Future of the churches: Cologne-South Synod plans merged strength and climate protection

Future of the churches: Cologne-South Synod plans merged strength and climate protection

The penultimate synod of the Cologne-South church district recently met in the Michaelshoven vocational training center. The focus was on the future of church buildings, because this is about much more than just brick and mortar. Synodal assessor Michael Miehe informed those present about the upcoming merger with the Cologne-Nord and Cologne-Central church districts, which will come into force at the beginning of 2024.

In a harmonious atmosphere, the superintendents Susanne Beuth from Cologne-centre and Markus Zimmermann from Cologne-north discussed the preparations. The latter reported on excellent cooperation in the steering group for the merger and the planned moves of the superintendent to the Charterhouse, which is to be completed on January 1, 2026. In an oasis of progress, it was also decided to form a committee of authorized representatives, which consists of five laypeople and four theologians from the participating church districts and will work under the chairmanship of Markus Zimmermann.

A look into the future of buildings

If you look at the challenges ahead, building requirements planning is a central component. The communities of Rodenkirchen, Rondorf and Sürth-Weiß have already joined forces to form a joint future project. In order to advance the urgently needed climate protection, the parishes must clarify by the end of 2027 which buildings they need in the long term and make them greenhouse gas neutral by 2035. This agreement emerges from the resolution of the state synod, which obliges church districts to plan their building structures sustainably.

Over the last two years, the Ecumenical Education Forum for Energy-Efficient Renovation (BEB) has developed recommendations that are intended to help communities focus on frequency of use, historical significance and potential collaborations when making building decisions. These basic approaches are now part of the documentation of the BEB project, which is available free of charge to interested communities.

Climate protection as a central concern

Another exciting point of the synod was the critical voice of Elias Rinsche, who addressed the lack of inclusion of youth in decision-making processes. He thus hits the nerve of the times, because climate protection is not only the focus of the synod, but also a central concern of the entire Evangelical Church in the Rhineland. In addition, the regional church will centrally support the building planning process to ensure that all reference groups are involved and solutions are developed together.

By the way, the first meeting of the new church district will take place in Bergheim in mid-February. Until then it will become clear how quickly and effectively the communities can implement the new, forward-looking steps. One area in which everyone needs to help together is the switch to renewable energies and the energy-efficient renovation of listed buildings.

Finances on the rise

On the financial side, the Cologne-South church district can also report positive news: the 2024 annual financial statements show total assets of 2,377,809 euros, with a pleasing surplus of 153,598 euros. This shows that despite the challenges that will arise, among other things, from the 1.5 percent annual reduction in allocations to municipalities, the financial basis remains stable. The surplus is partly used for projects outside the church district, strengthening the community and continuing the needs.

The future of the church in Cologne-South looks promising - and it will be exciting to see how citizens and church members will react to these changes in the coming years.