The new Evangelical Community Diez - merger service on Sunday!

The new Evangelical Community Diez - merger service on Sunday!

On Sunday, January 19, an important event is celebrated in Diez: the merger service of the new Evangelical parish Diez, which is created by the merger of the collegiate church community and the Jakobus community Diez-Freiendiez. The service begins at 3 p.m. in the collegiate church and is described as festive and cordially, with a lot of music and a outlook on the common future of the community, such as the Rhein-Zeitung reported.

The merger, which is realized after a unanimous decision by the church councils in spring 2024, follows a long process in which the two municipalities have already followed common paths. By the end of 2024, however, the collegiate church and the Jakobus community will remain independent.

festive events

Already on Saturday, January 18, a concert with Eddi Hüneke will take place in the Jakobuskirche Freiendiez, which is also part of the festival weekend. This concert starts at 7 p.m. and offers the local and the members of the new community the opportunity to step into a happy exchange.

The merger not only reflects an organizational, but also a historical connection. In the 19th century there was already a change from the Jakobus to the Church of the Church. This development is now continued by the merger, so that the municipality has a total of around 4000 members, including the Evangelical in Birlenbach and Fachingen.

joint activities and new structures

The two parishes have had a common municipal office at Mittelstraße 5a in Diez-Freiendiez since January 2020. Common church music events and appearances of the choirs in both parts of the city have already been established. The religious instruction for confirmation is already being carried out across the municipality.

The merger process also includes improvements in internal administration. The organization within the church facilitates joint household management, while the pastor Ingo Lüderitz describes a key experience in preparing a joint service as outstanding. The positive experiences are underpinned by the resonant participation in common baptisms at the Aar estuary.

The church reforms, as formulated in the EKD paper "Church of Freedom" from 2006, require a rethink within the parishes. Fusions are often viewed as a solution to structural problems. Nevertheless, many pastors are skeptical about the concept of the mergers, since they are often considered ineffective, such as the Evangelisch-nassauer-land emphasized.