Heiliggeistkirche (Flüh)

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The Heiliggeistkirche in Flüh is the first ecumenical church in Switzerland . It was built between 1972 and 1973 and inaugurated on January 20, 1974 by the abbot Mauritius Prince of the Mariastein Benedictine monastery .

history

Believers have had their own chapel or church in Flüh for over a hundred years. From 1954, both the von Flüh Catholics and the Protestants of the Solothurn Leimentals were able to celebrate their services in the newly built gym for around 20 years. In order to form more religious community, the desire for a church of their own grew stronger. This idea was given a boost by the reallocation of property on Steinrain and Buttihügel in residential parcels. Private individuals and the community supported the parishes in realizing a building site in Flüh. Flüh as the central point of the Leimental would have been suitable for two church buildings. In the post-conciliar period, on the one hand, a better cohesion of the denominations was desirable, on the other hand, the building costs were also a determining factor. So the idea of ​​a common ecumenical church became more and more familiar.

In 1966 the first commissions were founded in both denominations. On March 16, 1968, both showed their willingness to plan and build together. On May 17, 1971, the plans of the architectural team Bühler / Müller from Therwil / Binningen were approved. The foundation stone was laid on November 5, 1972. On December 1, 1973, the architect handed it over to the representatives of the two parishes. The first ecumenical service was celebrated on December 8th and on January 20th 1974 Abbot Mauritius Prince consecrated the church together with the ev.-ref. and Roman Catholic Pastors a.

On the occasion of the inauguration, the participating churches formulated the common basic stance that applies today: The ecumenical church building is intended to serve the members of the two parishes to celebrate church services, their other church events and as a meeting place for their groups and associations. In particular, it should also be a place of friendly encounters between the two denominations.

On Sunday, January 18, 2015, an ecumenical stamp office was inaugurated on the Way of St. James .

Building

Church interior

Church room, parish room, sacristy , tea kitchen, inner and outer vestibule form a whole that encloses the church square on two sides with concentrically inclined pent roofs. The system is designed to be largely “closed” to the outside world, which creates a defense against the litter structure. The introverted church space, which is concentrated in the narrow space towards the church square, is shaped in its free basic form by the needs of the church. It should be a place for the faith's own collection for both the Reformed and the Catholic parishes.

Steeple

The low bell girders, consisting of three concrete slabs of different heights, should serve as a signpost to the main entrance of the church. The bell bears the inscription: Erected at the time of the Irish turmoil as a caller to peace. The bloody fratricidal war in Northern Ireland in 1974 was at the height of the religious and political conflict. The bell is supposed to be a memorial to the religious peace between the Christian denominations.

Art window

The art window by Samuel Buri is a jewel of the ecumenical Church of the Holy Spirit in Flüh . The art commission commissioned this well-known glass artist to design an art window. This became necessary as a replacement for the original wall hanging by textile artist Elsi Giaque, which was damaged during restoration work. Buri found these very tall and narrow windows suitable for an abstract motif with a top-down movement. He was guided by the following verses from Exodus 16, 1-4.13.31.35:

“The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim and came into the wilderness (…). The community grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them: (...) You only led us into this desert to let all those gathered here die of hunger. The Lord said to Moses, I will rain bread from heaven for you. (...). In the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew had lifted, there was something fine, crispy, fine as frost, on the ground on the desert floor. So Moses said to them, This is the bread that the Lord gives you to eat. (...) The house of Israel called the bread manna. "

The window consists mainly of blue flashed glass . The bright areas were etched out in an acid bath, later silvered and burned in. This technique allows you to create without lead rods . The effect achieved looks all the more immaterial, even magical and supernatural, which benefits the representation of a miracle.

top, roof

For the 40th anniversary of the energy renovation, a photovoltaic system was integrated into the church roof and officially put into operation on December 8, 2013.

Sponsorship

The Heiliggeistkirche Flüh was built by the two parishes of the Roman Catholic parish of Hofstetten-Flüh and the Protestant Reformed parish of Solothurnisches Leimental and is operated by these two supporting communities. An ecumenical works commission regulates day-to-day operations, church working groups work together ecumenically, e.g. B. the ecumenical walking encounter group, the group that organizes the Taizé celebrations or the ecumenical working group that coordinates all ecumenical activities.

Ecumenical summits

Since the 40th anniversary of the first ecumenical church in Switzerland, an annual ecumenical summit has been held to which personalities from church and public life are invited. They were:

President

evangelical reformed
  • Helmut Zimmerli-Menzi, since 2011
  • Hanne Sieber, 2005–2011
  • Walter Bammerlin, 1999-2005
  • Hans-Jürgen Donat, 1997–1999
  • Hansruedi Schmid †, 1985–1997
  • Hans Flückiger †, 1977–1985
  • Peter Zwahlen †, 1973–1977
  • Alfred Schneiter, 1957–1972
Roman Catholic
  • Linus Grossheutschi, since 2005
  • Barbara Polek, 2001-2005
  • Linus Grossheutschi, 1973-2001
  • Fridolin Grossheutschi, 1957–1973

Pastor

evangelical reformed
  • Michael Brunner, since 2005
  • Stefan Berg, since 2019
  • Armin Mettler, 2007 - 2018
  • Thomas Maurer, 1994-2004
  • Ruth Geiser, 1980-1994
  • Edeltraud Leidig, 1976–1980
  • Max P. Randegger, 1971-1975
  • Eduard Buess, 1957–1971
Roman Catholic
  • Günter Hulin, since 2012
  • Josef Lussmann, 2001–2009
  • P. Peter von Sury , 1988-2000
  • Markus Bär, 1982–1988
  • Benedikt Bisig †, 1950–1982

Coordinates: 47 ° 29 '5 "  N , 7 ° 29' 50.1"  E ; CH1903:  six hundred and four thousand four hundred and nineteen  /  259 330