, ▁however , ▁else ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁common ▁hierarchy ▁super vis ing ▁the ▁member ▁churches , ▁who ▁are ▁leg ally ▁independent ▁equals ▁with ▁the ▁E K D ▁being ▁their ▁um bre lla . ▁M embers ▁of ▁con greg ations ▁within ▁the ▁member ▁churches ▁– ▁like ▁those ▁of ▁par ishes ▁within ▁Catholic ▁dioc eses ▁and ▁those ▁en rolled ▁in ▁Jewish ▁con greg ations ▁also ▁enjo ying ▁stat ut ory ▁corpor ation ▁status ▁– ▁are ▁required ▁to ▁pay ▁a ▁church ▁tax , ▁a ▁sur charge ▁on ▁their ▁normal ▁income ▁tax ▁collected ▁by ▁the ▁states ▁of ▁Germany ▁and ▁passed ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁respective ▁religious ▁body . ▁▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁census ▁results ▁by ▁state ▁ ▁Gallery ▁ ▁Str ucture ▁The ▁structure ▁of ▁the ▁E K D ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁federal ▁principles . ▁Each ▁regional ▁church ▁is ▁responsible ▁for ▁Christian ▁life ▁in ▁its ▁own ▁area ▁while ▁each ▁regional ▁church ▁has ▁its ▁own ▁special ▁characteristics ▁and ▁retain s ▁its ▁independence . ▁The ▁E K D ▁car ries ▁out ▁joint ▁tasks ▁with ▁which ▁its ▁members ▁have ▁entr usted ▁it . ▁For ▁the ▁execution ▁of ▁these ▁tasks , ▁the ▁Church ▁has ▁the ▁following ▁gover ning ▁bodies , ▁all ▁organ ised ▁and ▁elected ▁on ▁dem ocr atic ▁lines : ▁ ▁Syn od ▁The ▁Syn od ▁is ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁of ▁the ▁E K D . ▁It ▁has ▁ 1 2 6 ▁members : ▁ 1 0 6 ▁elected ▁by ▁Land esk ir chen ▁syn ods ▁and ▁ 2 0 ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Council . ▁These ▁ 2 0 ▁are ▁appointed