Amberg (dpa / lby) – The term of office of the regional bishop or the regional bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria (ELKB) will only be ten years in the future. So far there have been twelve. This shortening by two years was decided at the state synod in Amberg, as the church announced at the end on Wednesday.
The shortened term of office already applies to the successor of the outgoing Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm. His term of office ends in October next year. A good six months earlier, on March 27th, the state synod is to clarify the successor.
At the same time, the synod initiated a process at its autumn conference in which the deanery structures are to be reviewed and reorganized in the coming years. A reduction in the number of church districts should also be examined in view of the declining number of members.
An energy aid package worth 13 million euros was also approved at the autumn conference. Among other things, municipalities and institutions that get into financial difficulties because of the increased energy prices should be able to count on financial help.
Overall, the church budget, which was decided in Amberg, has a volume of almost one billion euros. 980 million euros in income are offset by expenses of 948 million euros.
The synod drew a line under the discussion about pastoral posts that had previously been forcibly shared. Between 1984 and 2009, pastoral couples in the state church regularly only got one full-time job together, even if both spouses wanted to work full-time. For those affected, this meant, among other things, a loss of pension. As a “sign of recognition”, the synod decided to make a one-time payment of 40,000 euros per person in the higher and 30,000 euros per person in the higher civil service.
The synod has 108 members and is elected for six years. It decides on the budget of the regional church, passes laws and elects the regional bishop. The state synod usually meets in autumn and spring.
