“On Good Friday, we will not only commemorate the death of Jesus in our member churches and organisations, we will also pray for all the people who have died from the coronavirus around the world over the past year. Easter gives us the opportunity to pause and remember the people we mourn for,” says Reverend Dr Dieter Heidtmann, General Secretary of the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS). At the same time, Easter also sets a sign against suffering and death. “When we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead all over the world on Easter Sunday, we also set a common sign of hope against mourning and fear.”

For Heidtmann this is one of the hallmarks of the international EMS Fellowship: “Mission is only possible if one is alongside the people, not by doing things for them remotely. Christian witness must always be a ‘withness’.” This is what Indian theologian Prof Dr Sathianathan Clarke expressed very clearly in his keynote speech at the EMS General Meeting. For more details, see the new EMS Insights, which will appear in the coming days and will be posted on our website on 6 April 2021 at ems-online.org/EMSEinblick or ems-online.org/EMSInsights.

One example of “withness” has been the unity shown by the EMS Coronavirus Fund, says Heidtmann. In the coming weeks, the EMS will start a special appeal for donations for the protection of women and children from domestic violence. The money will go to fund projects of the churches and mission societies to provide women with help and support. The EMS Women’s Network has repeatedly pointed out that women and children all over the world suffer the most from the effects of the Covid-19 crisis. “Jesus trod the path of non-violence until he died on the cross. In his name we are committed to overcoming violence worldwide,” says Reverend Heidtmann, explaining the joint commitment of the churches.

Donation account:

Evangelische Mission in Solidarität e.V.

Evangelische Bank
IBAN: DE85 5206 0410 0000 0001 24

Purpose: Together Against Corona

Press contact: Regina Karasch-Böttcher, karasch@dont-want-spam.ems-online.org, Tel. +49 711 636 78-85
Information: Dr Dieter Heidtmann, heidtmann@dont-want-spam.ems-online.org, Tel. +49 711 636 78-21