Anna Charlotta Heikel was a Finland-Swedish teacher and director of the School for the Deaf in Jakobstad, Finland, from 1878 to 1898. She was a temperance activist as well as a pioneer of the Baptist movement in Finland and early Sunday school founder.
Anna Heikel, 20 August 1877 Credit: Daniel Nyblin
Anna Heikel with student Frans Leijon in the 1890s. Credit: Jakob (?) Grönroos
Baptists in Finland have existed since the middle of the 19th century. They are part of the Baptist branch of evangelical Christianity and belong to three different Finnish church associations. Swedish-speaking Finns formed the Swedish Baptist Union of Finland, while Finnish-speaking Baptists are united in the Finnish Baptist Church ; two Finnish congregations are a part of the Seventh Day Baptists. In addition, a few independent Baptist churches exist, including Grace Baptist Church in Tampere. The congregation was formerly known as Perinteinen Baptistiseurakunta in Finnish and International Baptist Church in English. Agape International Baptist Church in Pedersöre is also among the independent Baptist churches.
Finnish-speaking Baptist church in Kissanmaa, Tampere.
The Swedish Baptist Church of Vaasa in November 2022
Jakobstad Bethany Church.