1993
Pastoral workers Hannes and Birgit Minichmayr started the children’s singing choir (German: Kinder Singkreis – KiSi) in the parish in Altmünster in Upper Austria
WELCOME TO
KISI – GOD’S SINGING KIDS
WE DREAM THAT CHILDREN LIVE AND SING WITH JOYFUL HEARTS TO THE GLORY OF GOD.
KISI is a non-profit association with its headquarters in Altmünster at Lake Traunsee.
We are celebrating an anniversary year in 2024 and look back gratefully on the past 30 years. On this page you will find all sorts of interesting information about us.
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US
OUR HISTORY
1998
The association “KISI – God’s singing kids” was founded, at that time still under the name “Kinder machen Musical”. Tours and the first KISI festival had already taken place.
1999
Birgit wrote her first musical: Lilli and the Incredible Comeback. Since then she has regularly written songs and musicals for KISI.
2000
KISI’s first foreign missions took place. In the previous years, KISI had spread to various parts of Austria.
2008
The KISI work began in Holland (today “KOEMI”). In the following years, KISI groups also developed in Uganda and Germany. Since then, there have been some activities in Kenya, Israel, Peru, India, Hungary …
2016
Through God’s wonderful work we were gifted with a square farm house in Altmünster am Traunsee. Thanks to this KISIHOUSE, we now have a center in the middle of the beautiful Salzkammergut for the KISI family and for the house community and the volunteers to live in.
IN PICTURE & SOUND
On Radio Maria Austria, Hannes and Birgit talk about the story of KISI (German).
You can listen to the first broadcast here and the second broadcast here.
Interview by Radio Mir Medugorje with Hannes (Croatian & German) you can find here.
For our 25 year anniversary, we have put together a powerpoint of the history of KISI, which you can find here (German).
EWTN Vatican also reported on KISI on the occasion of the 30th anniversary pilgrimage. You can find the video here:
The video is also available in other languages (e.g. German, Spanish or Italian).
As winner of the award ceremony “Missionary in Austria” 2020 a video was created by missio Austria about KISI – God’s singing kids:
From January 2024 KISI is part of the documentary “LET’S BE BOLD!”.
Here is the trailer:
KISIHOUSE
The KISIHOUSE is a beautiful square farm in the Altmünster holiday area on Lake Traunsee, which amazingly “came to us” in 2016.
This “incredible” gift from God is home for part of the KISI team, work and storage space and location for many of our KISI meetings. We hope that it will increasingly become a spiritual center for the region.
Come and visit us!
Do you want to get to know the KISIHOUSE? Then just come by! (It’s best to call ahead to see if we’ll be there.) We’ll give you a really good coffee and we’ll also be happy to show you around the house and tell you the story.
Pray & celebrate together
We have fixed prayer times in the KISIHOUSE several times a day, celebrate Holy Mass here (at least) once a week and always have other spiritual offerings. Anyone who would like to be there is welcome.
The prayer times also take place online. Here you can join our WhatsApp group.
Rent
We would like to make this house available to others: families, individuals or other groups. We have a chapel, a large meeting room, dining room, dormitories with a total of 110 beds and several smaller rooms.
Local & International
REGIONS
KISI in German-speaking countries is largely organized from KISIHOUSE. We are regularly active in most Austrian federal states (concerts, holiday offers, …) There are also local KISI CLUBs that are looked after by KISI employees on site.
Please note: The detailed information about those programs is not translated to English.
Here you can find all information about our KISI CLUBs:
INTERNATIONAL
KISI activities have existed and continue to exist not only in German-speaking countries, but also in various other countries.
Here you will find the KISI prayer in 18 different languages.
SAFE AREA
It is important to us to protect the children entrusted to us as best as possible and to offer them a safe environment. That’s why we at KISI have created guidelines for dealing with “closeness and distance” between adults and children. These rules must be read and signed by all participants aged 16 and over, to protect you and, above all, the children.
Furthermore, all volunteers submit an extract from the child and youth welfare services’ criminal records.
It is important to us that there is an open culture and that the topic has a healthy presence.
Our contact persons can be reached for you:
Team
Hannes
Minichmayr
Overall management
Hannes
Minichmayr
Hannes is the founder and director of KISI. He also leads the KEY group with Birgit and Magda, does the annual concert planning and inspires all of KISI. When he is stressed, he first plays a game of backgammon and can then continue working with strength.
Birgit
Minichmayr
Musical and children’s book author
Birgit
Minichmayr
Birgit is Hannes’ wife, KISI founder and “KISI mom”. She writes all the creative musicals and songs and brings Pauli the sheep to life in her stories. She also writes in the 1000 Ideas blog about tips for being a happy Christian with children.
Andreas
Schaberger
Accounting & Administration
Andreas
Schaberger
Andreas has been employed at KISI for ages. He does everything related to accounting and administration. Another passion: fundraising! He is also a passionate beekeeper.
