The German Evangelical Alliance (EAD) celebrates its 140th anniversary this year, with a special conference that will take place from 5 to 9 August.

It will be held in Bad Blankenburg, a town in the Thuringia region, the same place where writer Anna von Weling invited Christians across Germany to the first Alliance Conference in 1886.

“What began as a small prayer and encouragement gathering, quickly developed into a key meeting place for the Alliance movement in Germany”, explains the EAD in a press release.

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The conference has only had to be cancelled during times of war and disaster. For 120 years, the venue has always been the Conference Hall of the Evangelical Alliance Germany headquaters, “a place for fellowship, spiritual renewal and social engagement”.

Commitment and hope

Organisers point out that the main focus of the conference “has always been, and remains to be, how faith in Jesus Christ positively transforms personal lives and society”.

For Reinhardt Schink, chair of the EAD, “the history of the Evangelical Alliance reminds us that the Christian faith is always linked to a responsibility towards our neighbours and society”.

“Whether in the historic campaign against slavery and injustice, in the reconciliation between former mortal enemies in Europe after the Second World War, or in the joint prayer service in Bad Blankenburg for 140 years, the focus has consistently been on building bridges, protecting human dignity and working to promote peace in the world”.

All that is only posible, “not through our own strength, but through our unity in Jesus Christ”; that is why, they “are embracing this responsibility more than ever in, the face of today’s challenges”.

A varied programme and a celebration

The daily plenaries of the gathering will delve in the book of Job, which “is arguably one of the most fascinating and challenging books in the Bible. It invites us to reflect anew on suffering, faith and God’s actions”, explain the organisers.

There will also be workshops and seminars “on topics relating to pastoral care, evangelism and mission”; panel discussion which “will feature engaging debates on current topics”; creative and sporting activities; and times of worship and prayer.

The 140th anniversary will have a special event on Satuarday afternoon.

It will start with a Bible study by Hans-Günter Schmidts, the director of the conference; followed by “a look back and a look ahead with distinguished guests, under the theme ‘Together through the ages’”.

The celebration will end with “a big party to reminisce, catch up, get to know one another and meet old and new guests”.

WEA's 180 anniversary

On its 140th anniversary, the EAD also remembers the 180th anniversary of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), which coincides with that of the German evangelical entity.

They recall that in August 1846, 921 representatives from 52 Christian churches, congregations and movements gathered in London, “with active German participation from the very beginning”.

The German Evangelical Alliance describes the foundation of both alliances, as well as that of the European Evangelical Alliance (EEA), as “milestones” that “stand for the movement’s commitment to social responsibility, human dignity, and cross-border networking”.