Evangelische Kirche im Rheinland KdöR

Evangelische Kirche im Rheinland (EKiR) – one of the largest member churches of the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD) – combines spiritual life with social responsibility. With over 600 congregations in 37 church districts, its area of ​​activity extends from Emmerich to Saarbrücken and includes parts of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Hesse[^1^].

As a community with the mission to proclaim the Gospel, the EKiR stands for faith in God, commitment to the Bible and the design of worship services, prayers and central festivals such as Christmas and Easter. It accompanies people in existential phases of life through baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals[^2^]. In addition to spiritual practice, the church is involved in diaconal and socio-political fields, including pastoral care, church music and educational work[^3^].

The EKiR relies on modern infrastructure and ecumenical partnerships:

• Digital Tools: A central portal with e-mail system, cloud storage, video conferencing tools (Jitsi/Hello) and secure messenger (RocketChat) supports full-time and volunteer staff in their work[^4^].
• International Cooperation: Through the Vereinte Evangelische Mission (VEM), it maintains partnerships, for example in the Köln-Bonn region, and is committed to global justice, environmental protection and peace work[^5^].
• Educational Initiatives: Current collaborations with schools strengthen international student exchanges through sustainable networks and relieving structures for teachers[^6^].

The church anchors sustainability specifically in its practice:

• Energy Controlling: Regular building analyses and climate profiles promote transparent environmental management[^7^].
• Digitalization: Through review management tools and AI-supported projects (e.g. the “KI-Martin-Luther-Avatar”), it designs contemporary communication[^8^].