Church Can Become a Shelter for the Soul

Her heart beats for vibrant expressions of faith and community: Katharina Haubold now brings this passion to her new role as Coordinator for Evangelism and Missionary Networks in the UEM Department Global Education. The 39-year-old lives in Cologne and feels “very much at home” there, as she says. With a Master’s degree in Transformational Studies: Public Theology and Social Work, she has been engaged for many years in various church innovation and education processes. She is guided by a question that has accompanied her since her youth: How can people today discover faith, encounter God, and experience church as a place that connects meaningfully with their everyday lives?

“Church Can Become a Shelter for the Soul”

As Haubold herself explains, there is still much of the 15-year-old in her who, during a youth camp, discovered that faith can be life-giving and that church can offer a sense of home. “At some point, I adopted the phrase that church can be a shelter for the soul.”

Haubold looks back on a diverse journey – from the Evangelists’ School Johanneum in Wuppertal to the Bible Reading Fellowship in Marienheide, the Köln-Rechtsrheinisch Church District, and the CVJM University, where she will continue to work until the end of 2025. One particularly striking project for her was a converted coach equipped with ten computer stations that enabled young people to explore the Bible interactively – an example of her enthusiasm for experimenting with new forms of learning and faith.

Creating International Learning Spaces – Jointly, Participatively, Connected

When she came across the UEM job advertisement, it was immediately clear to her: “This sounds like a coherent next step: How can we learn even more from one another internationally?” It matters to her to create learning spaces grounded in mutual respect, where faith can be deepened and images of God can be broadened. For her, it is an ideal fit that evangelism and mission are located within the Department Global Education at UEM.

In her new role, she works closely with people in the UEM member churches, strengthens networks, and accompanies those who are passionate about evangelism and mission.

Her perspective is shaped by participation: “I often think back to my youth worker at the time, who embodied a mindset of enabling. I believe that this is not only important for youth work, but for journeying with people in general.”

We warmly welcome Katharina Haubold to the UEM and wish her much joy, God’s blessing, and inspiring encounters in her new responsibilities.