Experiences of a German minister abroad in the ECCB

Jakob Vocke comes from the small town of Schweinfurt in northern Bavaria. He travelled to the Czech Republic by train alone for the first time at the age of 14 and, as he says, has fallen in love with the country ever since. After an internship in a cultural institution in Poland, he studied theology in Munich, Prague and Leipzig. After his studies, he completed a three-month internship in the Protestant congregation in Uherské Hradiště. He then completed a vicariate [practical training period for the parish ministry] in Selb, where he was involved in cross-border projects with the congregations in Aš and Cheb. Impressed by this experience, he asked his home church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria (ELCB), for the opportunity to deepen relations with the Czech Republic through a specialised vicariate after his ordination. He has been working in the congregation in Prague-Smíchov since September 2024 and also works one day a week in the Ecumenical Department of the Central Church Office (ÚCK).

I was surprised at our first meeting that you speak fluent Czech. Where did you encounter the Czech language and how did you learn it so well?

I wouldn't call it fluent Czech yet, I'm still learning. Of course, I heard Czech during my first visits to the Czech Republic, but I only really learnt it during my studies. During this time, however, I was not forced to speak Czech extensively as I was in an international environment. Apart from the language course, what helps me most today is that I am simply forced to speak and that people are friendly and considerate when they have to be patient with my knowledge.

You have been working in the Prague-Smíchov congregation since this autumn, and one day a week you also work in the church office. How did you get this job? How does the cooperation between the ECCB and the ELKB work in this context?

At a Czech-German event during my vicariate, I approached people from the church leadership (ELCB) about the possibility of such a stay abroad. The people from the church leadership were immediately very open to my idea and suggested a position partly in the congregation and partly in the ecumenical department. I was very enthusiastic, and the ECCB was also very open from the start, so everything went very smoothly. I am very grateful to the ELCB and the ECCB for allowing me to come to Prague and work here for a year and a half in the Smíchov congregation and in the ecumenical department of the Church Office.

Can you briefly outline what your work consists of in both places and how long your commitment in Prague will last?

This question is not easy to answer because my position has no predecessors and probably no successors. In this respect, I can freely agree with my colleagues in the ÚCK, or with the minister and eldership of Smíchov respectively, on what I can and want to do. It's about gaining experience of how thinking outside a fixed framework and inter-church cooperation can enrich both sides. For example, by learning and trying out what confirmation work, church services or Bible studies look like here, I can gain important insights for the work of the church in Bavaria and pass them on. In the Church Office, on the other hand, it is an opportunity to see what church can look like under different conditions, which we are slowly approaching in Bavaria, and I can contribute to deepening the cooperation between our churches. Especially, for example, in the preparation and organisation of meetings for church staff or members.

How did the Smíchov congregation welcome you?

The welcome in Smíchov was very warm. Although my language skills still need to be improved, many people approached me straight away and accepted me as part of the congregation from the very beginning. I am very happy to be able to work in this congregation.

You've only been in Prague for a relatively short time, so you're probably still settling in. What surprised you most about our church?

I already knew a little about the church, but I'm always fascinated by how the ECCB manages to be a liberal church that has an impact on society and at the same time conveys the commitment that comes with the call to faith in Jesus Christ with all seriousness. Although it cannot rely on the same financial resources as the ELCB, almost a third of the congregation, young and old, regularly attend church services, even if the church hall is only a small room in the old parsonage. This second part in particular is something that, in my opinion, should definitely be emphasised when meeting with Scandinavian or German churches, for example.

If I'm not mistaken, you have completed your studies to become a minister. Do you already have an idea of the direction your career will take? Is there a particular congregation you would like to work in?

I don't have a specific congregation yet, but after my stay in Prague I will probably return to Bavaria, where I will first complete a so-called trial ministry so that I can then freely apply for a pastoral position. I very much hope that I will find a place where I can continue working with the ECCB at parish level or at the level of a larger unit (e.g. a deanery or church district).

What has enriched you the most during your stay in the Czech Republic so far? What has left the strongest impression on you?

It's not really just individual things. Many of the impressions described above have enriched me. Overall, I am simply very happy that I was so well received right from the start and that I have had so many great encounters and experiences despite my limited knowledge of Czech.

prepared by Adéla Rozbořilová

Photos: Jiří Hofman