Facts and Figures 2016

Dear Reader,

On the following pages, you will find facts and figures on the Evangelical Church in Germany. They reflect the diversity of church life and action in the 14,412 church communities which are connected to the 20 regional churches in Germany that together form the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). They show which social responsibilities are being fulfilled there: in childcare facilities and schools, in the institutions of the churches’ diaconal ministry for the care of those who are ill or in need of assistance and in the network of advice centres for people facing emergency situations of various kinds. They also reveal the number of locations where worship and cultural life have a place – in the churches and chapels in this country, but also in the German-speaking congregations in other nations.

Naturally, statistics can only present a part of the picture. Much of what happens in the Church can neither be determined nor demonstrated using figures, such as spiritual counselling, home visits, the diversity of volunteers’ commitments and many other activities. This brochure therefore only reflects a part of what the Church stands for. And yet, among these pages you will see that our Church is a part of the lives of many people and that it actively shapes our social reality.

You are cordially invited to have a look at the various fields of action in which the Evangelical Church in Germany is involved. Discover something new, investigate deeper and if you like – take part in our church life by getting involved!

Yours,
Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm

Chair of the Council
of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD)