Rites & Rituals
We’re at your side when a life starts or ends, when love comes and goes, and at other crucial stages of life. We advise you on the choice of sites, formats, words, music and decoration and, if necessary, refer you to other professionals who will support you in planning and carrying out your ceremony. On request we’re on hand to provide pastoral care after the event
For everyone
We offer rites and rituals for all residents of Bern and its surroundings, regardless of whether they are member of the Protestant Reformed Church, of another denomination or faith, or non-denominational.
We care for your needs and wishes and will help you create and execute a suitable personal ceremony. We’re here for everyone, regardless of colour, culture, language, sexual orientation, religion or world view. We collaborate with musicians, sextons, florists, undertakers and other churches and religious communities.
Our values
By faith we understand freedom. That is why we refrain from proselytising, advertising, or any other form of suggestion. We conceive of our services as a supplement to the church ceremonies available from your local parish. As ordained ministers, we’re obliged to comply with the regulations and guidelines of the church order of the Reformed Churches of Bern-Jura-Solothurn. Should we see ourselves unable to implement your ceremony according to your wishes, we will assist you in finding a more suitable provider.
Services
Pastors & Request form
You’re interested in a rite or ritual and would like to have a say regarding its design and the minister involved? We are pastors of the Reformed Church and ready to assist you in planning and implementing your ceremony.
Choose a person and a date. Not all of the pastors listed offer the whole range of services. We will get in touch with you.
Sonja Gerber
more ...
Luzius Rohr
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Frank Luhm
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Karin Künti
more ...Fees
Our services are free of charge for members of the Reformed Church. For church members we work as part of our regular employment as pastors, which is financed by their church tax payments – thank you very much indeed for your membership! Note however that depending on the location and form of a ceremony, additional costs for room rental or expenses may arise.
We are happy to offer our services also to non-members. In this case we will ask you to donate an amount of CHF 100/hour to a parish or church organisation. A wedding ceremony will thus add up to about CHF 1500, a funeral service to about CHF 680. Should you have difficulty donating such amounts, we will likely find an appropriate arrangement.
About us
Organisation
‘Kirchliche Ritualagentur’ is a Verein according to Swiss law, founded in 2020 by four pastors. Church organisation in Switzerland remains very parochial indeed. At the same time, there is a growing need for new forms of church outside the established structures. Again and again we hear stories of people going through endless searches for a pastor to celebrate their ceremony, and finally opting for a provider outside the church because the latter’s formal and regulatory restrictions seem too rigid to them. We offer our services to people who wish to have a church ritual, but do not have any relations with their local parish. We are very conscious of the power of church rituals, and we have a broad and inclusive understanding of congregation. Accordingly, our Verein is committed to developing the presence of the church in society in a way that is adequate to our times. In pursuing this objective, we closely collaborate with the parish of the city of Bern (Gesamtkirchgemeinde Bern) and the association of the Reformed Churches of the cantons of Bern-Jura-Solothurn. We thank both of them for their support in personnel and financial terms.
Join us!
Du bist eine ordinierte Pfarrperson, arbeitest vollamtlich oder in Teilzeit als Gemeindepfarrerin, in der Spezialseelsorge oder in einer Funktion innerhalb der kirchlichen Dienste. Du hast Interesse und Kapazität, innerhalb deiner bestehenden Anstellung Kasualien für die kirchliche Ritualagentur zu übernehmen. Kontaktiere uns für ein Gespräch. Wir lassen dir die Statuten und die Charta des Vereins zukommen und du beantragst bei Interesse deine Mitgliedschaft. Du erstellst ein Profil auf der Homepage der Ritualagentur inklusive der Termine, an denen du verfügbar bist. Und los geht’s. sonja.gerber@refbern.ch
Creators & Copyright
Financing
Reformierte Kirchen Bern-Jura-Solothurn, refbejuso.ch
Evangelisch-reformierte Gesamtkirchgemeinde Bern, refbern.ch
Design
Bonbon, bonbon.li
Programming
Micro Solutions S&C GmbH, mssc.ch
Artwork
Olga Prader, olgaprader.com
Photography
Ramon Lehmann, ramonlehmann.ch
