Simone Pottmann becomes the new provost: A new beginning in the Altholstein church district!

Simone Pottmann becomes the new provost: A new beginning in the Altholstein church district!

Simone Pottmann is elected as the new provost of the Altholstein church district. The community received this good news on Friday evening during a meeting in the Bugenhagen Church in Neumünster. Pottmann received overwhelming approval with 68 out of 75 votes from the synod members present. Only four votes were against them, while three synods abstained.

The inauguration of the new provost is scheduled for November 1, 2025. Pottmann is succeeding Stefan Block, who retired on Reformation Day last year after 23 years. Until she takes office, Christian Kröger will temporarily lead the church district.

An impressive career

The Rhineland native qualified through extensive theology studies at the universities in Marburg, Wuppertal and Bochum. Her professional career took her initially as a research assistant at the Ruhr University and later as a pastor in Essen. She has been pastor of the Kaltenkirchen parish since 2010 and has been vice president of the Altholstein Synod for seven years. In 2022, Pottmann ran as a candidate for provost in the Rantzau-Münsterdorf church district, but had to admit defeat at the time.

In his private life, Pottmann is married and the mother of two adult daughters. Your new home will be in the pastorate at the old churchyard in Neumünster. Family life and professional commitment seem to go hand in hand for her - a fact that is valued not only in her community.

The Altholstein church district and its challenges

The Altholstein church district has around 175,000 members and is made up of a total of 53 congregations. As provost, Simone Pottmann will take over the spiritual leadership of 30 parishes in the south of the church district. This important responsibility requires not only a good hand for community work, but also defiant skill in the new role at the top.

Pottmann's election is also a sign of change in the church, because the role of women has changed permanently over the last few decades. Growing historically, the ecumenical movement has contributed to women taking on more and more pastoral tasks. The question of gender equality is currently more important than ever and Pottmann will also have to face this challenge. It's an exciting area she's treading on, as history shows that in various churches access to clerical positions has been increasingly opened up for women. The pastoral commitment of women is seen by many as a necessary further development that has also found its place in the Protestant ranks. Pottmann will now contribute her part to this ongoing development.

The Synod President Dr. Jutta Lüttges and the Northern Church Bishop Nora Steen did not miss the opportunity to congratulate Pottmann on her election. The entire Altholstein church district team is looking forward to the upcoming tasks and developments under the new provost.