Number of parish positions in the church district drops drastically: what now?

Number of parish positions in the church district drops drastically: what now?

Hofgeismar, Deutschland - On June 16, 2025, the synod of the Hofgeismar-Wolfhagen church district met in Wolfhagen for a pioneering session. 64 synodals were present, with only four votes against the decisions and 15 abstentions were recorded. A central topic was the decision to reduce the parish office in the church district, which says that only 29 parish offices should be available by the end of the 2031 planning period. This decision is accompanied by a saving of 3.5 parish offices compared to the existing plan, which has a profound influence on the church landscape in the region.

Dean Jan Friedrich Eisenberg expressed the worrying forecast that the number of pastors in the regional church could be halved by the end of the 2030s. " hna reports that the departure of the theology students will not be retired in the future. Parish positions for 2,500 members are interpreted as before for 1,500.

concerns of the synodal

The synodals expressed their concerns regarding the possible loss of the bond with the community members and volunteers, who are of great importance for community life. It is not only a quantitative change that is imminent, but also a qualitative challenge for the future of the communities. The integration of volunteers and maintaining an active community is essential.

Another important point of the session was the unanimously decided protective measures to prevent sexual violence. This fits the efforts of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which wants to develop a comprehensive prevention concept for each facility. Mögeldorf Evangelisch emphasizes that a working group was formed by the end of 2023 to further develop and implement these concepts. The aim is to create a safe space for children, adolescents and adults and not give sexualized violence in the communities.

The status of the building strategy

In addition, the current status of the building strategy process was also discussed. The church council plans to classify all church buildings in three categories until the autumn conference of the district synod at the end of September. These measures are part of a long -term strategy to adapt the church structure to the needs of the municipalities and to use the church resources more efficiently.

The city church community, which was created in 2010 by the merger of the former parishes of the old town and Neustadt, has more than 4,000 members and thus represents an active community in the region. Their churches, the old towns and Neustadt churches, not only offer services, but also space for church music events and a silent stop. This diversity shows how important it is to tackle the upcoming challenges creatively and collectively.