Disasters - A sign of hope: Christmas tree in flood-damaged church
There can be no talk of a Christmas service yet: Separated by a construction fence, there is an illuminated Christmas tree in the gutted Martin Luther Church in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler this year. "At least it's a sign of hope," says Pastor Friedemann Bach, around two and a half years after the flood disaster in the Ahr valley, which also affected the church.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, seven buildings belonging to the Protestant Church were affected by the deadly flood in summer 2021, including two churches. The Catholic Church destroyed or damaged 55 buildings in the Trier, Eifel and Ahr Valley flood areas, including 26 churches and chapels and 15 parish homes.
"The plaster has been stripped off, the floor, the inventory is out," says Bach about the work in the Martin Luther Church. "We secured the organ so that it wouldn't suffer. The altar and pulpit are gone." But there is still a long way to go before the building is finished. At least solar panels on the church roof have now been approved. "That helps us, because we don't just want to rebuild, we also want to make sure we are fit for the future."
As long as the construction work has not yet begun, the pastor cannot say when the church will be rebuilt. Services are currently being held in the parish hall and another church in the village. "We are glad that we have the Friedenskirche," says Bach. "We were lucky that it was high enough so that there was no water in it." This year, at least the aforementioned Christmas tree - and a small nativity scene - will remain behind the building fence in their own church for the time being.
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- Despite the ongoing reconstruction, Pastor Bach finds comfort in the sight of the flood-damaged church's illuminated Christmas tree, viewing it as a "sign of hope."
- The Ministry of the Interior reported that seven Protestant Church buildings, including two churches, were affected by the catastrophic floods in Rhineland-Palatinate's Ahr Valley and other regions in summer 2021.
- The community in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler lost valuable items like plaster, flooring, and inventory in the flood, but managed to secure their organ and continue their ministry with the help of nearby churches.
- This year, the Martin Luther Church will celebrate Christmas with the brightly lit Christmas tree and a small nativity scene, situated behind a construction fence while waiting for the rebuilding process to continue.
- The Ministry of the Interior also reported that the Catholic Church suffered from the floods as well, with 55 buildings, including 26 churches and chapels, destroyed or damaged across Trier, Eifel, and Ahr Valley.
- As Pastor Bach anticipates the long journey towards the church's completion, he is thankful for the temporary use of the nearby parish hall and neighboring church for holding Christmas services, thereby ensuring their community's religious needs are met during the rebuilding process.
Source: www.stern.de
