Ecumenical garden show service- Catholic and Protestant Bishop preach together

Togetherness in diversity

Bishop Hofmann and Bishop Gerber preach together at the Regional Garden Show

The diversity of gifts was the focus of the ecumenical service on Whit Monday at the State Garden Show in Fulda. In front of a blossoming backdrop, the Bishop of the Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck (EKKW), Dr Beate Hofmann, and the Bishop of the Diocese of Fulda, Dr Michael Gerber, let flowers and plants speak, which play a special role in the Bible and at the same time tell something about spiritual gifts.

"At Pentecost we celebrate the Holy Spirit that God gives us," said Bishop Hofmann and explained: "The Holy Spirit is a power that connects us with God." The working of this power, she said, shows itself in diverse gifts. "Togetherness in diversity - that is also a good image for the ecumenical togetherness that we are expressing today in this service," said the bishop. 

Plants and their symbolism

This ecumenical togetherness was also visible and audible in the sermon: Bishop Hofmann and Bishop Gerber had prepared a joint dialogue sermon for this special day instead of two separate texts. The focus was on four plants and their symbolism: the rose, the lily, the olive branch and the thistle.

"The rose tells us that a person never only has thorny sides, but also the potential of a wonderfully fragrant blossom," Bishop Gerber emphasised. The olive branch stands as a sign of hope for peace. As a symbol of a gift of grace, the lily stands for "trust in God and the ability to rely on his care", said the bishop. The thorny thistle expresses resilience.

Growth and support

"In nature, the diversity of plants complements and supports each other," Bishop Gerber emphasised. Using his crosier, he described how chestnut trees near vines shape the microclimate. Their weather-resistant wood can also provide support for the vines later on. "This is our mission," Gerber said: "Let us, guided by God's Spirit, shape a microclimate that enables growth and support."

The service was musically framed by a trombone choir under the direction of EKKW regional trombone director Marshall Lamohr as well as by the Youth Cathedral Choir Fulda under the direction of cathedral conductor Franz-Peter Huber. 

Whether on the garden show grounds or in the city: the Protestant and Catholic Churches will be present during the State Garden Show in Fulda. The Protestant Church is offering a colourful programme at the State Garden Show under the motto "Da blühe ich auf" (I blossom there) at the so-called "sky tent". It will not only be a meeting and event place, but also a "place of blessing to blossom" and gather strength, where people can receive God's blessing at any time. The Catholic Church in the diocese of Fulda is a guest there with ecumenical events. Under the title "Surprisingly Diverse", it also offers a complementary programme of spiritual and cultural events in the city, for example in Fulda Cathedral and in numerous church and monastery gardens. In this way, the sustainable approach and the unifying idea of the State Horticultural Show are also linked to the city centre.

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Cathcon: O what an ecumenical circus, o what a garden show!