New pastor in Hanau: Milina Reichardt-Hahn brings a breath of fresh air!

New pastor in Hanau: Milina Reichardt-Hahn brings a breath of fresh air!

Milina Reichardt-Hahn has found a new place of work. As the new pastor of the Protestant parish in Hanau, she brings not only her theological training, but also valuable journalistic experience. She previously worked in Thuringia, where she made a name for herself in the community of Fambach. After six years there, she is now moving back to the Rhine-Main area, primarily for family reasons, as inSüdthüringen reports.

Growing up in the Palatinate, Milina Reichardt-Hahn felt a close connection to the church early in her childhood. She was initially a Catholic and worked as an altar server before later joining a free church, the Baptists. She studied theology and German at the University of Mainz, which laid the foundation for her later career. After a traineeship as an editor in Thuringia, where she even became deputy editorial director, she decided in 2017 to continue her professional career in the church because her views as a Baptist no longer agreed with the church.

A new beginning in Hanau

In September 2025, Milina started her new position in Hanau and has already made contact with the community. She visited daycare centers and had conversations with the church council. On January 11, 2025 she will take part in the motet “Film and Fantasy” in Hanau’s Marienkirche. In doing so, she shows that she is not afraid to become active and contribute her ideas, an approach that is also important in the current discussion about the development of the church. As ekd.de describes, change and active church development are necessary steps to maintain proximity to the community despite declining membership numbers.

“The challenges facing the church should not be underestimated,” says Reichardt-Hahn. She recognizes that not all churches can be preserved and sees this change as an opportunity for alternative meeting places in the community.
Your journalistic training could open up new perspectives for the community in order to reach more and more indifferent people. In this context, the Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD) has developed a new typology that aims to strengthen closeness and trust between members and the church.

Farewell to Fambach

Before she started the new beginning in Hanau, Milina Reichardt-Hahn said goodbye to the community in Fambach. Saying goodbye was not easy for her. Her rooms weren't completely cleared out yet, but there was a picture of Martin Luther above her desk, a constant reminder of her roots. Representative books and writings testify to her passion for theology and the communicative aspects of her calling. “I always wanted to create an inviting atmosphere for conversation with a sofa and armchairs in the study,” she explains.

With a clear goal in mind to actively shape her new community in Hanau, Milina Reichardt-Hahn is entering this chapter of her life full of enthusiasm. The challenge before her is to build bridges between the church and the people, and she seems more than well equipped to do so. Their approach could bring a breath of fresh air to the church community, and members are certainly looking forward to it.

The development and change of the church are topics that the EKD also promotes. A basic theological text is intended to help further develop pastoral vocations and clarify employment relationships. In these turbulent times, it is essential to put our heads together and make the church fit for the future. With all her experience, Milina Reichardt-Hahn has decided to do her part.