Christliche Dienste

Christliche Dienste (CD) is an international volunteer service programme run by the German Mennonite congregations. It was founded in 1986 on the initiative of the Mennonitisches Hilfswerk (Mennonite relief agency) together with the peace committee and the mission committee of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Mennonitischer Gemeinden (Association of Mennonite Congregations). Its organisational framework is the Mennonite Voluntary Service e.V., a registered association that is a member of the Aktionsgemeinschaft Dienst für den Frieden (Action Committee Service for Peace) and the Evangelisches Forum für entwicklungspolitischen Freiwilligendienst (Protestant Forum for Development Volunteer Service). The programme places young people in one-year volunteer assignments abroad. According to its own information, around 80 volunteers serve each year in about 80 placements across 11 countries in Asia, Africa, America and Europe. Volunteers work with children and young people in large cities, with people with disabilities, with people suffering from addiction, and with elderly and care-dependent people. They build houses for families who have lost their homes, support missionaries, work in fair trade shops (Weltläden), second-hand shops, soup kitchens, and in the storage and distribution of relief supplies. The guiding motto is "Gehet hin und lernet" ("Go and learn"), expressing the idea of serving in the name of Jesus and learning through service. Christliche Dienste is recognised in Germany as a sending organisation for the development volunteer service weltwärts of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and for the Internationaler Jugendfreiwilligendienst (International Youth Volunteer Service) of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). The Mennonite Voluntary Service also holds recognition under § 14b of the Zivildienstgesetz (Civil Service Act). The programme is financed through donations from individuals, congregations and companies (social sponsoring) as well as public grants. Each volunteer contributes €200 per month through their home congregation or a support circle into the volunteer fund; the remaining costs are covered by the programme. Volunteers receive pedagogical support during preparation, during their service and upon return. Christliche Dienste is rooted in the Mennonite tradition of nonviolence and Christian love. Its mission statement emphasises that Christian love is the basis of its relationship to all people regardless of faith, nationality, gender or political views, and that its response to conflict, injustice and war is grounded in biblical statements on nonviolence. The programme works with local partner organisations and aims to foster intercultural competence, practical skills, language learning and personal and spiritual growth among volunteers.

Christliche Dienste was founded in 1986 on the initiative of the Mennonitisches Hilfswerk (Mennonite relief agency) in cooperation with the peace committee and the mission committee within the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Mennonitischer Gemeinden (Association of Mennonite Congregations). It emerged from the desire of German Mennonite congregations to offer young people a concrete way to express Christian love and nonviolence through practical service abroad. The organisational framework became the Mennonite Voluntary Service e.V., a registered association that continues to carry the programme. From the beginning, the programme was shaped by the Mennonite commitment to peace and reconciliation. Its guiding motto, "Gehet hin und lernet" ("Go and learn"), reflects the idea of serving in the name of Jesus while learning through that service. Volunteers are sent to work with marginalised groups: children and young people in large cities, people with disabilities, people suffering from addiction, and elderly and care-dependent people. They also build houses for homeless families, support missionaries, work in fair trade shops (Weltläden), second-hand shops, soup kitchens, and in the storage and distribution of relief supplies. Over the decades, Christliche Dienste became recognised within German state-funded volunteer schemes. It is an accredited sending organisation for the development volunteer service weltwärts of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and for the Internationaler Jugendfreiwilligendienst (International Youth Volunteer Service) of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). The Mennonite Voluntary Service also holds recognition under § 14b of the Zivildienstgesetz (Civil Service Act). The programme is a member of the Aktionsgemeinschaft Dienst für den Frieden and the Evangelisches Forum für entwicklungspolitischen Freiwilligendienst. By 2019, about 80 volunteers were serving in 14 countries. By the mid-2020s, the programme reported around 80 placements in 11 countries. The projects range from small initiatives of individual groups and congregations to larger regional projects supported by other church organisations. Assignments typically last one year. Volunteers receive pedagogical preparation, accompaniment during service, and support upon return and reintegration. Financing comes from donations by individuals, congregations and companies (social sponsoring) as well as public grants. Each volunteer contributes €200 per month through their home congregation or a support circle into the volunteer fund; the programme covers the remaining costs. In recent years, Christliche Dienste has publicly advocated for the preservation of international volunteer services in the face of proposed federal budget cuts, urging supporters to contact members of the Bundestag.

• 2026

  Christliche Dienste reports around 80 placements in 11 countries and campaigns against proposed cuts to international volunteer services in the 2027 federal budget.

• 2019

  About 80 volunteers serve in 14 countries in children's, care and disability facilities, disaster relief, fair trade and food banks.

• 1986

  Christliche Dienste is founded on the initiative of the Mennonitisches Hilfswerk in cooperation with the peace and mission committees of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Mennonitischer Gemeinden.

A faith-based, Mennonite-rooted international volunteer service programme focused on peace, reconciliation and service to marginalised people, recognised by German state volunteer service schemes.

• One-year international volunteer service

  Volunteers serve for typically one year in projects in Asia, Africa, America or Europe, working with children, youth, people with disabilities, people with addiction, elderly and care-dependent people, building houses, supporting missionaries, working in fair trade shops, second-hand shops, soup kitchens and relief supply distribution.

• weltwärts development volunteer service

  Christliche Dienste is recognised as a sending organisation for the weltwärts programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

• Internationaler Jugendfreiwilligendienst (IJFD)

  Christliche Dienste is recognised as a sending organisation for the IJFD of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ).

1. 1Christliche Dienste - Freiwilligendienste weltweitchristlichedienste.de
2. 2Über uns - Christliche Dienstechristlichedienste.de
3. 3Leitbild - Christliche Dienstechristlichedienste.de
4. 4Christliche Dienste - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Christliche Dienste - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org