An Anniversary to Scoop and Toast - Merzig Parish Celebrates 175 Years with Ice Cream and Cocktails

PRESS RELEASE
Public Relations Department
Evangelical Church District
On the Saar
175 Years: Evangelical Church Congregation Merzig
Rieke Eulenstein
celebrates with ice cream and cocktail
Goethestraße 29+31
An anniversary to scoop and toast 66538 Neunkirchen(Saar)

Phone: 0681-53081
Merzig. An ice cream at the café or a cocktail at the bistro – with this
Mobile: 0152 530 577 26
one can also celebrate the 175th anniversary of the e-mail: oeffentlichkeitsarbeit
Evangelical Church Congregation Merzig this year. The specially @evks.de
developed “Summer Editions” are intended to make the anniversary visible beyond the
www.evangelisch-im-
church doors and at the same time support a good cause.
July 8, 2026
On-site appointment at the Cortina ice cream café in the middle of Merzig’s
pedestrian zone with Pastor Andreas Reinhold and
youth worker Julia Schneider. The Evangelical Church Congregation Merzig has existed since 1851. For this anniversary, the
congregation devised an unusual concept.
Of course, there will be a program of events with concerts
and special church services, which are good and
important, but “we also want to reach the people who don’t
come to our events,” says Andreas Reinhold.
They should also know that there is something to celebrate
this year on the evangelical side in Merzig. The idea: “We
let people ‘stumble upon us’ in places where people’s daily lives
take place.” Especially in places where they don’t
expect it. And since we are in the Saarland, where culinary
matters have a high value, says the Rhinelander who has been the pastor of the district town for almost
four years, it was obvious to focus on edible and drinkable things.
Several proposals were quickly on the table, foremost among them
the summer specials: ice cream and cocktail, both naturally in the
“spiritual color” purple, which also adorns the logo of the
church congregation.

The color scheme was perfectly implemented by ice cream café owner Emiliano Antoniazzi
with his anniversary ice cream flavor “Elixir.” The
ice cream impresses with an appealing pastel violet tone that
draws the eyes of neighboring tables. The creation
of raspberries and violets is well received. And how does it taste?
Testers Janine from Merzig and Lara from Losheim are already convinced.
“Refreshing and fruity,” they say. Pastor Reinhold is also enthusiastic. “One
could pathetically say the ice cream offers a ‘preview of the Kingdom of God,’”
he jokes. Maybe the people eating the ice cream will also get a taste for the church,
he suggests with a wink.
At 2 euros per scoop, the evangelical “Limited Edition” is no more expensive than
the average ice cream price this season.

Change of location to “Klex Bistro” just a few hundred meters away. Youth worker
Julia Schneider, herself a regular at the venue, knew right away that she wanted to
have the anniversary cocktail made here, “because there are always a lot of young
people here.”
Here, too, it did not take long to convince. Owner Halil Ay
was immediately enthusiastic about the idea. The recipe was developed together,
reports Schneider. The “Black Berry Mojito” was quickly created, with blackberry syrup, raspberries,
as well as mint and lime for a refreshing
summer kick. Those who want can choose the alcoholic version with rum instead of ginger ale.
This is somewhat more expensive at 11.40 euros, while the
family-friendly version is available for 7.90 euros. With or without alcohol:
One euro per cocktail sold is donated by “Klex” at the end of the summer season
to the Merzig food bank.
For Halil Ay, this is also a matter of honor. “The Merzig church congregation is committed to
people with little money,” says the host, who likes to support such social actions.
Therefore, there have already been earlier cooperations with the food bank,
which is run by the church congregation. He finds the cocktail idea “very
great.” On his own initiative, he designed menus for the summer special, which
can now be found laminated on every table. An eye-catcher: “People
flip through, come across the insert – and order the special,” he describes a frequently
observed scene. Because the “Black Berry Mojito” is very popular.
This is also confirmed by Julia Schneider, who has vigorously promoted the cocktail among children, young people, and families
in her daily work. “Anyone who likes it sweet but not too sweet should try it,” recommends the
youth worker.
If the anniversary cocktail continues to be this popular, it could become a permanent
fixture on the cocktail menu. So maybe the evangelical anniversary
won’t end with the calendar year. Then a touch of purple would keep the memory
of the church congregation’s 175th anniversary alive for a long time.

Info:
The Evangelical Church Congregation Merzig was founded in 1851, after the first
Protestant families settled in the area only after the Congress of Vienna in 1815.
In 1865, the congregation received its first evangelical church, which has borne the
name “Church of Peace” since 2014.
The congregation is celebrating its 175th anniversary with a program of events.
The highlight of the celebrations will be a festive event on November 8 in Merzig.