EKHN

The Protestant Church in Hessen and Nassau (EKHN) is located in the middle of the Federal Republic of Germany. It includes the Southern part of the Federal States of Hesse and Rheinland-Pfalz including the Rhein-Main area and its vibrant centre, Frankfurt , as well as the rural areas of Vogelsberg, Taunus, Odenwald and Rothaargebirge/North-Hesse.

About 5 million people live in the cities and towns within the church boundaries. Nearly
2 million of this population are members of the EKHN. 1.5 million people belong to other
denominations.

According to Church President Dr. Peter Steinacker the following points are vital to the church:

The inseparability of faith and social responsibility

A lively spirituality and the fair distribution of wealth and work within the country

A future-oriented economic policy

The stewardship of God's creation

The decline in the number of church members challenges anew to give witness as Christians
of the living hope within us (1. Peter 3:15b).

Since the structural reform in the late nineties the church has three important levels:

Parishes and their congregations

Districts: More power concerning personnel such as pastors, deacons and co-workers in the
areas of ecumenical learning and public relations etc.

The whole regional church (EKHN) : The synod, which meets twice a year and the executive
committee of the EKHN including the Church President and 6 „Pröpste“ (regional bishops).

The EKHN, together with 23 other regional German churches, forms the Protestant Church in Germany,
the EKD. The EKD itself is a member of the World Council of Churches. The EKHN has relation- and
partnerships to churches and congregations abroad such as:

Polen, Czech Republic, Italien, South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana,
India, Indonesia und South Korea.