Bremerhaven’s new pastors

Many churches in Germany are languishing, their services largely empty. But the services held by Chris Schlicht and Max Bode attract new worshippers. The two pastors want to brush off the church’s musty image. Rather than clerical garb, when they step up to the pulpit they’re just as likely be sporting a leather jacket or baseball cap. To appeal to a younger generation of churchgoers, they’ve also started experimenting with new forms of religious worship. They’ve brought in a band for their services, playing music that appeals to a contemporary crowd. The idea is proving popular; Bremerhaven’s Emmaus congregation is bringing both young and old back into the fold. A Report by Sylvia Wassermann