Matheus Lubki: The exchange pastor

He travelled with the ELM from the middle of Brazil - "The end of the world", as he says.

He is a pastor of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil (IECLB) and is taking part in the "Kirche gibt's auch anderswo" programme. This is an exchange programme run by the Ev.-luth. Mission in Lower Saxony (ELM), which offers employees of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover the opportunity to live and work in a partner church for four to six weeks. Pastor Lubki has now been a guest of his partner, Pastor Anke Orths from the Syke/Hoya church district, for three weeks. She will make a return visit in October.

Lubki works in Querência in the state of Mato Grosso and has German roots: his ancestors emigrated from Pomerania in the 19th century. He also learnt German through his family.

Motivated by the shared Lutheran faith and the existing partnership between the churches, he wanted to familiarise himself with the work of the church in Germany. "I wanted to see how the church lives and works here - and take something back with me for my congregation," he says.

He noticed many similarities in the church services: the liturgy and songs are similar. There are differences above all in practice: in Brazil, church services are often more spontaneous and much better attended. Musical accompaniment is also more difficult to organise there.

He was particularly impressed by one detail from the local church: the four candles, which symbolise the four evangelists. In Brazil, three candles are often used to symbolise the Trinity. For him, differences like these make it clear just how diverse church traditions are.

A major difference is also evident in the way the church is financed: while the church in Germany is supported by church taxes, the congregation in Brazil lives from donations and activities such as church festivals or pizza sales.

Lubki was also particularly impressed by the history and design of German churches and the organisation of church work.

The exchange is also enriching for Pastor Orths: "I now understand my own experiences from Brazil in a completely different way. The personal contact deepens the partnership enormously."

Orths will be travelling to Brazil for a return visit in October. Both agree: such encounters build bridges, deepen faith - and create new perspectives.