska and I was born and raised in Germany.
I got to know my Danish wife Lene in 1987 during a study in Dallas, USA. We were married in 1989 and thereafter lived in Germany for 3 years. In 1992, we moved to Denmark. It was not a particularly pleasant year for a German because this was just a month after Germany lost the European Championship final to Denmark.
After 6 years as a German teacher at an boarding school in Mariager, we moved to Brande, where I was a pastor in Bethany Church Center for 10 years.
In 2008, I was asked if I wanted to be a pastor in Pinsekirken Aarhus to which I said yes. Since then, we became a new "3 in 1" church along with Apostolsk Kirke and Frikirken in Runddelen. Since 2010, I am the leading pastor in Citykirken Aarhus.
Lene and I have 3 adult girls who live in Copenhagen and Aarhus, respectively. My wife works as a finance manager at Gymnastik- og Idrætshøjskolen in Viborg. We live in Årslev/Brabrand and enjoy the nature around us, the short distance to the motorway and the city.
In my spare time, I love gardening, house improvement and riding my MC. I also support AGF and other football clubs 🙂
If it's up to us, Lene and I expect to stay in Aarhus for the rest of our lives. That doesn't necessarily mean I'll remain the leading pastor of Citykirken until my retirement. I do not decide that by myself. Lene and I have come to love Aarhus and love the size, profile, development and people we meet here in Aarhus.
If you ask me about my greatest passion, I dream of creating a movement in which all those who believe in Jesus and follow Him come together and convey His values and His message to all those who do not yet know Him. It doesn't matter to me in which church or in what community people are engaged in.
Our city and country needs Christians who live their faith in everyday life, in an infectious and fresh way, without being brash, better-informed or arrogant. Jesus is for me the most amazing person in the entire universe and as the Son of God, He deserves our recognition and worship. I believe that a new reformation is quietly underway throughout Europe, because Jesus is back on the 'agenda' in the lives of many millions of people!
My name is Johnny Hansen. I was born in 1970. Since 1994, I have been married to Yvonne, who works at the reception in the Technical Department of Skejby Hospital. Together we have three adult kids: Lukas, Kristoffer and Celestine.
We have lived in Aarhus since 2003 and from 2013 we made our home in the apartment located on the 2nd floor of the City Church. We enjoy being close to everything that goes on in Citykirken and love how easy it is to be accessible and hospitable.
I was born in Løkken, but I grew up in Vejle. Many years ago, I initially started studying economics, but took a leave of absence and went to Bible school instead in Kolding at Kolding International High School, where I was both a student and a staff member for 3 years. This is also where I met Yvonne. The plan then was to plant a church in Skanderborg, but God changed our plans and I ended up becoming a pastor in the Apostolic Church in Kolding for 6 years, where I also helped to plant one of Denmark's first youth churches.
We then moved to Aarhus and I became a pastor in the Apostolic Church here until 2010 when Citykirken was established.
In conjunction to my churchly duties, I have concurrently taught various theological subjects at the Bible School in Kolding and been an editor of the Christian magazine, Domino.
I am passionate about seeing both individuals and society developing towards how it was intended by God. That each person discovers the dream and talents God has given them and that humanity discovers that God's principles set out for humanity are actually sensible and the only solution, if we want to solve some of the problems facing the world today.
In Citykirken, my time is mostly spent on mentoring, preparation, teaching, sermons, planning major events and communication both within the church and in relation to the world around us.
In my spare time, I also run my own online bookstore artos.dk, play indoor football, watch good movies and series and read a lot. I also love being curious about both people and many different topics. I also wish I could fish more often but each day only has 24 hours...
My name is Bergur Skovgaard. I was born on March 27, 1965 (and I love gifts). I was born and raised in the Faroe Islands, but came to Denmark in 1981, where at the age of 16 I attended Bible school in Brande. I am married to Tove and we have three children, Malene, Christoffer and Rebekah, as well as five grandchildren, Julie, Sofie, Line, Sarah and Nicolaj..
After getting married, we lived for a while in Brande, after which we went to the Faroe Islands, where I was a youth pastor in the Pentecostal Church of Philadelphia in Thorshavn. After three years in the Faroe Islands, we were asked to come to Aarhus. We were in Pentecostal Church in Aarhus for 5 years, after which we went to Svendborg for 4 years. But Aarhus never left our hearts, so when the opportunity presented itself, we came back and have been here ever since.
I see it as a huge gift to be allowed to be part of the clergy team in Citykirken Aarhus. As a team, we help outline the church's vision and values.
In my spare time, I enjoy playing golf and doing strength training. I also love painting and doing arts and crafts. Otherwise, I love being with friends and enjoying life.