Katharina
Tursch
Coordination KISIHOUSE
Katharina
Tursch
Kathi loves receiving guests at KISIHOUSE. She ensures smooth processes and order and answers all questions about the house. She’ll also be happy to take you to the chapel or make you a cappuccino. She is also known for seeing potential in children that others may overlook.
Johannes
Minichmayr
Event management & technical management
Johannes
Minichmayr
Johannes, Hannes and Birgit’s son, can often be seen behind the mixing desk. As head of technology, his passion is to ensure that what we sing (sound & content) resonates with the audience. He also trains and accompanies the young employees in the crew of the musicals.
Trixi
Grossauer
Graphics & Photography
Trixi
Grossauer
Trixi works in graphics and public relations. She makes everything beautiful – for example, she designed what this website should look like and many of the great KISI photos come from her camera. Trixi also has a passion for good coffee and can therefore often be found in the KISI Café.
Claudia
Lang
Website
Claudia
Lang
Claudia works on the website and newsletters. She also creates all registrations. She studied “Event Engineering” and her (almost) perfect memory is almost as legendary as her birthday cakes.
Magdalena
Kritzinger
Production and artistic direction
Magdalena
Kritzinger
Magda is the artistic director at KISI. Everything related to dance, acting and singing is planned and coordinated by her. As a trained dance teacher, she particularly enjoys designing the great choreographies for the KISI musicals.
Anna
Kreimel
Pedagogical employee & tour management
Anna
Kreimel
Anna is employed half-time but whole-heartedly at KISI for direct work with the children and also for coordinating the crew. She studies social work part-time in Linz and is famous for the fun she brings to every group of children.
Jenifer
Kefer
Secretariat & Guest Relations KISIHOUSE
Jenifer
Kefer
Jenny looks after the guests of the KISIHOUSE and works in the secretariat of the KISI office. She particularly enjoys singing, playing, dancing and praying with children, who can always feel welcome with her.
Hubert
Rabberger
Building supervisor
Hubert
Rabberger
Hubert can be found as a caretaker in the KISIHOUSE repairing and maintaining things. He doesn’t like sitting at all, which he almost never has to do with the many different practical activities in and around the KISIHOUSE.
Monika
Schobesberger
office
Monika
Schobesberger
Monika kindly answers all telephone calls in the morning, answers emails and brings her love of order with her to the KISI office, much to everyone’s delight. A small private peculiarity: Monika celebrated the agape of her wedding in summer 2023 with her Michael at KISIHOUSE.
Statements
WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT KISI
Luc
concertgoer, Belgium
A very creative yet intense way to bring faith, hope and love – the good news, to the people. Heartwarming!
Christoph Schönborn
archbishop of Vienna, Austria
Where can you find a better place for kids than where they find a community that is characterized by faith, is artistically appealing and challenges them personally? Where can you find anything better for them than in a community like this, with a mission and with abilty? That speaks for itself. Yes, I wish for many people experiencing this testimony.
Teenager
from Austria
I can be completely myself with the people I meet at KISI. They’ve become my best friends, because they also believe in God and because I don’t feel alone as a Christian.
Monika
concertgoer, Austria
This amazing musical really touched me, I still have tears in my eyes when I think about the message, the believing children, the voices.
Filip de Rycke
Seminary Dean, Netherlands
KISI is a joyful way to live the Christian faith. It’s not all about the catechesis, but also about experiencing faith in every way: Christian education, celebrating days of the church, living in a big family.
Maria
teenager from Austria
It’s amazing, that KISI is one big family. You know you’re a part of it and you know they will support and help you when you’re feeling down. You’re not alone.
Simone
mother from Germany
For us as a family the most important thing is for our children to be able to find their own faith. That they don’t just inherit the faith from us, but that they are challenged to find out the truth for themselves. That’s what’s so valuable for us with KISI.
Stephan Turnovszky
youth bishop for Austria
First of all, I associate KISI with generous cheerfulness: with glad affirmation towords God, to other people, to Jesus Christ and his Church, and especially to the people of Israel.
Peter
churchgoer, Austria
Two things really impressed me at today’s evening Mass: Your singing and the dignity with which you celebrated mass with us. There was no disturbance, it was always clear that Christ, that the altar is the main focus. To celebrate in such a dignified way and to sing this beautifully is something only few are capable of doing.
Dr. Ludwig Schwarz
bishop emer. of Linz
I’m very touched by this wonderful performance. You transmit true apostolate, you make the gospel clear and beautiful to the people, so that they may realise that the fact that God’s son became human is a big deal.
Dr. Gerold Lehner
superintendent from Austria
KISI? My experience: eyes and ears are equally fascinated by what is being presented: children, teenagers and adults radiate natural joy, faith becomes visible through music and dance and the heart is touched, becomes wide and joins in with joy.
Paul M. Zulehner
former professor for sociology of religion and theology, Vienna
The dynamic of KISI – God’s singing kids, is so touching. I see a growing generation of children who don’t surrender to the banal duplicity of some of todays modern life stylisation and who therefore, have no need to find comfort in things like alcohol and drugs.
