Christmas is around the corner.
For many families, church services are part of the regular time.
But with the steadily increasing corona numbers, there are also restrictions here.
Much cannot proceed as usual.
Fürstenfeldbruck
- The churches in the city have different ideas how Christmas can still be Christmassy.
There will be no Christmas services in the Protestant Church of the Redeemer.
Instead, the church is open all day long, there is music and a pastor is always present.
For this purpose, there is a growing nativity scene in the Church of the Redeemer, in which the Christmas story gradually unfolds in the days leading up to Christmas Eve.
The faithful also receive materials for a Christmas service at home.
“In principle, this is a service to take away,” said Pastor Valentin Wendebourg.
It contains spiritual impulses and song texts as well as QR codes for recordings of these songs, so that the families can sing along to the church service at home.
There are also three different church services on the Internet on demand, two for families with children of different ages and a classic sermon by the dean.
Presence church services with limited capacity, mask compulsory and without singing will take place in the mornings on Christmas Day and on December 27th, and on these days the church will also be open continuously with music and pastors, as on Christmas Eve.
"We want to straighten out the situation a little", said Pastor Wendebourg.
The aim is to avoid a big crowd on December 24th by giving the faithful the opportunity to enjoy Christmas in church on different days.
The Catholic parishes in the Fürstenfeld parish association deal with the problem in a completely different way.
There are almost twice as many church services here on Christmas Eve.
Because of the Corona restrictions, significantly fewer people are allowed into the churches at the same time.
However, only those who have already registered can take part.
Because the registration process has now been completed and the places in the church are occupied.
In addition to access restrictions, the hygiene concept also includes distances, mouth and nose covering and as little movement as possible in the community.
"We therefore bring communion to the faithful in the square," says Otto Gäng, head of the Catholic parish association Fürstenfeld.
In addition, the sermons would be a little shorter.
"Despite the restrictions, it will definitely be Christmassy," said Gäng.
Because no matter what happens around it, it will definitely be Christmas.
He noticed that back in 2002 during the war in Afghanistan.
"If everything is mixed up, then it's a different Christmas, but that doesn't have to be bad," says the 55-year-old.
The Protestant Gnadenkirche, on the other hand, relies on live streams over the Internet.
At 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. there are church services for families on the Internet.
The first is for families with young children.
The second is a nativity play for children of primary school age.
"In contrast to previously recorded sermons, there is more of a worship feeling in our team," says Pastor Ursula Leitz-Zeilinger.
This mood can then be better shared with the community.
However, this is the first time that she has tried such a service via livestream.
"I hope that everything works with the technology," says the pastor.
In addition, there are two face-to-face services in the afternoon at the Gnadenkirche with classic Vespers under the usual hygiene rules.
Registration is required either by telephone, email or online.
(Sven Behrens)
