Bumper car service in Trier: community instead of church!

Bumper car service in Trier: community instead of church!

A very special event is currently being celebrated in Trier, which not only captivates the showmen but also the believers. On October 27, 2025, a very unique service took place on Viehmarktplatz under the motto “God on Tour,” which combined the traditional church atmosphere with the colorful hustle and bustle of a fair. Around 40 visitors gathered between colorful lights and the seductive scent of cotton candy to take part in this extraordinary bumper car service. What seems to many like an original mix of devotion and leisure fun is actually a powerful message: God is everywhere - not just in the church, but also in people's everyday lives People's friend reported.

Christine Beutler-Lotz, the committed showman pastor with over 40 years of experience in church work, led this special service. She knows: “God is not only present in church, but also in everyday life.” Her connection to the showman's family makes her the perfect ambassador for this type of devotion, which bridges the gap between religiosity and pleasure. The celebratory atmosphere was supported by music and the ringing of bells from a mobile sound box. The 24 bumper cars provided symbolized an informal form of community and joy - because after a short blessing, the participants were allowed to take the wheel of the rides themselves and plunge into the fair fun.

A look back at a long tradition

Such services are not entirely new - the last time a service was held at the fair was in 1980. Torsten Dierichs, the organizer of the All Saints' Day Mass, fondly remembers the large participation more than 40 years ago. However, the current service should not be a protest by the carnies, but should create a harmonious combination of faith and fair atmosphere. Positive feedback from those attending the service confirmed this. One participant, Sabine Müller, describes the event as “a moment to breathe.”

Additional information from Rockenhausen shows that the importance of faith at the fair is also present beyond Trier. There, for example, the Rosskopf-Klinkerfuss showman family's new bumper car is blessed in an official service, which makes it clear that the Christian faith plays an important role at festivals. Christine Beutler-Lotz is also active in this area and harmonizes the spiritual elements with an exuberant party mood, like Rhine Palatinate reported.

Outdoor church services as a trend

The bumper car service in Trier is part of a larger trend that many Protestant parishes are also taking up: open-air services. These usually take place in the warmer months and make spiritual gatherings accessible to walkers and day trippers. They serve as places of power for faith and show that church is more than just a space - it is also a space for people who want to celebrate and believe together. The idea of ​​moving the church outdoors is a popular, contemporary response to the desire for accessibility, as is the EKHN emphasized.

The bumper car service may be a very special variant of these offerings, but it impressively shows how faith, community and joy can come together in a common place. True to the philosophy that God can be found in every moment of life, it is to be hoped that such creative formats will continue to flourish in our cities.