The Union of Evangelical Churches (German: Union Evangelischer Kirchen, UEK) is an organisation of 10 United and 2 Reformed evangelical churches in Germany, which are all member churches of the Protestant Church in Germany.
Contents
Member churches in the UEK
Protestant Church of Anhalt
Protestant Church in Baden
Protestant Church Berlin - Brandenburg - Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO)
Protestant Church of Bremen (BEK)
Protestant Church of Hesse Electorate-Waldeck (EKKW)
Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau (EKHN)
Church of Lippe
Protestant Church in Central Germany
Evangelical Church of the Palatinate
Evangelical Reformed Church (regional church)
Evangelical Church in the Rhineland
Evangelical Church of Westphalia
Guests are
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg
Reformierter Bund
Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg
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 Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) in Hanover though.
On November 9, 2019, Union of Evangelical Churches allowed blessings of same-sex marriages.
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".