In the City Church, I work with preaching, which is a great privilege to me. I'm also responsible for our gospel events. We have a choir of about 200 people under the direction of Rune Herholdt. We also have a Gospel Church, where we gather once a month for a different church service that is very marked by gospel.
I also lead our work on relief and mission, which we call C-mission. In this connection, I travel a lot, both in Denmark and abroad.
In addition to this, I work with Holy Spirit Nights which are church services aimed at those who have a spiritual longing. Evenings focused on worship and prayer for people's needs.
I do it because I'm passionate about seeing people meet God. I believe God has a plan with everyone and I want to help promote and draw attention to that.
My name is Kevin Joseph. I'm from 1989 and part of the pastoral team in Citykirken. I am married to Camilla, who is a psychologist and together we have two beautiful daughters, Sophia from 2016 and Taya from 2018. On a day to day basis, I am responsible for church services, worship and economics. When I'm not working, I love to travel, eat good food and spend time with my family and with people around us.
I initially trained as an accountant, but I felt God leading me to something new without me knowing what it was. After a 9 month round-the-world trip, Camilla and I moved to Aarhus in 2014 and became part of the City Church and 6 months later I was hired. The church quickly became a second home for both Camilla and I and my work has become a calling and not just a job.
I firmly believe that God wants to use the local Church to bring the message of hope and love to the world around us. I believe in the strength of a united church and I am passionate about seeing people discover God, develop a relationship with Him, and grow in the potential He has placed in them. I am convinced that God has created us to live extraordinary lives, to give our best in every situation, and to reflect His love in every relationship. We do all this best when we do it together and therefore the City Church Aarhus is *my* church.
My name is Ellen Frismodt and I am the female face of the pastoral team. I was born in 1973 and am married to Christian, who is a businessman and entrepreneur. Together we have two lovely adult daughters, Rebecca and Camilla.
My path into ministry has been convoluted but exciting. I originally graduated with an MA in Spanish and English at Aarhus University and was then employed as a secondary school teacher (gymnasielærer). I loved working with young people and ended up primarily acting as a student guidance counselor, where I had many conversations about both the good stuff and the difficult. These conversations opened my eyes to how important it is to have someone to confide in. Someone who listens, but also points to new perspectives in life. It meant a lot to me that I could help people towards what they had skills and passion for in my job. In Danish we would say that it became a matter of the heart, en hjertesag.
I have carried that passion with me for many years, and it became more and more clear to me that my faith in Jesus should be the focal point of it. After almost 6 years abroad with my family in Spain and a few years as a logistics manager in a private company, I knew it was time to pursue my dream again. That's why I took the leap in 2021 and became a pastoral aspirant in Citykirken, and in June 2024 I was installed as a pastor. At the same time, I am studying a master's in theology and management. I am responsible for the church's City Groups, which I consider a vital part of the church, as this is where we really get close to each other and can share life's ups and downs.
I am passionate about seeing people discover and grow in the potential they have been given by God. Because when we each find our purpose, we fulfill God's desire for our lives. When we flourish by putting our abilities and gifts into play, we reflect God's creativity and diversity and can reach out to many different types of people who also need to feel God's care and love.
I am grateful to be part of a church where we can catch, accommodate and develop all kinds of people - with our faith in Jesus as the glue.
Meet the administration
My name is Anne-Katrine Ladefoged, and I am the administrator at Citykirken. I am a graduate of the University of Copenhagen and have since further trained as a church culture worker and volunteer coordinator. I have been employed by the Church of Denmark for a number of years. Since 2022, I have worked in Citykirken, where I am responsible for, among other things, the church's administration and room booking, and I am passionate about being a part of creating good frameworks for church activities.
The door to my office on the 1st floor is always open – stop by for a church chat or a cup of coffee the next time you come to church.
In my private life, I am married to Uffe, a lawyer. Together we have five children and live in rural surroundings south of Aarhus, where horses and equestrian sports make up a large part of my free time.
My name is Linette Korshøj Lykke and in 2024 I became the leader of the young families ministry at Citykirken. This means that I am responsible for families with children aged 0-12 years both in relation to Mango, Spirekirke, events, community and much more. I want to help create open, spacious communities for children, young people and families. Places where relationships can grow and the encounter with our loving God is experienced at eye level – regardless of the journey of faith.
I was born in 1992, married to Bo since 2015 and we have two beautiful girls: Esther from 2017 and Anna from 2021. Since 2023, we have lived in the cohousing community Kløverbakken in Odder, where we really enjoy sharing everyday lives, eating together, playing and having good conversations with our many cohabitants.
My journey to Citykirken has been a powerful personal testimony I have experienced in connection with God's leadership. I did not plan to be a leader in Citykirken, but God has been preparing me since I was a child for what I do today. I have always spoken freely about my faith and sung children's songs about Jesus in front of the whole class.
