Young Christians are running for office: New ideas for the parish of St. Martin!

Young Christians are running for office: New ideas for the parish of St. Martin!

In the run-up to the upcoming elections for the parish council of the parish of St. Martin Schiffweiler, two young Christians are taking the initiative. Kimoshon Bernard (26) and Alexander Swoboda (29) are running for the council for the first time and are committed to making the church more active and making it more attractive, especially for young people. The election date is set for November 8th and 9th, when 917,016 Catholics aged 16 and over from 135 parishes in the Diocese of Trier will elect new pastoral bodies that will decide on the future development of church life in the region. [bistum-trier.de] reports that Bernard has been active as an altar boy since 2008 and has also acted as a lector and communion helper since 2023.

Alexander Swoboda began his involvement in the church in 2020 after studying the Bible more intensively. He has been working as an altar boy and helper at church festivals since April 2025. Swoboda has chosen a motto from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, verse 2, which expresses his motivation. Both candidates want to revitalize youth work in the parish and show that church can also be fun.

Commitment to the community

Kimoshon Bernard would like to give something back to the community, as he himself has received support from the parish, especially from St. Laurentius in Heiligenwald. He plans projects that benefit the entire community of Schiffweiler and has the idea of ​​involving the mayor in the projects. This shows the young men's desire to redesign the church for both older and younger parishioners.

In today's world, when many young people feel alienated from the church, Bernard and Swoboda's initiative is particularly valuable. They are examples of how young people can actively participate in the future shaping of their parish and thereby convey important values. Your candidacy is an opportunity to bring a breath of fresh air into the church community and bring the faith community closer to the needs of younger generations.

As Bernard and Swoboda prepare for the upcoming elections, the impact of youth engagement in the church cannot be underestimated. Their appearance could not only act as a catalyst for change within the parish, but also as an inspiration for other young people to take action and experience the church as a place of community and joy.