As of: March 15, 2024, 10:30 a.m
By: Elke Robert
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The Schongau pastor trio with Julia Steller (left) and the two new pastors Angelika and Michael Bischoff.
Their introductory service is on Sunday.
© Hans-Helmut Herold
Angelika and Michael Bischoff, the new Protestant pastors of Schongau, have already acclimatized a little.
On Sunday the two will be inducted into office by Dean Jörg Hammerbacher.
This marks the end of a sometimes stressful period of vacancy for Pastor Julia Steller.
Schongau - Angelika and Michael Bischoff have been living in Schongau for two weeks, even if they are not “real” Schongau residents at the time of the conversation: the wallet with the two identity cards was missing and only reappeared in one of the many moving boxes - when registering But now nothing stands in the way of the city.
Everything is already being prepared for the service on Sunday, March 17th (10 a.m.).
Dean Jörg Hammerbacher, as their superior, introduces the two pastors to their new position at the Protestant parish of Schongau.
In addition, each of the two looked for someone to accompany them from the old and the new community.
Around 70 seats are reserved; if the believers move a little closer together, 120 people can sit and attend the service.
“The rest has to stand,” laughs Pastor Julia Steller.
The couple who share the position have already chosen the songs.
“And both organists want to play – that’s very rare.”
The three pastors, who will jointly look after the approximately 2,700 parishioners, seem very familiar with each other.
No wonder, since they have known each other since their time studying in Neuendettelsau, Julia Steller and Michael Bischof even since the first semester.
Angelika Bischoff grew up in Wessobrunn
Angelika Bischoff enjoys a small home advantage: The Munich native grew up in Wessobrunn and went to school in Weilheim, where she was also active in the church community, as she explains.
Her husband comes from Streitberg in Franconian Switzerland.
For the past four and a half years he worked in the Evangelical Lutheran Advent Church in Munich-Neuaubing, and his wife worked in the Zacchaeus parish in Gröbenzell for three years.
The move to Schongau only comes with a short remaining vacation for both Bischoffs, “but we needed this time to move and to cope with the farewell, the move was also emotionally intense,” said the 37-year-old.
He still remembers the first evening when he noticed the calm in Schongau - and the next morning the birds singing.
“I noticed a real joy of discovery, experienced a lot of nature and enjoyed the mountain view.”
His wife enjoys living so close to the gate to the old town, with the city center right on her doorstep.
Even though the 29-year-old has lived in the district for a long time and is familiar with a lot of things, she is also on a journey of discovery: "I've always been to Hohenpeißenberg, but you can't get much further than that if you're from Weilheim," she jokes.
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With a view to their future activities, both hope for good ecumenism.
“In Franconia the Protestants are in the majority, in Neuaubing they are in the minority.
But it works well together with the Catholic Church,” says Michael Bischoff.
“It is necessary to work together as Christians.”
In Schongau, around ten percent of the residents are Protestant, adds Julia Steller.
She emphasizes that there is already good ecumenical cooperation between all church communities - on an equal footing.
In a figurative sense: Because with Pastor Benjamin Spring from the Free Evangelical Community, who is a very tall man, and you, a rather short woman, “it looks very funny”.
Angelika Bischoff also sees ecumenism as a way of relieving the workload in order to find a common way for full-time employees to overcome the staff shortage.
“And the more we appear together as Christians, the stronger we are.”
Pastor from Peiting helped out
There is a strikingly high level of community in Schongau; everyone is welcome.
The church forecourt is not only suitable for a meeting, but also especially for weddings.
“We always try to make this appealing to couples through a small advertising block,” says Steller.
Michael Bischoff adds that they are open to ecumenical weddings and rainbow weddings.
“That is expressly desired,” emphasizes his wife.
Julia Steller particularly highlights the cross-deanery collaboration with the parish in Peiting.
After Pastor Jost Herrmann left in the summer, Pastor Brigitte Weggel helped her through the vacancy and her illness: “Without Brigitte Weggel, nothing would have happened in the fall,” says Steller.
She had been counting down the days since January and February didn't feel like it had even passed.
Many funerals would have made the already full weeks even more crowded.
“And now she has got our backs,” says Angelika Bischoff, thanking Julia Steller.
By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Schongau newsletter.