New Stake to be Created in Norway

Missionaries report that the Church will create a new stake in Norway later this month, marking a significant achievement in Scandinavia in an era of widespread secularism and few convert baptisms in the region.  The new stake will become the Church's second stake in Norway and will likely be created from the Stavanger Norway District.  Membership and congregational statistics have been virtually stagnant for two decades in the Church in Norway.  The organization of the new stake appears possible due to improvements in local leadership, member activity, and internet technologies that allow for video conferencing to facilitate communication and meetings over large geographic distances.