Thank You Meal: Spotlight on Church Volunteers!

Thank You Meal: Spotlight on Church Volunteers!

On January 19, 2026, a thank you dinner was held in the parish hall, organized by Pastor Michael Birner. After the evening mass, he paid tribute to the numerous volunteers in the community and compared their important role to the biblical image of “one body and many members.” This analogy goes back to the Apostle Paul, who described the community of believers as a network of individuals in which each person fulfills an important function.

Pastor Birner emphasized the need for everyone to be involved in community life and named specific groups and people who are actively involved in the community. These include the project choir director as well as the singers, the organists, the cantors and many others. He also named the members of the church administration, the parish councilors, lectors and sacristans who are responsible for looking after senior citizens and family worship services, as well as volunteers who take care of the church and chapel decorations, the maintenance of the premises and the large nativity scene.

Voluntary work as a cornerstone of the community

The importance of voluntary work was further emphasized by the mention of lectors, altar servers and parish letter deliverers. Board members of the women's association, KAB and girls' groups as well as cleaning and winter services also contribute to the lively community. Pastor Birner also thanked the pastoral care team for their support, whose cooperation and commitment are indispensable for the community. He concluded with an inspiring calendar saying: “Some people don’t know… how much poorer we would be without them,” emphasizing the appreciation of all volunteers.

Overall, the commitment of volunteers in the church shows that they not only ensure that services and events run smoothly, but also represent a supporting pillar of community life within the church community. With over 6,000 volunteers, the Evangelical Church in Essen documents how diverse and important this commitment is. She emphasizes that every believer, regardless of his professional qualifications, is invited to become involved, which embodies the principle of the “priesthood of all (baptized) believers”. Church food informs that the volunteers take on numerous tasks, such as visiting lonely, sick and elderly people, organizing children's services and supporting youth facilities.

The heart of the community

Commitment to the Evangelical Church is not only seen as a contribution to the common good, but is also an expression of Christian charity and the example of Jesus Christ. The church actively promotes the participation of volunteers, offers further training and has created structures to optimize the recruitment and support of these valuable members.

The institutional recognitions, such as thank you evenings, aim to make volunteer work more visible. The “Volunteer Management” project was launched in 2019 to further develop the engagement structures. In addition, the campaign “More than you believe!” started, which appreciates volunteers through portraits and videos. Church volunteering explains that such initiatives emerged to address social ills in the 19th century and show how volunteers are motivated by faith beliefs to serve both God and people.

The visitation program and the children's worship programs are examples of how volunteers actively contribute to social and spiritual education. The children's service was brought to life by committed members who not only teach children to read and write, but also teach them Bible stories.