24.11.2021

Change at the top of Westphalian ecumenism

Farewell to Ulrich Möller and installation of Albrecht Philipps (from left): Albrecht Philipps, Ingo Neserke, President Annette Kurschus, Katrin Göckenjan-Wessel, Ulrich Möller and Ulf Schlüter; © Photo: EKvW

A service in the Nicolai Church in Old Town on Monday afternoon provided the festive setting for the change at the top of the Ecumenism Department of the Evangelical Church of Westphalia. President Dr h.c. Annette Kurschus bid farewell to Oberkirchenrat Dr Ulrich Möller and introduced Dr Albrecht Philipps as Landeskirchenrat.
For 21.5 years Möller had strongly promoted the ecumenical dimension of the church, said Praeses Kurschus: "You are at home in many places on earth. Normally that would also be reflected in today's crowd of guests." Due to the pandemic, the festive service took place in front of a smaller congregation, while companions followed a YouTube broadcast. The contacts in the partner churches around the world, which Ulrich Möller has built up and maintained during visits, projects, campaigns and relief actions, are stable even at a distance. Ulrich Möller has been a Council member and Vice Moderator of the UEM since 2016. He has been closely associated with the UEM for many years and is held in high esteem because of his long-standing commitment to the UEM.

"Diakonia and ecumenism will be the face of a church of the future," said Albrecht Philipps in his sermon of introduction. He moved from the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) to the Westphalian Church on 1 November 2021. Philipps was already working at the EKD on issues of confessional ecumenism, worldwide ecumenism, world alliances and associations, the World Council of Churches and cooperation with world religions as well as diaconal partners.
The theologian returned to the Bielefeld Regional Church Office after 17 years. He had already worked as a pastor on secondment in the President's Office from 2001 to 2004. "It obviously appeals to you to start again in a completely new role and with completely different tasks," said Annette Kurschus. Philipps had gone new ways as a theologian and brought with him a broad view of the Church.