Baptisms, weddings and funerals have long been part of Ursula Leitz-Zeilinger's core business.
Accompanying people through all phases of life - that is something that the pastor of the Gnadenkirche has always particularly valued in her work.
But now it is taking a new direction.
She will be adopted on Sunday.
Fürstenfeldbruck -
Ursula Leitz-Zeilinger leaves the Gnadenkirche at the end of the month.
The 59-year-old goes to Nuremberg to work in the educational sector at the religious service institute of the Protestant regional church.
"It appeals to me that it's different and that I can concentrate on one topic - as much as I loved the diversity," says Leitz-Zeilinger in an interview with the daily newspaper.
In future, she will be responsible for the training of sacristans and the further and advanced training of volunteers, who are increasingly taking on tasks in worship and pastoral care due to falling membership and a lack of young pastors.
Although Ursula Leitz-Zeilinger is looking forward to her new role, saying goodbye to Bruck will certainly not be easy.
The Gnadenkirche was her professional home for almost 16 years.
"I was welcomed in a very friendly way here and accepted as I am," she remembers the beginnings in April 2005. Back then she came from Munich-Haidhausen, where she had mainly worked with children and young people.
In Bruck, pastoral care was added to the management of the parish, including administration and personnel management.
She always enjoyed talking to the employees, thinking and planning together.
Several renovations
Rather unpopular tasks were the building projects for which she was responsible, including the partial renovation of the community center and the roof renovation of the community hall.
The general renovation and expansion of the adjoining kindergarten has been on the agenda since 2013.
It was delayed again and again due to lengthy grant negotiations and frequent changes in the building department of the regional church office.
"Unfortunately it was not possible to close the topic."
The project will not remain in place until your successor is in office in six months at the earliest.
A church architect is available to take over the management.
Leitz-Zeilinger has intensified the cooperation between church and kindergarten.
She was regularly seen there and celebrated church services with the children, where in addition to conveying Protestant beliefs, she wanted to promote respect for other religions.
She was also involved in the Fürstenfeldbruck / Emmering Christian Council, an association of Protestant, Catholic and free church communities.
Leitz-Zeilinger was responsible for coordinating the first ecumenical church convention in Bruck in 2015.
There was a good cooperation with the deceased Catholic Dean Albert Bauernfeind - and it still exists with the parish clerks of the Fürstenfeld parish association.
Leitz-Zeilinger advocates finally putting teaching disputes on the back burner and “getting down to business”.
In a time of ever advancing secularization, one should "show oneself together as Christians", demands the 59-year-old.
Farewell in Corona times
The pastor has already been adopted by the Christian Council in a service.
On Sunday, January 31st, Dean Markus Ambrosy will officially release her from her duties.
Leitz-Zeilinger very much regrets that only invited guests are allowed to attend the service in the Gnadenkirche due to the pandemic regulations, i.e. that most of their congregation will no longer see them.
"Saying goodbye in times of Corona is not nice."
After that, she wants to take a spiritual break in a Protestant monastery for a week before moving to Nuremberg with her husband Thomas.
Ursula Leitz-Zeilinger will take away many positive memories of Fürstenfeldbruck - not only of her work, but also of “the beautiful surroundings and the cultural offerings such as the new stage, the cinema and the many concerts”.
