This week our church, Gaisburger Kirche celebrates turning 100.

According to the pastor, there are 2 people in the congregation who are older than the church which, in itself, is quite amazing.

I’m sure this church has experienced a lot since being built between 1911 – 1913. Right now it has a fairly small congregation each Sunday, but on days like last Sunday with festivities and children on stage singing, the place was packed. It’s a sad thought that it’s the only way to get the church to full capacity, but it was nice all the same.

The pastor told us that one of the ‘Jubiläum’ ideas was to get milk bottles and use them as promotional material because apparently the church building looks like a baby’s milk bottle.

Our friends got married at this church 2 months ago, where we did the photography. The inside is beautiful, spacious and features a large mural behind the altar depicting a history of the world, from creation to Easter in art nouveau style. The pulpit, altar and baptismal font (which holds a basin of water used for baptisms) were made out of a stone called trachyte tuff which is basically rock that consists of consolidated volcanic ash but has no quartz in it. Something that helped me in the beginning was also that the Lord’s Prayer in German is integrated into the mural at the front.

The 100 year celebration last Sunday was lovely with complementary sunny weather and cheerful people and was visited by Carl Herzog von Württemberg (Duke of Württemberg). It was kind of cool to be in the same room as royalty and he seemed pretty normal as he joined in the festivities despite being a Catholic in a protestant church.

History should be celebrated when possible, and 100 years is a cause for celebration, not only for people but for buildings and their history and architecture. For me, I hope that this church grows and continues to bear witness to many great things.

Photography:  Michael Friz