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A Christian group has founded a monastery in the middle of the city of Bern. How does it work?
A monastery in the middle of the city – this idea sounds like it’s out of time. And yet: it has been a reality in Bern’s Mattenhof district for four months.
Legend:
The Friedenskirche in the city of Bern with its impressive bell tower.
ZVG/Mario Bernhard
Then ten adults and seven children moved into the rectory and Siegrist house of the Bern Peace Church. From summer 2024, they will also take responsibility for the church building and the parish hall. So much for the short version. And now how it came about – told in ten fictitious commandments:
1. Connect with like-minded people
In the beginning, a few Bernese families who were friends wanted to live the Christian faith in a community. “We want to create a place where living, working and faith come together,” says monastery resident Simon Gyger.
2. Find role models
The Christian group – most of them are Reformed – found inspiration in the Benedictine city monastery in Berlin, which has existed since 2007.
Legend:
Open doors
Live, work and pray together.
IMAGORolf Zöllner
In 2007, two families from the Don Camillo Protestant community moved from the canton of Neuchâtel to Berlin and founded the Benediction monastery there in Prenzlauer Berg. Their goal: to create a place of peace in one of the most lively districts. Today, in addition to numerous offerings, the monastery also has a guest house.
It is a place of silence and encounter for locals and travelers.
3. Seize the opportunity
The community in Bern started looking for a suitable location and pretty quickly came across the Friedenskirche. This has been threatened with closure for a long time because it is too expensive to maintain.
That’s why the Frieden parish was immediately enthusiastic about the monastery idea. Christian Walti, pastor at the Friedenskirche, says: “Compared to the idea that the church would simply be sold and used for something else, I think the city monastery is a great idea.”
4. Don’t hesitate
The Frieden parish initially made the parish and Siegrist house available to the city monastery and the community quickly moved in – without knowing exactly what would become of it.
5. Create rituals
Three families, a couple and two individuals have now been living there for around four months. And because the adults are all currently working away from home (for example as social workers, architects or video artists), they have created rituals.
Legend:
The city monastery invites you to public night prayers in the Friedenskirche three times a week.
ZVG/city monastery
They meet every Monday for dinner together. There is a public night prayer with a simple liturgy three times a week. The group also regularly invites people to read the Bible together.
6. Create a business plan
Next summer the city monastery people will take over the church building and the parish hall. This means that the entire maintenance is in their hands.
Legend:
Weekly meeting in the Siegristhaus: The members of the city monastery go through their agenda.
SRF/Michelle Schwarzenbach
And because they cannot pay the costs with church taxes, they have to provide income, for example by organizing tenants for the various rooms and looking for sponsors.
7. Be creative
The city monastery takes over the church and everything that goes with it. In return, it must implement various offers for the public. The Christian group’s goal is to attract as wide an audience as possible.
8. Stay open
“We don’t want to be an isolated community,” says monastery resident Bettina Jans, adding: “We’re happy when people from outside come in.”
9. Avoid hierarchies
Unlike traditional monasteries, the city monastery has no hierarchy.
Legend:
Despite being taken over by the city monastery, the Friedenskirche should be preserved as a sacred space.
zvg/Hansueli Wiedmer
“We are all untested,” says Simon Gyger from the city monastery, “everyone does what he or she can do best.”
10. Stick with it
In the end, what counts is trust and the confidence that things will turn out well. Or as the city monastery community says: “God is with us.”
With these ten fictitious commandments, the city monastery wants to bring life back into the church.