Union of Evangelical Churches
The Union Evangelischer Kirchen (German: Union Evangelischer Kirchen, UEK) is an organisation of 13 United and Reformed evangelical churches in Germany, which are all member churches of the Evangelical Church in Germany.
Member churches in the UEK
- Evangelical State Church of Anhalt
- Evangelical State Church in Baden
- Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO)
- Evangelical Church of Bremen (BEK)
- Evangelical Church of Hesse Electorate-Waldeck (EKKW)
- Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau (EKHN)
- Church of Lippe
- Evangelical Church in Middle Germany
- Evangelical Church of the Palatinate
- Evangelical Reformed Church (regional church)
- Evangelical Church in the Rhineland
- Evangelical Church of Westphalia
Guests are
History
The UEK was founded on July 1, 2003. The organisation succeeded the former organisation Evangelical Church of the Union (German: Evangelische Kirche der Union, EKU). The seat of the organisation used to be Berlin. For structural reasons, it was moved to the seat of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) in Hanover though. On November 9, 2019 Union of Evangelical Churches allowed blessings of same-sex marriages.[1]
Structure
The parliament (=Vollkonferenz) of the organisation is an elected group of 47 members, which are elected for six years each term. The 47 members elect a "Präsidium".