This was one of the questions that ordinands from Estonia, Austria, and Romania asked one another. Many additional questions arose during their meeting in Tallinn from April 16–19, 2026.
Such exchange was the explicit goal of the gathering, which took place under the objective of CPCE to promote pastoral education. The ordinands were meant to learn about training, church life, and spirituality in different contexts. Instead of focusing on everyday details, they were able for a short time to adopt a broader European perspective.
The Theological Institute of Tallinn hosted the event, where several discussion rounds addressed both joys and challenges. Participants learned, for example, that in Austria religious education in schools is a regular part of a pastor’s duties, that in Estonia most clergy must hold an additional job, and that in Romania the state contributes to salaries, allowing ministry to be carried out full-time. The meeting alternated between chapel, lecture hall, dining room, and the old town, ensuring that all aspects of shared life were experienced. On Sunday, participants also visited different congregations and gained insight into practical parish life.
Another key focus of the meeting was that the delegates acted as a focus group to evaluate and reflect on a planned project by the CPCE involving ordinands. The conclusion was clear: personal encounters remain more valuable than any form of digital networking. There is potential to expand such trilateral meetings into broader European exchanges.
Special thanks were extended to the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, which not only covered the costs but also emphasized the importance of the meeting by having the ordinands accompanied almost continuously by two bishops.