ZDF broadcasts TV worship service from La Porciúncula in Arenal

ZDF broadcasts TV worship service from La Porciúncula in Arenal

German-language service of the evangelical congregation will be on television on April 19

On Sunday, April 19, at 9:30 a.m., ZDF will broadcast a German-language service from the church La Porciúncula in Arenal. The program is part of the series of televised church services and this time carries the theme "Treasure Hunt on Mallorca." The broadcast is organized by the German-speaking Evangelical Congregation of the Balearics; on site Pastor Martje Mechels and Pastor Holmfried Braun will lead the liturgy.

For many in the congregation this is a matter close to the heart: it is the second time the German-speaking community has accompanied a ZDF broadcast from Mallorca — in 2003 the white beach church at Playa de Palma was the venue for the televised service. This time the Franciscan Church La Porciúncula opens its doors. Because of its large glass windows many people call it the "Crystal Church"; the building thus stands visually in focus as much as the people who will gather there that day.

Preparations have been underway for months. Initial contact was made last summer; in autumn the pastors traveled to a multi-day preparation training in Berlin to rehearse on-camera procedures with editors and with the pastor responsible for televised services, Christof Enders. At the beginning of the year a technical team with lighting and sound technicians is planned to visit for a preliminary inspection to test lighting conditions, power connections and camera placement in the church.

Anyone who would like to attend the service live in the church can probably register from early March via the website kirche-balearen.net. The local contact is the Franciscan Padre Jordi, who is making the church available for the broadcast together with the congregation. The show's editorial team will also prepare short segments on the church's construction history and significance so that viewers outside the island can get an impression of the place.

A small scene that is easy to capture during a walk through Arenal: in the morning, when the beach promenade is still quiet, you can hear the sea, the occasional call of a seagull and the scent of fresh coffee from the cafés on the Passeig. In such moments the idea of bringing a service from the island center to nationwide television does not feel lofty but very approachable — a piece of everyday life being shared.

Why is this good for Mallorca? A television program reaches people who otherwise know the island only from holidays or from stories. The broadcast can show how diverse the island community is: local church spaces, volunteer engagement and German-language parish work are part of it just as much as the Mallorcan neighborhood that helps with the preparations. Such formats create visibility and remind viewers that Mallorca is more than postcard images.

Practical outlook: anyone who wants to participate or help should watch for the registration phase in early March and get information via kirche-balearen.net. For the congregation the broadcast is also an invitation to neighbors and visitors: the doors will be open, inside voices and songs will be heard, and outside there will be time for conversation over a warm drink after the service.

For the island this is a small, fine opportunity to present itself from a human side — not loud, rather friendly and approachable. Those who switch on the television that Sunday can discover a piece of Mallorca between the sound of the sea and glass windows that many here experience every day.