The German-speaking Protestant parish of Tenerife South is responsible for the whole of the southern part of the island, as well as for La Gomera and El Hierro. Services are held on Sundays at 12 noon, at two different venues in Playa de las Américas depending on the time of year. Here you will find all the information, important addresses and contact details, as well as the latest parish newsletter:
Parish Newsletter of the Protestant Parish of South Tenerife
The magazine is published jointly by the municipalities of Tenerife North and Tenerife South, so the events for both municipalities are listed in the same issue.
Important information about the Protestant congregation in South Tenerife
Email: evkirche.teneriffasued@yahoo.com
Contact: Thorsten Köhler
Vicar: Christof Haxel-Schamuhn, in post from 4 September 2026 to 30 June 2027
San Eugenio Church:
Av. Eugenio Domínguez Alfonso 1, Pueblo Canario
38660 Playa de las Américas, Tenerife
Haus der Begegnung:
Salytien Shopping Centre, lower ground floor
Av. Rafael Puig Lluvina, Playa de las Américas
Also accessible from the seafront promenade, opposite Bar Berlin
Church services in the south of Tenerife: one time, two venues
The service begins at 12 noon on Sundays. However, the venue changes with the seasons, and this is precisely where visitors most often go wrong.
During the winter months, when most German-speaking visitors are on the island, the parish holds services at the Church of San Eugenio in the Pueblo Canario. From April to October, services are held at the Haus der Begegnung in the Salytien shopping centre, a few hundred metres further on, in the basement. In July and August, services are suspended entirely.
The parish has already set the dates for the coming season: from 6 September 2026, services will be held weekly at 12 noon at the Haus der Begegnung, and from 1 November 2026 they will return to San Eugenio. Additional services at the Hotel Mar y Sol in Los Cristianos are being planned, though a date has not yet been set.
Anyone travelling from further afield should check the latest information beforehand. The local council posts updates on any last-minute changes on its own website and in the parish newsletter.
What the Tenerife South Parish is responsible for
The German-speaking Protestant Church in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife consists of two parishes. Tenerife North serves Puerto de la Cruz, Punta del Hidalgo and La Palma. Tenerife South covers the south of the island and is also responsible for La Gomera and El Hierro.
The congregation expressly sees itself as being open to more than just Germans. The services are also attended by Austrians, Swiss, Dutch and Spanish people, as well as, on occasion, German-speaking holidaymakers from Canada and the USA. The common denominator is the language, not nationality.
How the parish post is filled
A distinctive feature of overseas parishes is that the post is not filled on a permanent basis, but rather for a period of around ten months at a time. Pastors from Germany take up the post on a temporary basis; the current incumbent is Christof Haxel-Schamuhn from Siershahn in the Westerwald. For parishioners, this means a regular change of pastor, whilst parish life itself is organised by local volunteers.
The German-speaking Protestant Church in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is recognised in Spain as a religious organisation (entidad religiosa) and is a member of FEREDE, the umbrella organisation for Spanish Protestant congregations. It has a contractual relationship with the Protestant Church in Germany.
All other dates, contact details and reports on parish life can be found at the top of the latest parish newsletter.