Introducing the ICOMB Global Family
Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Mennonitischen Brüdergemeinden Deutschland (AMBD) – Germany
ICOMB Member Conference
AMBD is one of the three Conferences in Germany, and it unites 13 congregations and 1568 members. Far from being affected by the pandemic, the Conference strengthened and grew during this time, reaching 1700 people today. AMBD also supports two church building projects in Hameln and Aerzen, and the agencies Pio Team/Münsterland and the Tikwa community in Herrnhut are also a part of it.
“We are very grateful that, in addition to the online offerings, most churches still held presence services throughout the pandemic. Churches often enjoy greater freedom than other sectors of society during this time. That is a reason to be very grateful “
The Conference has experienced how God is building His church even during this time. People have come to Christ and baptisms have been celebrated. Slowly, everyday life in the church is returning back to normal.
However, no one can yet estimate how much Churches will have changed as a result of the pandemic. One thing that is already visible is that the different ways of looking at the pandemic and dealing with it have left deep rifts in communities and society. Building bridges and keeping the church together will be one of the challenges for the future. Another challenge in the AMBD congregations is the need for volunteers and full-time staff, especially since many brothers and sisters are retiring in the coming years.
The highlight for 2022 will be the conference on Pentecost, where hopefully the church will meet in person again in larger groups.
