MEHR Conference in Germany Draws 11,000 in Ecumenical Unity | Shalom World News
More than 11,000 Christians from across Europe gathered in the Bavarian city of Augsburg from January 3–6 for the MEHR Conference, one of the continent’s largest ecumenical Christian events, offering a visible sign of unity among diverse Christian traditions. Now in its 14th year, the four-day gathering was organized by the Augsburg Gebetshaus (House of Prayer) and led by Catholic theologian Johannes Hartl. Catholics, Lutherans, and evangelicals came together for shared prayer, worship, and teaching under the theme “The Sound of Joy,” emphasizing common faith in Christ amid growing secularization. Most participants traveled from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with others arriving from Italy, Norway, and Costa Rica, underscoring the conference’s international reach. The program featured international speakers, including American author John Eldredge, along with extended periods of worship and communal prayer. Ecumenism was reflected throughout the conference’s liturgical life. Auxiliary Bishop Florian Wörner celebrated a Catholic Mass, while Bishop Bertram Meier of Augsburg presided at the Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany. Evangelical worship leaders guided much of the music, and Lutheran Bishop Tobias Pilz led a Protestant service. Organizers said the strong turnout challenges narratives of Christian decline in German-speaking Europe, pointing instead to a renewed desire for unity, shared mission, and public witness rooted in faith in Jesus Christ.