Pastor Julia Steller remains in the Protestant parish of Schongau. After her three-year trial in Lechstadt, the 32-year-old applied for the pastorate in Schongau and was elected by the church council.
Schongau - "It was an easy decision to say that I apply for the position that I already know," says Julia Steller and laughs. After her vicariate in Friedrichshofen in the Ingolstadt district, she had been sent to the trial service in Schongau three years ago by the Evangelical Church.
After the successful final assessment by the Weilheim dean Jörg Hammerbacher, she was now able to apply for a vacant pastorate - and decided on Schongau. And that is despite the fact that there is currently a huge selection of parish offices. “You should stay in a parish for about five years. I still have two years here. But of course I can stay longer, ”explains the Leipheim native.
From the beginning she had a good connection to Schongau. "I was well received here and feel valued and supported," says Julia Steller, who was very challenged in Schongau in the first year. When the first pastor surprisingly left office for family reasons and suddenly she had to do the tasks all by herself. “It was not a standard test service and it wasn't always easy,” the young pastor looks back.
But she could also learn a lot during this exhausting time. "I had a fresh start in Schongau three times, so to speak," said Steller. She had the third with Pastor Jost Herrmann, about whom she says: "We are a pretty good station wagon." "There are some things where he dares to do more. And it is great with what enthusiasm he stays with the project during the construction phase, ”she says.
She herself had to familiarize herself with the renovation of the church and parish hall on Blumenstrasse, and it was clear to her that she could not do this alone. "We never get bored because we're both creative minds," she says of the Schongau pastor team. Her colleague Jost Herrmann puts it this way: “What joy. She chose Schongau and was also elected. ”
Inventive in the Corona crisis
The pastoral team in Lechstadt also made the corona epidemic and the associated changes inventive: The "service to go" was born, and together with vicar Barbara Krauße and other helpers, tinkering was done and four stations on Ascension Day were implemented. The intercessions that the participants could throw in a box were also heard at the Pentecost service in the open air in the Serenadenhof of the Heiliggeist Hospital Foundation. In general, the corona crisis meant that the restrictions from the outside left your head free for creative ideas, says Julia Steller.
What she likes most about the pastor's job is that it never gets boring, that she has to do with people of all ages and in all walks of life. Even if it is not a “9 am to 5 pm” position. She enjoys the exchange with the seniors with whom she feels very connected, as well as with the confirmands and young people. From the latter she already heard a "You are good for us".
And she also very much appreciates the constructive exchange with the pastors from Peitingen. In addition, Schongau is a wonderful city for her with good infrastructure and a beautiful location, which she particularly appreciates for the beloved mountains. For Julia Steller, being a pastor means being there for people and not just for a target group.
BY URSULA FRÖHLICH
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