Cooperation between German congregations and non-German speaking congregations

In Germany there are a number of Protestant congregations outside the regional churches, in which Christians, who have emigrated from other countries come together and worship together – in their own mother-tongue following their familiar liturgies – often in hired parish rooms, without being integrated into the “normal” life of the congregation there at all.

Since 1998 the German region of the United Evangelical Mission has established a programme for cooperation between German and non-German speaking congregations, with the aim of building bridges and bringing the regional churches and the so-called “migration churches” closer together. For the Christian faith is many-sided - in Germany too - and the spiritual, liturgical and not least the cultural diversity which the Korean, French and Brazilian migration congregations bring with them, is an enrichment for all.

: Studying the Bible togehter: Pastor José-Manuel Gonzalez and Pastor Joshua Wilfred.
photo: Ursula Harfst/UEM

Aims of the Programme:

To make people aware of the situation of Christian migrants; they live in Germany, set up their own church structures and seek for contact with German churches and congregations.
To awaken people’s awareness for a new mission movement; missionaries from Africa and Asia are discovering Germany as their mission field.
To offer support for migration congregations in setting up their structures and with their integration into German church and society.
To improve cooperation between local congregations and migration congregations.
To develop projects for a common mission and inter-cultural evangelism
To further understanding and acceptance; overcoming racism also in the church.
To internationalise the church and make it multi-cultural.

List of non-German speaking congregations

During the first year the programme concentrated on research into the situation and the self-understanding of Protestant migration congregations. In August 1999 the UEM held a conference with representatives of migration congregations and representatives from the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland and the Evangelical Church of Westphalia.

The idea, to put together a list of non-German speaking congregations recognised by the regional churches, resulted from the discussion process of this conference. A committee consisting of representatives from various migration congregations and the Evangelical churches in the Rhineland and Westphalia produced a catalogue of criteria to help non-German speaking congregations to orientate themselves. The regional churches committed themselves to be advocates for the listed congregations in their dealings with the state departments.

Together with the regional churches the non-German speaking and the German-speaking churches offer further training courses for German and non-German speaking pastors and members of the congregation, for example the long-term further training course »KiKK – Church in an intercultural context.«