After 17 years as a pastor in Peiting: Dirk Wollenweber says goodbye

Created: 04/06/2022, 10:00 am

By: Barbara Schlotterer-Fuchs

Companions from ecclesiastical and secular life, together with Pastor Dirk Wollenweber (middle), say farewell as pastor in Peiting after almost 17 years.

© Barbara Schlotterer-Fuchs

Almost 17 years ago, Dirk Wollenweber came here as pastor of the Protestant parish of Peiting-Herzogsägmühle.

Now the freshly appointed church council has been relieved of its duties as parish pastor in a ceremonial act.

Peiting – For Pastor Brigitte Weggel it was a very strange moment: At a festival service last Sunday in the Evangelical Christ Church in Peiting, she had to say goodbye to her husband – but only from office.

Even if Wollenweber is now the top emergency chaplain for the fire brigade and rescue service throughout Bavaria and has thus been promoted to the church council: he will of course stay with his family and the region.

He stands at the top of the pulpit, with a view of the well-filled pews.

One last time.

Wollenweber covers his emotion with a laugh.

He is connected to all those who sit there.

"From now on I will stand on this pulpit and just be a pastor who is always happy to be here - because this community and this place has become my home and I have grown fond of it," he says.

Wollenweber does not find it easy to say goodbye

At the end of his last sermon as parish priest in this church, he shakes out his fingers, which until the end had been clenching the edges of the pulpit.

"Phew," he says.

After almost 17 years, in which the parish has become a big family, it's not that easy - despite climbing the career ladder.

The human counts.

Many paths in life, his own and those of others, were intertwined during his time as a pastor in Peiting.

"I've evolved through you into who's standing here, who's standing here.

Phew,” he says at the end.

Made it.

Not quite yet.

There will be other moving moments during the speeches of the invited guests this afternoon.

Many have come to say goodbye.

A pastor like Wollenweber doesn't just preach at the altar.

Someone like him, who is a member of the volunteer fire brigade, is on the turntable ladder.

Wollenweber comforts people as an emergency pastor.

He teaches, maintains his parish and has good relationships with clubs and politicians, the dean's office.

It's about the topic of networking, about life paths "that have become interwoven".

Dirk Wollenweber is obviously very well networked and his status is high.

Dean Jörg Hammerbacher, for example, certifies that Wollenweber was "a stroke of luck for the deanery and its congregation".

In the future, Hammerbacher hopes that he will be a “church council with blue lights” who will hopefully be able to push things forward in the regional church.

The church board gives a voucher for a sightseeing flight for the "real all-rounder".

Not because Wollenweber is a high-flyer, but "so that you can see the areas where you can later have a beneficial effect".

Pastor was also popular in the schools

As a teacher at the school, Wollenweber himself reveals with a sense of humor that he wasn't always blessed with happy moments.

Rectors Jürgen Jahrsdörfer (Steingaden middle school) and Jochen Böhm (Peiting middle school) emphasize that the pastor was also popular at school: The lessons at Wollenweber always followed a pattern, says Böhm.

"The door opened.

'Good morning, Herr Headmaster,' he said.

'Good morning, Pastor,' I said.

Then it came to the extreme: Dirk went to class.” Humorous anecdotes also provide deep insights at this event.

Raise your glasses: in a relaxed mood (from left) Pastor Dirk Wollenweber, Dean Jörg Hammerbacher and Herzogsägmühle Director Wilfried Knorr toast together after the official part of the farewell in the open air.

© Barbara Schlotterer-Fuchs

The exciting topic of the parish of Peiting-Herzogsägmühle is also addressed.

When it was introduced, according to Wollenweber, there was talk of a hyphen.

This would have become a 'tie-in'.

In a positive sense, of course.

In summary: "To be honest, I can't imagine working in any other community at the moment." Even if there were times that weren't always easy.

One thing is certain: When Wilfried Knorr said goodbye to him that afternoon with a special book, and later at the champagne reception with all the guests, nothing stood between the men.

A Catholic Stoa as a gift

Ecumenism: It is also a big topic on this special afternoon.

With Father Petrus Adrian Lerchenmüller from Steingaden, Dirk Wollenweber and his wife Brigitte have set up a real ecumenical movement in the Welfen branch of the Peitingen parish.

Over the years, the collaboration has developed into a friendship.

Wollenweber was so moved that he couldn't find the words when he heard the present from his companion: a Catholic stole from the Welfenmünster, which the evangelical pastor himself had worn at one of the ecumenical services.

Words flow again at the champagne reception afterwards, where there is room for many personal words and appreciation.