5th day, July 13th. Interesting visit to the community in Melnik

The fifth day of my tour started quite relaxed as the appointment with the Protestant pastor of Melnik was scheduled for 1 pm. So, I used the morning for a little city tour. I cycled up the 80 meters of altitude again. By now, I was a bit more experienced. From the terrace of the castle, I had a magnificent view of the confluence of the Moldau and Elbe rivers (photo). In Melnik, viticulture is practiced on the slopes (photo), and there are regular wine tastings in the nearby castle. Just opposite, there is the Catholic Church of Peter and Paul, one of the most important churches in Bohemia. Worth seeing is the pewter baptismal font from the 15th century (photo). Then I went to the Protestant community center. At exactly 1 pm, the pastor came out and first led me to his office. He was very pleased that someone from Germany is interested in his church congregation. He could actually retire at the age of 68, but finding a successor would be difficult. That's why he voluntarily continues to serve for another 2 years. He reported that his congregation consists of about 450 members in Melnik and the surrounding area. Every Sunday at 9 am, there is a worship service attended by an average of 40 visitors. The service is accompanied by four volunteer cantors who take turns playing the organ. This is a blessing for the community. Every Sunday, a children's worship service is also offered in the parsonage. He has two additional preaching positions in the vicinity. In the nearby Steti, there is a worship service once a month, but usually only 5-6 congregation members attend. Almost no one comes to the second location, so congregation members from Melnik always join. Every Wednesday, he holds a Bible study for a manageable number of children. There are no other full-time employees.

In passing, he mentioned that he is also a trained psychotherapist. That's why many people seek his help. He said, 'People don't ask about the church, they ask about the foundations of life.' For him, practical life guidance is also charity, which he understands as his community work. He sees this counseling as mission work.

The greatest challenge currently is refugee assistance, in response to my question about the current challenges in community work. He has taken in two Ukrainian families in the parsonage, and with the help of volunteers, his community runs a kindergarten for Ukrainian children. The second major challenge is coordinating with the local mayor. The simple, but large parsonage also hosts municipal concerts and similar events. Due to the diverse and different tasks, his last parish position is a 'gift from heaven', which is why he wants to continue working voluntarily until his 70th birthday.

After the intensive conversation, he allowed me to take a look at the kindergarten for Ukrainian refugee children, who were taking a nap at the time, and finally opened 'his' simple Protestant church. Opulent churches, like the ones he saw during his stay in Germany, do not correspond to his idea of lived and practical faith. At the end, he thanked me for the unexpected visit and provided a contact to his colleague, the pastor in nearby Libis. After that, I had lunch at the castle terraces and visited the regional museum. In the late afternoon, I cycled leisurely until just before Libis. On the way, I could once again admire the sacred and legendary mountain of the Czechs - Mount Rip - from a distance (photo). At this point, the national history of the Czech people begins. After an hour of cycling, I set up my tent on the beautiful Elbe meadow of Obristvi. Numerous anglers and the children from the nearby playground watched my strange actions.