 This actually brought about competition between the two churches in the time that followed for the function of parish church.As early as 1526, the Duchy of Palatinate-Zweibrücken introduced the Reformation into the church of the "Oberamt" of Meisenheim, replacing Catholic belief with Martin Luther’s teachings so that bit by bit, church services in the "Eßweiler Tal", too, began to be conducted in accordance with the Reformation.The Offenbach Monastery, to which the Hinzweiler church was subject, at first opposed Reformist efforts.