Part of the series: Former FELSISA pastors abroad
Pastor Tiedemann, could you begin by telling us a bit about yourself?
I grew up in Pongola on the Eswatini border and in Izotsha on the South Coast. I grew up speaking three languages, German, Afrikaans and English. I studied a Bachelor of Science – Marine & Environmental Sciences – in Durban, then studied languages in Pretoria and later theology in Oberursel and Göttingen, Germany. I married my lovely wife Christa-Maria on 2 October 1998, when we were both still students. I did my vicarage (2 years) in Greifswald with the current SELK Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt as well as one more year as pastor, since my wife had not yet finished her medical studies. After she graduated, we moved to Dirkiesdorp (Mpumalanga), where we stayed for three years. Finally, I was a pastor at Our Saviour Church in Wartburg (7 years) and also served in Zulu congregations (Pella and others) for a while. At the end of 2014, we moved to the north of Germany, where I serve in the congregations of Gistenbeck and Nateln, where I am able to be involved in the district advisory board of the Lower Saxony East district of the SELK.
You’ve been in Germany for 9 years now – how time flies! Where do you live and how are you doing there?
We live in a very beautiful area in northern Germany, in the Wendland. Because the former GDR border is right on our doorstep, the area is rural and there’s lots of nature. We feel very comfortable here, my wife has got a good job at the hospital in Salzwedel and I am allowed to be a pastor in two congregations. We are doing well; we have “settled in” and feel at home here.
Do you have fond memories of your time in South Africa?
Yes, we like to think back to the wonderful years in South Africa. We didn’t leave South Africa because we weren’t doing well, but because it was the “right” time for us to go. The decision was not easy for us, and we prayed and talked about it a lot. We have fond memories of our work there, of Dirkiesdorp and Wartburg. We had to leave loved ones, family and good friends, which was not easy. South Africa is and will remain my home.
To what extent did the close fellowship between FELSISA and the SELK make the change between the churches easier?
As I did my vicariate in Germany in the SELK, I already knew the SELK very well. So, it was no problem at all to switch. The language was more of a stumbling block because I liked preaching in English. German is not an easy language.
What part of your calling as a pastor brings you the most joy?
That’s a difficult question. I would say preaching. I enjoy being able to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is your favourite way to spend your free time?
Holidays with my wife. But I also enjoy hunting, bird-watching and photography. We especially like being in nature. My favourite travel destination is South Africa. I also like doing sport. At the moment I’m rediscovering tennis, but I also enjoy cycling with my wife. She has an e-bike and I still have to pedal the old-fashioned way.
Are there any particular challenges you face as a pastor in Germany, as opposed to South Africa?
Yes, nobody has time for anything in Germany. It’s not easy to make appointments. Also, most people in Europe don’t seem to need God anymore (de-Christianisation and prosperity). It was different in South Africa. Most people are believers on some level. The challenges I experienced in South Africa had more to do with fanaticism and superstition.
The interview was conducted by Pastor Andreas Albers, Our Saviour, Wartburg.
