Landeskirche Sachsens

What Landeskirche Sachsens does

The Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Sachsens (EVLKS) is a public law corporation (Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts) serving as the territorial Lutheran state church for the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It administers religious services, sacraments, and pastoral care for baptized and confirmed Lutheran members through a three-tiered hierarchy of Kirchgemeinden (parishes), Kirchenbezirke (church districts), and the central Landeskirche, with administrative headquarters at the Evangelisch-Lutherisches Landeskirchenamt in Dresden (Lukasstraße 6). Beyond its core liturgical and sacramental mission, it operates an extensive social and cultural portfolio spanning church music (choirs, Posaunenchöre, Kurrenden, organ heritage), kindergartens and schools, cemetery management (Friedhöfe), tourism offerings (Radwegekirchen, Pilgerwege, Offene Kirchen), and charitable social services delivered in coordination with Diakonie Sachsen.

The church's technology footprint is functional and deliberately conservative: the public web presence runs on TYPO3 CMS with privacy-respecting Matomo analytics, supplemented by a network of sub-portals including interessiert.evlks.de (public information), engagiert.evlks.de (volunteer engagement), en.evlks.de (English-language version), an online merchandise shop (evlks-shop.myspreadshop.de), and searchable databases for Kirchgebäude, Orgeln, Kirchgemeinden, and Adressen. It also maintains a library and archive service (Bibliothek der Landeskirche, Landeskirchliches Archiv Dresden) with WorldCat catalog access, alongside a YouTube channel featuring the Landesbischof's "Echt jetzt?!" podcast and an RSS feed for press distribution.

Financially, the Landeskirche is funded primarily through Kirchensteuer (church tax, collected by state tax authorities as a percentage of members' income tax) and a separate Kirchgeld (church fee), both categorized as recurring subscription-like revenue streams. Religious services such as baptism, confirmation, wedding, and funeral are provided free of charge to members. Outreach is delivered through a multi-channel mix including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, the EVLKS newsletter, MDR radio/TV broadcasts, parish-level community events, and programs such as #einfachheiraten and the Bundesgartenschau 2033 cemetery initiative.

Name

Landeskirche Sachsens

Legal name

Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Sachsens

Website

https://landeskirche-sachsen.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Sachsens (EVLKS) is the public-law Lutheran state church of Saxony, Germany, delivering worship, sacraments, pastoral care, education, social services, and cultural heritage to its members through a territorial parish network, funded primarily by state-collected church tax.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH)

Keywords

• Religious services
• Pastoral care
• Worship services
• Religious education
• Faith community

Headquarters

HQ city

Dresden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Kirchensteuer (Church Tax): Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Saxony pay church tax (Kirchensteuer) as a percentage of their income tax, collected by the state tax authorities on behalf of the church. This is the primary source of funding for the Landeskirche.
2. Kirchgeld (Church Fee): A church fee (Kirchgeld) is collected separately from the church tax, providing additional financial support for church operations and activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Sachsens (EVLKS) is a public-law religious corporation that provides Lutheran worship services, sacraments (baptism, confirmation, wedding, funeral), pastoral care, religious education, church music programs, cemetery management, evangelical daycare centers, and social welfare services through Diakonie Sachsen. It operates a hierarchical network of Kirchgemeinden (parishes) and Kirchenbezirke (church districts) across Saxony, funded primarily through the Kirchensteuer (church tax) and Kirchgeld collected from baptized members.

