Voluntary lectures save Thuringian churches from the end!

Voluntary lectures save Thuringian churches from the end!

In the quiet community of Winterstein in Thuringia, there are exciting news: 21-year-old Joel Kleditz recently headed his first service. This decision is part of a larger initiative of the Evangelical Church, which is looking for new ways due to falling membership and an increasing lack of pastor to keep their communities alive. According to MDR it does not fail to stop that in Thuringia, because church services often fail. A fact that forces the church to act.

Kleditz is not a trained pastor, but studies international relationships and has decided to become active as a lecturer. The Evangelical Church has assigned a central role to the lectures, which design and manage services on their own responsibility. This is done via prepared reading sermons that are made available to the Lectors by the church. "All baptized parishioners can become lecturers," says Kleditz, "but you need an commissioning and possibly also training -related support." Regular advanced training courses are essential to secure the quality of the proclamation, as can be read on the website of the Center for Announcement

volunteer lectures in use

The Evangelical Church has recognized a growing need for volunteering lecturers in recent years. These are required to actively support the municipalities, while the number of full -time pastors continuously decreases. In 2024, the church in Thuringia recorded 5,149 resignations, while only 124 new members were added, which has direct effects on church tax revenue and is additionally reinforced by the shortage of staff.

Personal emergency is also a topic that the pastor Christiane Kleditz appeals. 20 years ago there were three full -time positions in her church area, today she is alone as responsible. "The church tries to maintain the services on site and to strengthen the role of the volunteers," said the pastor. Kleditz plans to take over a total of six to eight services per year and also to lead natives.

The lecturer program: a success model?

By commissioning and training as a lecturer, it becomes possible for many community members to become active. The requirements are clear: of the age of majority, ideally a confirmation and the willingness to continue training are necessary in order to enter the lecturer or predicant service. The pastor and the deans must support the candidates, and at the end of the training, services must be managed independently. Information about these processes are in the flyer "How do I become predicant, how do I become a lecturer*in?" to be found, which is also provided by Center for Announcement

with Kleditz 'successful start in Winterstein, where 50 visitors were present at its first sermon - usually there are only between five and ten - it can be seen that the initiative of the church can take fruitful paths. Even if his activity is unpaid, he seems to have the right feeling for the community. The future of the church may depend on the ability to win more young people like him and keep their events alive.