Welcome ...

to Württemberg

to Luther´s homeland

to Germany

between Württemberg, and Wittenberg,the town of Martin Luther.

Around 500 kilometers lie

It has 22 regional churches.

Germany ...has 16 federal states.

Baden-Württemberg is located in the southwestern part.

One of them is ours: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg.

Protestantism in Germany is extremely diverse, including …

• United regional churches

• Free Protestant churches such as the Baptists and the Methodists

• Lutheran regional churches

Baden-Württemberg …

• Well-known companies such as Porsche AG and Daimler AG are located there.

• However, its many small and medium-sized enterprises are its greatest asset.

• with a population of 10.7 million, is the third-largest of the 16 German federal states.

Baden-Württemberg …• for years has had the lowest unemployment rate in Germany, but more

than 300,000 persons are nonetheless without jobs.Average gross salaries are very high, but the gap between rich and poor is increasing steadily: Seventeen percent of children are threatened by poverty, and many actually live in poverty.

One federal state, two churches:The territory of BadenWürttemberg comprises two autonomous regionalProtestant churches:

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baden

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg

The Lutheran church in Württemberg …• encompasses the tallest steeple

in the world and

... the tiny village church.

The Lutheran church in Württemberg …• is nature and culture.

• has been presided over since 2005 by Bishop Frank Otfried July who, together with the church´s governing bodies, is headquartered in Stuttgart.

has around 1,400 congregations in 51 church districts.

The Lutheran church in Württemberg …

The Lutheran church in Württemberg …• is sacred music, ministry to men,

women, children and adolescents, and much more.

The Lutheran church in Württemberg• is above all 2.3 million Lutheran

men and women.

Ecumenism

“In today´s world, we must explain why churches do not work together.”

Württemberg Church Synod, 1999

EcumenismThe Württemberg church has close ties with Christians all around the world:

• the World Council of Churches (WCC)• The Lutheran World Federation (LWF)• the Conference of European Churches (CEC)• Numerous congregations have partnerships with

congregation in many parts of the world.

EcumenismThe Württemberg church has close ties with Christians all around the world:

• the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe - Leuenberg Church Fellowship (CPCE);

• the regional church’s mission, ecumenism and development agency, DiMOE;

• the Association of Churches and Missions in South-Western Germany (EMS).

EcumenismThe Württemberg church has close ties with Christians all around the world:

• within the territory of the regional church, there are 55 non-Catholic migrant congregations. The regional church has close ties with many of them.

The Social Welfare Service of the Protestant Churches in Württemberg (DWW) is the churches´ social welfare agency that coordinates diaconal activities: Around 40,000 persons are employed full-time in approximately 1,500 DWW-affiliated facilities. The diaconal service provides counseling and assistance in situations of need: indebtedness, drug-addiction, marital problems.

The Social Welfare Service of the Protestant Churches in Württemberg (DWW) is the churches´ social welfare agency that coordinates diaconal activities:

The campaign “Brot für die Welt” is part of the Evangelical Church in Germany and has its headquarters in Stuttgart.

Total donations in 2008 amounted to 51 million euros.

Stuttgart is the capital of the State of Baden-WürttembergIt has just under 600,000 inhabitants

and many places of interest.

The church city of Stuttgart …with its 170,000 Christians anxiously awaits your visit!

offers optimal meeting facilities.

The Maritim Hotel has direct access to the worship area.

Accommodation and meetings are all in one location.

The KKL culture and conference center …

We invite you:Come spend several days before the Assembly tobecome acquainted with a German regional churchand pay a visit to the Luther town of Wittenberg.

To come to Gemany and not visit Wittenberg and Luther’s tomb

… unthinkable!

“I welcome each and every one of you to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg.

Experience the many facets of our church, meet its people, break bread with them, share their experiences, their aspirations and their faith.”

Presiding Bishop Frank Otfried July

A presentation of the Press Office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg

Welcome