Bielefeld – Sarepta Foundation – Sarepta Sisterhood

The Sarepta Foundation was founded in 1869 as the Westfälische Diakonissenanstalt zu Bielefeld, which is part of the von Bodelschwinghschen Stiftungen Bethel today. In 1872, Friedrich von Bodelschwingh became head of the Institute for Epileptics and of the Westfälische Diakonissenanstalt. The construction of the Deaconess Mother House as a hospital, a training center and a residence for the deaconesses began in the same year, and in 1876, the Deaconess Institution was named "Sarepta" (Greek for smelter).

Other important dates were: 1887 - establishment of "Freie Hilfsschwestern" (Free Assistant Nurses) as a reaction on the lack of work force. 1905 - Wilhelm v. Bodelschwingh, son of the head of the institute Friedrich v. Bodelschwingh, was appointed Provost of Sarepta.

Around 1930 - largest Mother House of Protestantism with about 2,500 deaconesses and diaconal nurses. 1953 - founding of the Ravensberg Sisterhood from the Association Sisterhood of the Kaiserswerther Verband. 1955 - founding of the nursing pre-school in Bethel. 1968 - Sarepta withdraws from the fields of work due to lack of new sisters.

Confraternity, celibacy and habit were abandoned in 1996 and a new way of life was introduced for Sarepta: married, single, living in partnership, with or without children. In 2000 began the cooperation of the Sarepta and Nazareth foundations with a joint administration.

2004 - consolidation of the Deaconesses and the Ravensberger Sisterhood into the Sarepta Sisterhood with a common logo as an expression of community. Since 2003 - confirmation of sisters as deaconesses of the new type. Today, sisters come from different ways of life, professions, and ages and they combine diaconal work with a living spirituality.

Educational opportunities within the scope of "Bildungswege im Diakonat" (courses of education)