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Renunciation of dominance and cooperation with other institutions: These are the tasks of the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland in view of the declining number of members, as its outgoing President Manfred Rekowski emphasized in his last annual report in this role on Monday in Düsseldorf.

"We have to learn to fulfill our mission as a church regardless of our size - our membership - and our financial strength," he emphasized at the start of the synod of the second largest Protestant regional church in Germany.

The number of church members has been falling across Germany for years.

In 2019, around 28,500 people left the Rhenish state church - which also extends to parts of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and Saarland.

The regional church has around 2.45 million members.

New structures need to be considered

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The church has gone through very different phases in its long history, said Rekowski.

"In our time we move from one to the other, we have to learn to become diaspora capable."

This does not diminish the mission of the church.

During the process, thought could also be given to the structure of the regional church.

There should be no taboos.

The Evangelical Church in the Rhineland is holding its synod until Friday - completely digitally due to the corona pandemic.

The 62-year-old theologian Rekowski from Wuppertal is retiring after eight years in office, and the church parliament will elect a successor on Thursday.

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There are three candidates to choose from - two men and one woman.

Rekowski recently announced that he had had chronic leukemia for two years, which he had under control thanks to medication.

New church law to protect against sexual violence

In his last statement of accounts as President, he commented, as usual, on several current issues: The church law that came into force at the beginning of the year to protect against sexualised violence means a "new phase of commitment", with the Rhenish regional church advocating the most effective protection possible since 2003 use.

Concepts would have to be developed at all levels and possible gaps in the follow-up of justified suspected cases had to be closed.

When paying compensation for pain and suffering, one orientates oneself on the legal requirements, in individual cases this could currently be up to around 50,000 euros.

Corona pandemic and church

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With a view to the Corona rules, Rekowski spoke out against a ban on face-to-face services in the area of ​​hygiene concepts.

At the same time, in specific dangerous situations, it could be "a responsible local and regional decision to voluntarily forego worship services."

The Praeses also called on people to stand up for the weakest against the backdrop of the Corona crisis.

They would be particularly hard hit by the pandemic, he said.

This applies to Germany, "but even more so to the whole world".

Many people in poorer countries lacked important income because trade routes and tourist flows were interrupted.

In addition, refugees currently have to live on the fringes of the EU “under inhumane conditions”.

This is not to be tolerated.

The pandemic affects everyone, but in very different ways.

"We mustn't lose sight of the people who have already lost everything," warned Rekowski.