Product overview

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony (EVLKS) operates a unified web presence consisting of its main public portal (evlks.de) for general information, the 'engagiert.evlks.de' portal for engaged members and volunteers, and an English-language version (en.evlks.de). The organization provides digital databases for church buildings, organs, parishes, and addresses; library and archive services; online shop; and pastoral care coordination. These digital offerings are informational and administrative tools supporting the church's religious mission rather than a commercial product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Worship Services (Gottesdienst) Regular Lutheran worship services held across parishes in Saxony, including standard Sunday services, family and youth services, and special occasion services; also broadcast on radio and TV via MDR. Provided to members and visitors.
• Baptism (Taufe) Sacrament of baptism performed in parishes for infants, children, and adults as a rite of initiation into the Lutheran church. Available to members and their families in Saxony.
• Confirmation (Konfirmation) Sacrament of confirmation provided to baptized youth typically around age 14, including structured confirmation preparation classes. Available to young members across Saxony's parishes.
• Wedding (Trauung) Church wedding ceremonies performed in parish churches for baptized members, supported by the #einfachheiraten wedding blessing campaign. Available to couples across Saxony.
• Funeral Services (Trauerfeier und Bestattung) Funeral services and burial ceremonies provided by parishes, including coordination with the church's own cemetery services (Kirchliche Friedhöfe). Available to members and their families.
• Pastoral Care (Seelsorge) Spiritual counseling and pastoral support provided across Saxony, including crisis counseling (Beratung in Lebenskrisen), Ökumenisches Seelsorgezentrum at Universitätsklinikum Dresden, and life-stage support. Available to members and the broader public.
• Church Cemetery Services (Kirchliche Friedhöfe) Cemetery management and burial ground services operated by parishes across Saxony, including the BUGA 2033 cemetery initiative. Available to families in church-owned cemeteries.
• Evangelical Daycare Centers (Evangelische Kindertagesstätten) Church-operated kindergartens providing faith-based early childhood education and care across Saxony. Available to families with young children.
• Church Music Programs (Kirchenmusik) Church music services including Kurrenden, choirs, brass ensembles (Posaunenchöre), organ concerts, and the Saxon church music heritage program. Provided to members, visitors, and tourists.
• Religious Education (Evangelischer Religionsunterricht) Religious education provided in public schools, evangelical schools, and adult education programs (Erwachsenenbildung), plus vocational training through Evangelische Hochschulen. Available to students and adults in Saxony.
• Diakonie Social Services Charitable social welfare services delivered through Diakonie Sachsen, including counseling, refugee support, family services, elderly care, disability services, and humanitarian aid appeals. Available to vulnerable populations and the broader public.
• Church Tourism Network Tourism offerings including Offene Kirchen (open churches), Radwegekirchen (cycling route churches), Pilgerwege (pilgrimage routes), Christliche Freizeit- und Tagungshäuser (leisure and conference houses), and the Sachsenregionen church heritage program. Available to tourists and cultural visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,750 baptized and confirmed 9th-grade youth personally contacted about church and diaconal careers by Landesbischof Tobias Bilz
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Partnerkirchen in Mittel- und Osteuropa (Central and Eastern European Partner Churches)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The Landeskirche maintains active partnerships with churches in Central and Eastern Europe, evidenced by the annual vacation program of the Solidarkasse des Sächsischen Pfarrvereins (Saxon Pastors' Association's solidarity fund) inviting families from these partner churches to vacation in Saxony. This partnership reflects long-standing ecumenical relationships built on shared Lutheran heritage.
• MDR (Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk)coreTechnology or IntegrationMDR serves as the public broadcaster for Saxony and partners with EVLKS to broadcast radio worship services and devotional programming, such as the Radio-Gottesdienst from the Ökumenisches Seelsorgezentrum Dresden (broadcast 2 August 2026). The church also has a Rundfunkbeauftragter (broadcasting representative) stationed at MDR.
• Diakonie Sachsen (Saxon Diaconal Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiakonie Sachsen is the diaconal social service arm of the Landeskirche, providing charitable services including crisis counseling, refugee support, family services, care for the elderly, and disability services. The church and Diakonie jointly issue appeals for humanitarian donations, such as the 10,000 EUR contribution for Venezuela earthquake relief.
• Diakonie (joint donation appeal)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Landeskirche and Diakonie jointly called for donations to support victims of the earthquake in Venezuela in June 2026, with the church contributing 10,000 EUR from its Notfonds (emergency fund).
• Solidarkasse des Sächsischen PfarrvereinsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe solidarity fund of the Saxon Pastors' Association organizes an annual vacation program inviting families from Central and Eastern European partner churches to Saxony, fostering ecumenical relationships and community exchange.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Norddeutschland (Nordkirche): Nordkirche is another major German Landeskirche serving Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Directly comparable as a regional Evangelical Lutheran state church with identical legal structure (Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts), Kirchensteuer funding, and parish-based governance model.
• Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Hannovers: Hannoversche Landeskirche is the largest German Evangelical Lutheran state church by membership. Comparable as a fellow Lutheran Landeskirche with the same legal form, Kirchensteuer model, and parish-and-district hierarchical structure, making it a natural peer for benchmarking membership and operational metrics.
• Evangelische Kirche Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz (EKBO): EKBO is a neighboring Protestant Landeskirche covering Brandenburg, Berlin, and parts of Saxony (Schlesische Oberlausitz). Directly comparable as a territorially overlapping Evangelical Landeskirche sharing the same legal status, Kirchensteuer funding, and synodal governance structure.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Diakonie Deutschland is the national social services arm of the EKD and works closely with Diakonie Sachsen. Comparable as the federal layer of the same diaconal network that EVLKS relies on for charitable service delivery, operating under the same faith-based funding and governance framework.
• Bistum Dresden-Meißen: Bistum Dresden-Meißen is the Catholic diocese covering the same geographic territory as EVLKS. Comparable as the principal competing Christian denomination in Saxony, operating under analogous public-law corporation status with identical Kirchensteuer collection mechanism and parish-based service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD): EKD is the umbrella federation of 20 German Protestant Landeskirchen, including EVLKS. Directly comparable as the parent-level governance body overseeing Lutheran, Reformed, and United churches in Germany, sharing the same Kirchensteuer funding model and EKD-wide synodal structure.
• Caritas Deutschland: Caritas is the Catholic counterpart to Diakonie, providing social services across Germany. Comparable because it demonstrates the parallel faith-based social services model that competes with Diakonie Sachsen for government contracts, charitable donations, and skilled social workers in the same Saxony region.

Others

• Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR): MDR is the Central German public broadcaster that partners with EVLKS to broadcast radio worship services, including the Ökumenisches Seelsorgezentrum Dresden broadcasts. Comparable as the primary media distribution partner that extends the church's reach beyond its physical parishes.
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Kirchen in Deutschland (ACK): ACK is the ecumenical forum of Christian churches in Germany, including EVLKS as a member. Comparable as the coordinating body for inter-church cooperation, joint events, and shared advocacy that the Landeskirche participates in, representing the broader ecumenical ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche (SELK): SELK is a smaller, conservative Lutheran church body operating in Saxony among other German states. Comparable as a Lutheran alternative competing for the same baptism and confirmation decision, but without the territorial monopoly or the same Kirchensteuer privileges that EVLKS enjoys.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxI46vUbivdmdVAMmOb2ODA
• Facebookfacebook.com/evlks
• Instagraminstagram.com/evlks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/landeskirche-sachsens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Landeskirche Sachsens