Here you can find out where our community is engaged socially and in which building activities we are currently involved.
Diaconal commitment
Our diaconia work has 3 mainstays:
1 Neighborhood assistance
2 Diaconia work through the support of tenants* in the Marienheim
3 Diaconia work through the support of projects beyond the municipality of Florence, nationally and internationally
Neighborhood assistance is available:
– Urgent help (temporary financial help up to three months, e.g. bills, rent + visits, maintaining contacts, etc. in emergencies)
– Long-term help: support in applying for grants at the municipalities or other providers/ accompaniment to offices/ Ufficio Relazioni con il Pubblico (URP), etc.
There is a coordinator per region, who can be contacted in case of requests. The coordinator will then put you in contact with possible assistance services.
For this purpose, please contact us at the following address: diaconia.celfi@gmail.com or by telephone through the secretary’s office of the parish: 370 365 3081.
With diaconia into the future
Passing on from abundance/ being there for each other
The congregation receives regular information about the supported projects via newsletters.
Diaconia beyond the congregation’s borders
Diaconia goes beyond the congregation’s borders:
– Support for projects in Tuscany/ Emilia Romagna and Marche
– Support for projects of the other CELI congregations, e.g. hospital beds in Trieste or hospitals in Naples and Genoa (info on these projects at www.chiesaluterana.it/de/sociale/progetti-sociali/)
– Ethical investments (e.g. Banca Etica), thereby promoting social projects
The Diaconia Committee represents our parish regions of Emilia Romagna, Florence and Pisa.
The Committee liaises with ELCI’s diaconia work and manages a budget for urgent aid. We are grateful for any volunteer who would like to support our diaconia work.
Contact: diaconia.celfi@gmail.com
Phone: 370 365 308
Ecumenical christianity and intrareligious dialogue
We are living our Evangelical-Lutheran belief in fraternal contact with other Christian churches. The Swiss reformed congregation is holding their church service twice a month in our church. Traditionally on the first Friday in March we host the global prayer day, which is organised by Christians from all denominations.
An ecumenical highlight is the yearly “week of prayer for Christian unity” in January. The Evangelical-Lutheran church in Florence takes part in the „council of pastors“, through which several protestant churches collaborate together.
Furthermore we believe that conversations about religion and weltanschauungen are essential. Therefore we partake and commit to the trialogue between Christians, Jews and Muslims in Florence.
Counseling and pastoral care
Sometimes it helps to talk to someone. To consider one’s own life together with someone else in God’s presence. Receiving solace and comfort, orientation and forgiveness. To pray together and search for a feasible path. We, as pastors, are obliged to professional secrecy and therefore safeguard what has been entrusted to us.
Please don’t hesitate to approach us if you need a conversation partner at any moment in your life. You can approach us in person but also contact us via phone or email. We will gladly make an appointment with you.
Open church
Welcome! Shed the hustle and bustle.Let the church space affect you. Feel the silence. Come to rest. Unwind. Perhaps with a prayer. Not always, but always again our church is open and invites you to take a break. You can learn about it’s history. You can pick up a song book and read. Someone will be there for a conversation. Or you can just sit on one of our church benches, rest and riinvigorate yourself. Your are cordially invited to step in!
Visitors
What are the experiences of a protestant congregation in Italy, which has German roots? How are the Lutherans living ecumenical Christianity with other churches? And why don’t we protestants have immages of saints in our churches, but a women on our pulpit?
Such and similar questions have we been asked by our visitors. We are delighted by every visitor, but also interested groups and will gladly talk about our church and Martin Luther.
Library
You are looking for the Buddenbrooks of Thomas Mann? Or are you looking for a mystery novel as bedside reading? Are you interested in an educational guidebook. Or do you want to read some fairy tales to your grandchildren? Our library offers a large variety of German and Italian books. Our library team is happy to offer any suggestions. You can borrow whatever suits your interest.
Furthermore we have a shelf for swapping books. There you can leave those books of yours which you no longer want in your own library and take home something new.
