Ecumenical and inter-religious speed dating organised in Protestant church

Flirting in the pew

Today, many couples get to know each other through dating apps. However, the Reformed Church in Zurich offers an alternative with its speed dating service. Not only Christians are welcome, but all people. Almost 200 people attended one event in Zurich.

The pews of the Kreuzkirche in Zurich Hottingen are filled this Sunday evening. The women sit on the left, the men on the right. You're not going to a church service. You are here for speed dating.

The Zurich Reformed Church invited her to do so. Almost 200 people between the ages of 25 and 75 followed the call, including Sabine from Zurich. She liked the headline "Dating in the pew" and wanted to try it herself: "I'm here today to find my heart beetle," she says.

Not only believers are welcome

The speed dating takes place after a short warm-up lap in a relaxed setting outside the church. There will be an aperitif and a band will play live music. Depending on their age, the men sit at different tables, the women rotate. There is a change every seven minutes.

A band will play live music at the event.

The two Reformed pastors Stefanie Porš and Diana Trinkner wear fiery red dresses. They organized the speed dating and emphasize that everyone is welcome. Trinkner says: “Religious affiliation doesn’t really matter to us either. They are all God's beloved children." Origin, skin color and sexual orientation played no role.

Participant Mohammed from Zurich welcomes the tolerance of the church, as he says: "They also sent me an invitation as a Muslim." It's his first speed dating. He appreciates being able to get to know people personally.

I'm pretty overwhelmed with all the dating apps.

Sarah from Winterthur also welcomes that. She takes a seat at the table for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and says: "I'm pretty overwhelmed with all the dating apps." In face-to-face encounters, it is easier to feel whether you are a good match. That is an advantage.

Matchmaking as the original order

Pastor Diana Trinkner agrees that the Reformed Church puts people together. After all, it is a primary mission of the church to bring people together. In the past, members would have dressed nicely to go to church on Sundays and met other young people there. «Very often people have fallen in love in the church».

So now the modern variant with speed dating. The idea came to her in a conversation with a fellow parishioner. You noticed how many believers were single. That's why they organized their first speed dating six years ago, back then in Stäfa. Even then, the offer was well received.

Thomas from Hägendorf also likes the idea. He is here in the Kreuzkirche because faith is important to him. Even with a potential partner. That's where dating in church comes in handy. And after the evening, Thomas promptly ticked off a few names of women he is interested in. And Sabine also says: "There have been a few matches, but not yet the heart saying forever." However, she is ready.

Source

Cathcon:  A few more years of Synodality and Tucho's kissing catechetics, this will be happening in the Catholic Church.   This would make the Vicar of Dibley blush.