Anbetungskirche

Hidden within Düsseldorf-Hassels, the Anbetungskirche whispers stories of faith and artistic expression. Built between 1962 and 1964 by the Evangelical Church Community Benrath, the Anbetungskirche served a burgeoning congregation alongside the Dankeskirche. Its first service, a harvest festival, took place on October 4, 1964. The Anbetungskirche isn’t just a place of worship. It’s a modern architectural marvel. The church features a rectangular sanctuary and a freestanding bell tower resembling a campanile. A community center, complete with a parish hall, kindergarten, and rectory, encircles the church. Inside, the sanctuary ceiling is a geometric dance of concave and convex triangles. Natural light streams through window strips running beneath the ceiling along the side walls. Artist Hilde Viering’s abstract blue tones adorn the space. The altar area is bathed in natural light from two vertical light strips created by the slightly outward-set central section of the front wall. A wooden altar takes center stage, with the pulpit elevated behind it on several steps. This arrangement evokes the feeling of a Kanzelaltar, although the altar and pulpit are not physically connected. A wooden ambo and baptismal font flank the altar, the latter’s basin being the only non-wooden element. A gallery stretches across the back of the sanctuary, although the organ is uniquely positioned on the left side wall. The Anbetungskirche’s artistic embellishments are subtle yet powerful. A metal cross above the pulpit frames gilded letters spelling out a verse from Isaiah 6:3: “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD OF HOSTS | ALL LANDS ARE FULL OF HIS GLORY.” A mosaic of slate depicts an angel on the right side of the front wall. This piece is another creation of Hilde Viering. The organ, crafted by Karl Schuke of Berlin in 1969, boasts 23 registers, two manuals, and a pedal. It features mechanical playing actions and electric stop actions. Sadly, the Anbetungskirche silenced this magnificent instrument in 2022. The cost of upkeep became prohibitive, and a digital organ now fills the sanctuary with music. Outside, the rectangular bell tower stands proudly near the road, its open lower section giving it the illusion of balancing on stilts. Atop, a tall cross reaches for the heavens. Within the bell chamber, a four-voice peal of bells, cast by Rincker in Sinn, Hessen, in 1964, proclaims the church’s presence. These bells, each with its own inscription, carry messages of confession, adoration, reconciliation, and comfort. The Anbetungskirche is more than bricks and mortar; it is a testament to the power of community and the beauty of faith, expressed through both architecture and art.