Volunteers pitch in: Materials for the big church days!

Volunteers pitch in: Materials for the big church days!

Anja and Carsten Ewald from Hirschberg have had a heart for volunteer work since 2012. The two passionately support the inventory in the Ecumenical Logistics Center, where materials are stored for the 104th German Catholic Day, which will take place in Würzburg from May 13th to 17th, 2026, and for the Evangelical German Church Day. This cheerful act of help shows how important volunteers are for such major events, as kirchentag.de also emphasizes.

The warehouse inventory is no small task: around 900 boxes and containers fill a hall of 1,180 square meters. “There are an estimated two million items stored here,” reports Michael Dahlke-Schawohl, who heads the procurement and logistics department. The storage materials include not only office supplies and dishes, but also curvy camp beds for the helpers. A look into the warehouse reveals that there are also some unexpected finds waiting for their next use - including mannequins and even an 80 liter punch bowl. And yes, a coffin is also included!

The team feeling counts

“The feeling of community and teamwork is the greatest gift for us,” say the Ewalds, who have been tirelessly active since their first visit to the Evangelical Church Congress in 1993. In addition to inventory, they are also involved in the implementation warehouse and prepare the items for the events. All of this would hardly be possible without the commitment of volunteers, as kirchentag.de highlights: Around 4,000 helpers contribute to the organization and logistics every two years.

Planning for the Kirchentag begins long before the first guests arrive. Church services, discussion groups and a colorful cultural program must be perfectly coordinated. In fact, it is mainly volunteers who pull the strings behind the scenes. They not only design the program, but also bring in creative ideas - be it through choirs, theater groups or sporting events.

How to get involved

The Ewalds invite anyone interested to find out online about ways to help with Catholic Day. Even if you can't directly help with inventory, there are many ways to get involved. The participation of volunteers is essential to put together such a major event.

The commitment to the logistics center is a great example of how complex and varied volunteer work can be. It's not just what you do that counts, but also how you do it - as a team, supported by the joy of the shared task. In this way, not only a church conference is planned, but also a large, human togetherness is promoted.