Pastor Uwe Ritter: Farewell after 20 years in Alsfeld!

Pastor Uwe Ritter: Farewell after 20 years in Alsfeld!

In the Walpurgiskirche in Alsfeld there will soon be a special farewell. Dr. Uwe Ritter, who has worked as a pastor in this community for almost 20 years, will be transferred to waiting for health reasons. On June 29th at 6 p.m. everyone is cordially invited to take part in his farewell service. Uwe Ritter came to Alsfeld with his family in 2006 and shaped community life, in particular through his active role in children's service and confirmation work.

As the website of Osthessen-News , Ritter was not only active in the Walpurgiskirche, but also regularly worked in the adjacent. Martin-Rinckart-Haus held. His enthusiasm for child and youth work was found in the founding of a youth group and the organization of the first confial in the Deanery Alsfeld. Unlike many of his colleagues, he remains connected to the parish after his adoption and plans to continue the children's service on a voluntary basis.

"I thank my colleagues and the church council for the support in the past few months," said Ritter. The past few years have been shaped by its active participation in digital services, especially during the Corona pandemic, when many services were recorded in the church without visitor. The creative use of technology was also important in order to maintain contact with the municipality, as is also shown in the Study by Katholisch.de ; Over 70 % of the respondents see digital services as a meaningful addition and not as a replacement.

digitization in community life

Pandemic has suggested many communities to take new ground. In Alsfeld and the surrounding area, digital services and devotions were created, which should remain part of church life in the future. Online services from the Walpurgiskirche are now firmly established and offer an important point of contact for everyone who cannot personally participate. The Evangelical Church Alsfeld provides videos of past services, which is another step into the future, as the website evangelische-kirche-alsfeld.de informed.

The farewell of Dr. Uwe Ritter is not only the end of an era, but also the beginning of a new phase for him and the community in Alsfeld. While hopefully he will soon be able to return to professional life, his influence on the community remains sustainable. A big thank you for all the unforgettable years he devoted to the community and its members!