Rev. Andreas Rudman

På uppdrag av dåvarande domprosten i Uppsala Jesper Svedberg avseglade Anders Rudman från Gävle den 4 augusti 1696 till de svenska församlingarna i Pennsylvania. Med på resan var Erik Björk från Västerås stift, och Jonas Aurén, från Värmland. De anlände till bestämmelseorten i juni 1697. Rudman och Aurén stannade till sin död i Amerika (1708 respektive 1713) och begravdes där. Björk var kyrkoherde i Kristina fram till 1714 då han återvände till Sverige för att där tillträda en tjänst som kyrkoherde i Falun.

Källa: Svenska kyrkans historia del I, 1886-1887, Carl Alfred Cornelius

http://www.colonialswedes.org/forefathers/Rudman.html
Founder of Gloria Dei Church, was born 3 November 1668 in Gävle, Gästrikland Province, Sweden, the son of Johan Augustison Rudolph and Magdalen Nilsdotter. After completing his studies and securing a degree at the University of Uppsala and being ordained, Rudman was chosen by Archbishop Swebelius and Dean Jesper Swedberg in February 1696 as the pastor to lead the delegation being sent by King Carl XI to serve the Swedish Lutheran congregations on the Delaware.

At first, Rudman was reluctant to accept the offer. But, after being assured by the King that he would be rewarded with a good post in Sweden after his time in America, Rudman agreed to take on the job.

During the next several months, there were frustrating delays while two other ministers (Eric Björk and Jonas Aurén) were selected and ordained and all of the religious books were assembled for the trip to America. Finally, in late July 1696, the party left Stockholm on the ship Palmboom, destined for London.

Arriving in London in early October 1696, Rudman and his party were detained there for four months. During this time, on 3 December 1696, they called on Governor William Penn. As Rudman wrote in his diary, "He very graciously gave us his opinion and promised us his protection. He also gave much good advice as to our management and conduct there, and promised us a recommendation to his deputy governor [William Markham]."

Swedish Colonial News Volume 2, Number 1 Winter 2000 P reserving the legacy of the New Sweden Colony in America. Gloria Dei History Symposium

206. The case of Andrew Rudman, signed by ministers of Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey, undated

Episcopally ordained in Sweden, Rudman was sent by the Archbishop of Uppsala to serve the Swedish congregation near Philadelphia. He served faithfully for five years, when he was replaced by another minister sent from Sweden. He was preparing to return when war broke out and Keith persuaded him to start serving the church at Oxford. (Province of Pennsylvania)