Retired Bishop Wilckens maintains contact with Protestant orders The EKD Council has paid tribute to the missionary and diaconal work done by the Protestant communities. Meeting in Hanover on 18th April, the Council heard a report by its Commissioner for Contacts with the Communities, retired Bishop Dr. Ulrich Wilckens. The Council thanked the communities for their spiritual ministry described in the report and for their close and constant links with the Protestant Church. Bishop Wilckens emphasised the intensive ecumenical contacts the communities maintain with Catholic, Anglican and in some cases even Orthodox monastic communities. The oldest Protestant orders still in existence today, such as the St. Mary's Sisterhood in Darmstadt, are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.
Worship is at the centre of their lives.
Many communities invite visitors to participate in Bible study, prayer or meditation, and they provide pastoral care and engage in mission and evangelism. Sometimes members also work in church social-service institutions or caring and therapeutic professions outside the communities. The communities give their guests an insight into the way modern people can live together as Christians in a committed fellowship and experience meaningful life. During the division of Germany, the communities in the East and the West maintained close relations across the borders as sisters and brothers. Since then, West German communities have become active in the East and vice-versa.