The Hermannsburg Mission (German : Hermannsburger Mission) was founded as the Hermannsburg Mission Centre (Missionsanstalt Hermannsburg) in 1849 in Hermannsburg, near Celle, North Germany, by Louis Harms. In 1977, the independent mission society was merged into the work of the Evangelical-Lutheran Mission in Lower Saxony. As a result, it became an institution recognised by the state church.
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On 12 October 1849, Louis Harms (1808–1865) founded the Hermannsburg Mission Seminary. This date counts as the foundation date for the Hermannsburg Mission. Harms worked at St. Peter and St. Paul's Church in Hermannsburg on the Lüneburg Heath, from 1844, initially as a curate and, later, as its Lutheran pastor. He was considered a good minister by the community and had a great talent for bringing things alive. On Sunday evenings, the villagers gathered in the hallway of the rectory to listen to him. His stories simultaneously entertained, instructed and built people up. Local history provided him with lively material. His stories were published in the anthologies Honnig (Low German: "Honey") and Goldene Äpfel in silbernen Schalen ("Golden Apples in Silver Dishes").
With his preaching Harms sparked a revival movement that reached as far as the patricians in nearby Hamburg. On 12 October 1849, the first students moved into the Hermannsburg Mission Seminary, newly founded by Harms. He appointed his brother, Theodor, as the first director. Harms campaigned tirelessly for donations. The eloquent and energetic evangelist managed to interest a large number of poor men from the heath in mission service, not unlike the effect that David Livingstone had on the poor of Scotland.
Harms had a vision to begin his missionary work with the Oromo people (then called the Galla) in East Africa. The necessary funds were raised from the Hermannsburg congregation and later a large circle of friends. He even succeeded in building his own mission ship, the Candace, which was named after the Ethiopian queen, Candace, mentioned in Acts 8.27. The attempt to get to Ethiopia, failed however. Consequently, the Hermannsburg missionaries landed at Port Natal (now Durban) in South Africa in 1854. There they began to work among the Zulu people, and from 1857, were also operating in the Transvaal. In 1859 they established a mission station in Shoshong and in 1864, August Mylius started his work with the Telugu in southern India.
After the death of Louis Harms, his brother Theodor Harms (1818–1885) became his successor. Under his leadership, the seminary and missionary activity was further expanded. In 1879, the second mission house was built and Carl Mützelfeldt (1842–1927) became its first director in the appointment of "mission inspector". Under the leadership of Theodor Harms', successors, Egmont Harms, (1885–1916) and George Haccius (1916–1926) the missionary work was strengthened . New areas were opened up: Australia (1866), North America (1866), New Zealand (1875), Iran (1880), Brazil (1898 ) and Ethiopia (1927). In the long run, however, not all areas could continue to be supported.
After the annexation of the Kingdom of Hanover by Prussia opposition was stirring, especially in Hermannsburg to the introduction by the King of Prussia of compulsory civil marriage in 1876 and the adoption of a new marriage liturgy in the state.
Theodor Harms was especially vehement in his opposition. As a result, Harms and a number of other pastors were removed from office. He left the Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Hanover and was followed by the majority of the Hermannsburg community. On 13 February 1878, they established the Lutheran Church of the Cross, independently of the state church. At the Synod in Hermannsburg on 30 April 1878, under the chairmanship of Theodore Harms, pastors and representatives of the independent churches of the country founded the Hanoverian Evangelical Lutheran Free Church. In 1886, they split again. Thirteen parishes formed the "Hermannsburg Free Church".
Separation from the state church had serious consequences for the Hermannsburg Mission. Collections from the Hanoverian national church and its character as the public body were both lost. In 1890, there was an agreement between the Hanover church and the Hermannsburg Free Church. So that members of both the state and free church were represented in the mission's management, the office of co-director (Kondirektor) was created, which existed until 1972 [1]
The head of the mission is known as the director ( Direktor )
In 1977, the formal integration of the Hermannsburg Mission into the state church took place. By maintaining the legal status of the foundation, however, it remained possible to preserve the special character of the spiritual work here. As the Evangelical-Lutheran Mission in Lower Saxony (ELM), it continues to be based in Hermannsburg. The head of the mission's work since 2003 is Rev. Martina Helmer-Pham Xuan.
The most important contributors to the work are the Evangelical-Lutheran state churches of Hanover, Brunswick and Schaumburg-Lippe. In addition, many parishes and friends of the mission support its work. The ELM is also supported by private donations from many people in the region. Currently missionaries and missionaries sent out by the ELM are working in Africa, Latin America, India and Siberia.
The mission maintains a mission seminary in Hermannsburg to this day, where young theologians are prepared for service within one of the partner churches of the ELM. The Ludwig Harms House in Hermannsburg, in whose building the mission seminary was originally based, is now a modern conference centre with a cafe, bookshop and "One World Shop". It houses an exhibition called "Candace - Mission Possible" to inform those interested about the work and worldwide network of the ELM.
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