I grew up in Odder Frimenighed (Dansk Oase), where I have been a volunteer and paid employee several times, been involved in both the strategic and visionary work and been a leader in various clubs for children, young people and families. I have also been employed in Hasle Folkekirke with internal activities for children and families in the church and a special focus on cooperation with the local area, including Bispehaven.
I am a trained social deacon with a professional bachelor's degree in social pedagogy and diaconia and a master's degree in psychotherapy specializing in couples and families. Both have given me knowledge and experience in working with children, families and young people, and I am very excited about using all of this in Citykirken and Aarhus.
I have been married to Sidsel since 2016 and together we have two girls: Vilda from 2020 and My from 2023. I spend my free time with my family, doing a lot of sports and watching Formula 1.
I joined the church in 2017 and have been on a lot of different teams over the years, including the more technical ones with streaming, for example, and also as a helper in Mango.
In addition to working in the church, I also work as a consulting engineer.
I have worked at Citykirken's office with accounting since 2017. I have actually retired now, but I still work one day a week paying bills and answering the accounting emails, as well as being the physical person you can talk to.
In my free time, I spend a lot of time with my little grandchildren, ages 2, 4, 6, 7 and 10 – so I stay busy. I enjoy being with them and helping the families make ends meet.
Otherwise, I love knitting for young and old – I spend a lot of time on that. And I make sure to keep myself busy with training in Loop, walking and rides on the exercise bike. I have decided, in my senior years, to stay busy. As they say in LOOP: “Not to stay young, but to get old”.
Finally, I love talking to people about Jesus and what it means to have Him as an active part of everyday life (discipleship). I do this, among other things, by participating in fellowships, retreats, and wherever else it makes sense to get involved in our church.
My name is David and I am the church's kitchen manager. People say I am the master chef, but I also do a lot of other things here besides food. I take care of a lot of things that come up during the week like laundry, kitchen chores, cleaning and much more.
It's often me and a team of amazing volunteers who cook for events at the church like PULS, breakfast before and food after services on Sundays, Family Network and Classic. We have fun while we work and I often joke with them. So if you can stand the heat in the kitchen, you're welcome to join.
In my free time I play saxophone and trumpet in the church basement to avoid disturbing my neighbors. So if you hear music down there, it's just me. I also love being with my two children and just talking to people.
We live in Skærbæk in Southern Jutland, where I am a part-time pastor in Tønder Frikirke, a church with the same background as Citykirken. In addition to my work as a pastor, I assist a number of churches and organizations with financial management and the things that come with that. Citykirken is one of those tasks – a task that I enjoy.
I am passionate about the church and the spread of the Christian message, and I find it very meaningful to also be able to contribute to this by ensuring good financial management in Citykirken.
My role at Citykirken consists of daily payments, bookkeeping, closing accounts, preparing for the auditor, managing tax-deductible gifts and much more. I work from home, so I am not someone you will meet in everyday life at church. However, you are welcome to write or call me if there is anything I can help with.
We are Mattias and Camilla Røjkjær – the janitors at Citykirken since October 2024. We have really enjoyed moving into the church, and like living and working in a peaceful and loving atmosphere. As janitors, we enjoy changing and fixing various things and getting the small tasks sorted. We also enjoy clearing up trash from the site so that it looks nice. If there is something that requires a janitor, you can find our contact information on the board by entrance D.
My name is Mattias and I grew up in Aalestrup and Galten. I have been involved in many different church contexts from children and youth activities in IMU to Christian boarding school and folk high school to volunteer work at KFS camps. My personal faith in Jesus really matured in 2020, when I discovered that Jesus was real. Ever since then, I have been chasing His presence, and am hungry to learn more about Him. God has, among other things, led me to start the 3C education (Christianity, Culture and Communication) at Diakonhøjskolen in 2022.
In my spare time, I work as a calisthenics instructor and coach. I train 3-5 times a week, and experience many of God's life lessons through the discipline I have created around the sport.
I have been to many churches in Aarhus, but found my church home in Haven in 2023, where I met my dear wife. And now I live and work in Citykirken.
My name is Camilla and I grew up in the countryside near Horsens, and I dream of moving back to the countryside away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and tending a huge vegetable garden with flowers and vegetables. But for now I just fantasize when I collect trash outside the church and keep it neat. I suppose it's a lot like weeding.
In my free time, we often see my family and enjoy being the fun aunt and uncle. Otherwise, I'm at work and spend most of my free time reading books, going for walks, and watching good series.
In 2021, I personalized my relationship with and understanding of Jesus. Before that, I was a “cultural Christian” in the national church. My testimony is a long, messy story with many dark topics and is better told face to face. In my newfound faith, I started attending church in Haven, where I met my dear husband. Our meeting in Haven means that our entire marriage and relationship is based on God and our shared faith and devotion to Him.