Inspiration and dialogue for participants from partnerships

On 1 May 2025, the Partnership Department of the Ev.-luth. Mission in Lower Saxony (ELM) invited people from partnerships to a joint workshop at the Stephansstift in Hanover.

The congregations or church districts from Lower Saxony invited their foreign partners to the Protestant Church Congress.

This was an opportunity to meet up again, get to know each other for the first time or establish contacts across countries and partnerships. Ten partnerships with committed people from South Africa, Brazil, Germany, Russia and Honduras accepted the invitation. It was an impressive gathering. Music from all over the world was played for the first time during the presentation of the groups and was met with enthusiasm.

The first question discussed in groups was what role partnerships play in our congregations, church districts and beyond in the society in which they are located. With which social and church organisations, associations or offices are they networked and how intensively? What specific projects are there? It became clear that structures within the church are generally strong, but that networking with political or social actors is rather rare.

The second key question on this afternoon was: "What are partnerships really good at and where could they contribute to society with their specific competences? There were many different answers, including very practical ones: supporting students and pupils with scholarships, music, organising discussion groups or events. Offering thematic work in schools on the country of the respective partnership or on intercultural topics was also discussed.

It became clear: Partnerships do not operate in a vacuum. They can be visible players and radiate partnership topics into their church and social environment. This makes them more attractive to people who are interested in intercultural and social issues.

Participants were able to chat over coffee and cake in a relaxed atmosphere during the break. "It was an inspiring afternoon," said the two ELM partnership officers, Nina Nina Roggenbuck-Bauer and Marlene Altebockwinkel.