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Video service from the old village church

2020-04-03T08:27:46.154Z


The corona crisis is also forcing the church to rethink. Church services are no longer possible, pastoral care must break new ground.


The corona crisis is also forcing the church to rethink. Church services are no longer possible, pastoral care must break new ground.

Germering - City minister Andreas Christian Jaster reveals in an interview how the Catholic city church deals with it.

Father Jaster, how do you see the current corona crisis and its impact on the city church?

The corona crisis is something that neither I personally nor the Federal Republic of Germany have ever experienced in this form. There is nothing to add to the statements by Federal President Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Angela Merkel. It is a time when almost every public life, including church life, with the involvement of the whole community, comes to a more or less complete standstill. As far as I know, there has never been anything like this, not even during the Second World War.

What does the Corona crisis mean from a pastoral perspective?

Such a crisis triggers fears for a whole range of people, be it fears for one's own health or one's own life, or fears for the health and life of loved ones or, of course, fears about professional or economic existence. With such fears, it often helps people to feel that someone is close to them. It is our job as pastor to keep reminding us that Jesus is by our side.

But closeness, at least physical closeness, is something that should be strictly avoided these days.

You are absolutely right: The greatest closeness to a person at the moment is not to get too close to them physically, if it does not necessarily have to be. Nevertheless, we want to continue to stand by God's name as best we can. That doesn't necessarily mean physical closeness. Real proximity can also be expressed in a phone call, an email or a letter. For example, I write to my congregation, at least those who want it, every week with a few thoughts on each Sunday. There is also our weekly parish newsletter, which is on the one hand ready to take away in the still open for personal prayer, but on the other hand is also sent to all parishioners with their own e-mail address if they can be found on the homepage of the city church, www.stadtkirche-germering.de, have registered.

More and more parishes are making online offers available. The city church too?

We of course too. For example, Deacon Benno Saruba offers an online Bible study group. Over 80 virtual participants have already registered for this! And on Palm Sunday there is a virtual children's service. Further information on both is available from Deacon Benno Saruba at BSaruba@ebmuc.de.

A 2000 year old institution is going digital and is fully relying on the possibilities of digitization. Who would have thought that?

I'm a rather analogue person myself, but I know the importance of social media such as WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. And live streaming is also no stranger to me. We even plan something in this area.

Now you have made us curious.

We quickly converted the Old Martinskirche into a “Stadtkirchen studio” for livestream services, especially for the Easter and Easter days. Father Vicar Bartholomew Aondo makes the start with the celebration of Palm Sunday on April 5 at 10.30 a.m., possibly not yet technically perfect. I will celebrate the service on Maundy Thursday as a live stream myself. And Good Friday is taken over by Pastoral Officer Christian Kube. We are also considering offering an Easter night celebration as a live stream. There will also be special offers for children.

Compliments - that sounds like a comprehensive plan. Which platform will the city church use for live streaming? And at what times do these live offers take place?

All information related to our livestream such as times, access data and so on can always be found in the current form on the homepage of the city church: www.stadtkirche-germering.de.

Such online offers with a live stream or a virtual Bible course are probably aimed more at an internet-savvy audience. But what about your older community members who may not be as extensive online?

Indeed, that is very important to me. In previous years, we always offered a special senior service on Tuesday of Holy Week with the possibility of receiving the anointing of the sick. Unfortunately, this is not possible this year, because our seniors are at risk for the corona virus. Therefore, we have come up with something else, new this year.

Tell us what?

On the usual Tuesday of Holy Week, on April 7th, I personally take time for our seniors from 2 to 4 p.m. for a personal blessing on the phone. To do this, please call our seniors at the time mentioned directly on telephone (089) 84 93 68 12. Then we pray over the phone a Lord's Prayer and an Ave Maria in all our own and worldwide worries and needs, combined with a short personal word of encouragement, and close with the blessing. If all telephone lines are busy, please try again. Everyone should be able to get it.

Also interesting: Our ticker on the Corona crisis

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-04-03

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