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Ten years of Church of Unity”: Place of faith on the A 71 celebrates its anniversary
On July 9, 2025, the A71 motorway church in Schmalkalden-Meiningen celebrated its tenth anniversary with an ecumenical service.
Ten years of Church of Unity”: Place of faith on the A 71 celebrates its anniversary
On July 9, 2025, a very special celebration was celebrated on the A 71 near Bibra: The club Motorway church A 71 celebrated the tenth anniversary of the blessing of the Church of Unity Fall ’89. Numerous guests gathered at an ecumenical service to commemorate this important event.
The service was organized by well-known representatives of the church community, including the Protestant regional bishop Tobias Schüfer from Erfurt and the cathedral chapter Thomas Keßler from Bad Neustadt. The Protestant superintendent Beate Marwede from Meiningen and the pastor Max Grundke from Bibra also contributed to the celebration. The high number of visitors pleased the chairman of the association, who emphasized the importance of the church for the people.
A place of memory and reflection
The idea to create this memorial was born in 2004. It commemorates the forty-year separation of Germany and the peaceful reunification. Initiators such as the late superintendent Wolfram Hädicke and former district administrator Fritz Steigerwald gave the church its beginning. This message of unity is kept alive here, also in view of the new church booklet “Memorial Stone of Peace”, which was presented in the third edition.
The focus of Tobias Schüfer's sermon was particularly on the tradition of roadside chapels and their function as places of retreat for travelers. The “Church of Unity Fall ’89” is designed to be a place of reflection for people of different denominations, religions and cultures. It symbolizes the theme of “Overcoming a border” and reflects the normality of traveling to the West after the division of Germany. Schüfer thanked for today's freedom, which many travelers take for granted today.
Musical accompaniment and community
The service was accompanied by music from the “Bläserchor Mittendrin”, who created a festive atmosphere with a song of blessing. The intercessions were made by, among others, District Administrator Peggy Greiser and District Administrator Thomas Habermann together with the pastors, which gave the event an additional community framework.
How ekd.de highlights, motorway churches are an important retreat along the roads. About a million people visit these places every year to give thanks for a safe journey or simply to enjoy a moment of silence. The first motorway church in Germany was consecrated in 1958, and since then the number has increased to a total of 44.
In a world that is often hectic and fast-paced, the Church of Unity Fall '89 offers not only a space of silence, but also a bridge to the past and a reminder that peace and unity cannot be taken for granted.