ABSTRACT
This essay examines the pioneering activities of Methodist deaconesses in Germany. Following a description of the social situation in which these women were trained and deployed, the article discusses the development of three major deaconess centers in Germany: Bethany Society in Frankfurt of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Bethany Society in Elberfeld of the Evangelical Association, and Martha Mary Society in Nuremberg of the British Wesleyan Methodist Church. Ministries in private and institutional care, district nursing, and foreign mission demonstrate the servant character of the order.
