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Hopeful community: 9 new members welcomed to Hephata!
On November 16, 2025, the opening service of the general convention of the Diaconal Community took place in the Hephata Church, at which nine new members were ceremoniously welcomed.
Hopeful community: 9 new members welcomed to Hephata!
A festive service was celebrated in the Hephata Church on Friday, which marked the start of the general convention of the Hephata Diaconal Community. Over 140 members and guests gathered to pray and reflect together. The motto of the service was “Hopeful action – active hope”. This event should not only serve the community, but also send a signal for social responsibility and hope, as nh24.de reports.
The service, which was organized by the board of the Hephata Diaconal Community, featured special speakers. Pastor Maik Dietrich-Gibhardt, the head of the community, Deacon Stefan Zeiger, managing director of the Diakonie, and Deacon Martin Friedrich Mehl, the newly introduced speaker, were significantly involved in the design. They were supported by six volunteers who showed great commitment.
A new beginning for nine members
Particularly noteworthy is the addition of nine new members to the community, who were welcomed with joy. These are:
- Pippa Brück (Hohenahr)
- Antje Hartmann (Kassel)
- Christian Kampe (Schwalmstadt)
- Christiane Kretzschmar (Vellmar)
- Martina Lingemann (Neuental)
- Lena Schmeltzer (Marburg)
- Susanne Svoboda (Schwalmstadt)
- Gülüzar Tengic-Müller (Niestetal)
- Ronja Wiese (Kassel)
During his speech, Stefan Zeiger made a striking statement about the faith and responsibility of every individual within society. “Every seed is a bearer of hope,” he emphasized and encouraged those present to actively work for a more social society. These thoughts were also reflected in the message of Pastor Dietrich-Gibhardt, who preached about the biblical parable of the sower and addressed the importance of personal action. All participants were given a colorful seed ribbon decorated with the inscription “Bearer of Hope” as a sign of shared commitment and hope.
A meeting point for exchange
The general convention, which serves as the annual meeting of the Hephata Diaconal Community, brings together members from all over Germany who work in social, nursing or educational professions. The focus is on exchanges on spiritual and socio-political topics. The Hephata community impressively shows how important dialogue and solidarity within the guild are, as Hephata.de also emphasizes.
Overall, the start of the event was a successful sign of the cohesion of the community and the continued partnership in faith and social work. A warm welcome to the new members and a big thank you to everyone who helped organize and conduct this beautiful service!