A portrait of pastor and artist
MADS JUUL MUNCH
Meet Mads Juul Munch: a Danish pastor whose passions span preaching, poetry, painting, and clay. At Harlev Rectory, Mads lives with his wife Helene, their two children, Arthur and Jo, and the family dog, Lille. Togehther they have created a home for living, not for show. History lingers in every beam and pane, but it’s carried into the present through the way they decorate: ceramics, lithographs, watercolours, and small sculptures chosen not for trends, but for meaning. Some are Mads’ own works, others treasures collected along the way — pieces that spark reflection and hold prescious memories.
Each room carries both history and soul. Old timber beams, worn wooden panels, and windowpanes marked with names of past dwellers. A lithograph found second-hand for a hundred kroner, a handthrown vase, or a stack of well-read books all add to the home’s gentle rhythm – more about meaning than style. The unity adds to a warm atmosphere, open, and personal. Light filters across coloured walls and oak furniture, highlighting everyday still lifes.
With his open outlook and reflective spirit, Mads embodies what Hübsch calls a dweller: someone who connects life, work, and home.
Nothing feels staged, yet everything feels considered. It’s a home made for people, for presence, for conversation – a place where faith, creativity, and family life weave naturally together. For Mads, this openness also defines his role as pastor. His office, tucked within the family’s daily life, welcomes parishioners not to be “fixed,” but to be seen and heard. And beyond the walls, doors remain open – for children running in and out, shared meals in the garden, or a midsummer bonfire under the open sky. It’s a home that invites creativity and reflection – and all the small moments that shape everyday life.