The corona pandemic has even left its mark on Annika Weisheit and Anna-Maria Plischke's Instagram account.

“Changing classes, little kids,” says Wisdom tersely to apologize for months of absence on social media.

The two young pastors there called themselves the “A-Team”.

Plischke is responsible for the students at the University of Kassel, wisdom also for the young people in the northern part of the campus.

Together, the two not only have an Instagram account, but have also been taking care of the Christian part of campus life on behalf of the Evangelical Church since October.

Or what is left of it in times of non-presence.

Online origami courses

Sarah Obertreis

Editor in business.

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    Church in digital - the two managed to do that much faster than many of their older colleagues: with Wednesday zoom church services and online origami courses to relax. Nevertheless, the pastors know of course that this cannot replace pastoral care in normal times. “If I had started to study in the situation in which I lived, I think I would have dropped out. I think it's immense what the students can take right now, ”says Annika Weisheit. Personal advice is still difficult, but Wisdom and Plischke wanted at least to help make contacts.

    That's why they called their new project “Date for a walk”.

    It is inspired by the only activity that was previously always allowed during the day, even in high-incidence areas in Germany: going for a walk.

    Since the beginning of May, students have been able to register with Weisheit und Plischke for a meeting with a fellow student who is still unknown.

    The two pastors then draw a drawing to see who meets with whom on Monday or Wednesday afternoons to go for a walk and talk.

    Cookies and questionnaires

    For the students, they wrap biscuits and pieces of paper with questions like “What is the most terrible gift you have ever received?” To bridge uncomfortable pauses in conversation. Wisdom hopes that the first and second semesters can make the friendships that online teaching has previously denied them. Before going out for a walk, the pastor met students who had decided to go to the park and speak to others their age there because they could no longer stand the loneliness in the new city. “I believe that many feel the same way,” says Wisdom.

    As in many of the pastors' projects, “Date for a Walk” is not directly about God. Anna-Maria Plischke and Annika Weisheit make an effort to address as many different students as possible. At the university, says wisdom, a large part of the positions are very alien to the church. And in the pandemic you can't meet for a beer to break down inhibitions. All that remains is to go for a walk.