Spiritual Belonging in a Global Community

Around 55 participants from the UEM networks Young Adults, Women, and Partnerships gathered at the conference center on the Heiligen Berg in Wuppertal, Germany, to exchange ideas about lived faith and spiritual experiences in an international context. Under the title “Where My Faith Lives – Spiritual Home in a Global Community,” the meeting focused on encounters, shared learning, and further developing cooperation among the networks.

Spirituality in a Global Community

 

How can spirituality take shape today? Conversations, devotions, and a several-hour workshop led by Katharina Haubold, Coordinator for Evangelism and Missionary Networks, offered participants the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences and to learn about different perspectives.

In addition to the joint program sessions, the three networks also met separately to discuss internal topics and plan future activities. Many participants described the exchange between the groups as very valuable for addressing their own challenges in the future.

Impulses for Joint Work

 

“Meetings like this show how vibrant our networks are,” concludes Marie-Anne Halim, Head of the Germany Department at UEM. “When people from different contexts come together, new ideas and impulses for our common work emerge.”

International perspectives also enriched the conversations: On Friday evening, master’s students from the Diaconia Management Program joined the meeting and contributed experiences from different countries of UEM member churches.

An Open Atmosphere and Space for Encounters

 

For many participants, the atmosphere of the meeting was particularly meaningful: open, constructive, and marked by mutual trust.

“Several participants told me that the meeting developed in a very organic way,” reports Rebecca Fischer, Coordinator of the Young Adults Network. “The various impulses throughout the weekend kept opening up new topics. This created a lot of space for conversations in which people could truly meet each other.”

Another joint meeting of the three VEM networks is already planned for next year, continuing the exchange and further strengthening cooperation.