Penzberg: Martin Luther Church inaugurated after renovation

Penzberg – The renovation is almost complete, the new bell is serving its purpose: since August, the Protestant community in Penzberg has been celebrating services in the Martin Luther Church again.

The church was officially inaugurated last Sunday.

What JFK was to American Democrats, MLK is to the Penzberg Evangelical Church.

In August, masses could be held again in the church on Karl-Steinbauer-Weg, and the Martin Luther Church (MLK) has now been officially reopened.

After lengthy renovation work, regional bishop Christian Kopp was also a guest last Sunday (November 27) and supported the Penzberg Trinity in the form of Pastor Julian Lademann, Pastor Sandra Gassert and Pastor Philipp Roß at the service on the first Advent.

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The organist and deputy shop steward of the evangelical community, Katharina Lipok, presented the new control unit for heating and light at the reopening.

© Max Mueller

"The gates of the Martin Luther Church are again wide, wide open to everyone," announced Kopp from the pulpit in the newly renovated church.

After Erding and Murnau, the regional bishop also made a stop in Penzberg late in the evening during his “Advent Marathon”.

He had warm words and hymns of praise for the Protestant community in his luggage: "The alternative program of the Protestant community in Penzberg during the Corona and renovation times was repeatedly praised in the highest tones." Among other things, Kopp alluded to the temporary services at Gut Hub.

Above all, Kopp agreed to the Christmas party in the stable.

Among the visitors at the rededication were Mayor Stefan Korpan (CSU) and some city councillors, as well as the Catholic pastor Bernhard Holz and Imam Benjamin Idriz.

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Regional Bishop Christian Kopp also had warm words on the cold Sunday in Advent.

© Max Mueller

donations helped

“The donors were not invited today.

Not because we are ungrateful, but because we should have built a church for the 300 people,” Lademann began his speech.

A second church would probably have exceeded the community's budget.

Originally, renovation costs of 460,000 euros were expected.

The district of Upper Bavaria has now also subsidized it, contributing 22,700 euros to the conversion.

In the end, the costs were around 514,000 euros, as Pastor Julian Lademann reported in a telephone call to the Rundschau.

"The scaffolding was there longer than planned and a few hidden costs crept in."

The parish itself raised 176,000 euros from its savings, and a larger loan over 10 years was also taken out.

The city of Penzberg contributed 40,000 euros, the municipality of Iffeldorf 10,000 euros and the municipality of Sindelsdorf 1000 euros.

Private donations raised around 48,000 euros.

"But something has to be done again," joked Lademann later in the Rundschau telephone call.

It is still possible to donate on the website of the evangelical parish of Penzberg.

• Cost: 514,000 euros

  
  

• Construction period: November 2021 to probably spring 2023

  
  

• Donors: More than 300

  
  

• Private donations: Around 48,000 euros

The renovation of the Martin Luther Church began in November 2021. Exterior doors and pews were removed, and the organ was enclosed for protection.

In the course of the various construction phases, new cables for the outdated electrical system were laid, automatic ventilation was installed, the cracks in the inner walls were closed with special compound, the wooden pedestal and pews were shortened and parts of the floor were retiled.

The church also got a new bell.

The old "loan bell" should go back to the rightful owners in Poland.

The exterior renovation of the church started in September this year.

At that time, scaffolding adorned the facade.

There was a need for action on the tower in the form of cleaning, but the walls also had to be recoated.

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Pastor Julian Lademann particularly likes the repositioned Jesus statue.

© Max Mueller

The positioning of the Jesus statue on the altar was also important to Pastor Lademann: “Before, it was always a little hidden in its case.

The statue is now better lit, embedded in the altar and moved a few centimeters forward.”

The Martin Luther Church is not quite finished yet.

According to Lademann, the outdoor base still needs to be repaired.

However, this is not expected to start until spring 2023.