Union of Protestant Churches in the EKD
The Union of Protestant Churches in the Protestant Church in Germany (German: Union Evangelischer Kirchen in der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland, UEK) is an organisation of 10 United and 2 Reformed Protestant churches in Germany, which are all member churches of the Protestant Church in Germany.
Member churches in the UEK
- Protestant 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)
- Protestant 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 Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) in Hanover though. On November 9, 2019, the Union of Protestant 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".