Suppose that someone told you that the Gereformeerde Gemeente Amsterdam is more than just a building. It is a living testament to faith. It is a community’s resilience. The Gereformeerde Gemeente Amsterdam belongs to the Gereformeerde Gemeenten church association. There are over 150 congregations affiliated with this church association in the Netherlands.
The Gereformeerde Gemeenten are a Protestant church association. It is called reformed because the people within this church association want to follow in the footsteps of the Reformation in the sixteenth century. The Gereformeerde Gemeente Amsterdam arose because in the early 20th century, there was little development in Amsterdam-Noord. A number of residents of Amsterdam-Noord felt a church connection with the Gereformeerde Gemeenten.
The large crossing over the IJ to Amsterdam-Centrum was an obstacle. Therefore, a small church community was formed in Amsterdam-Noord in the early 1930s. On October 23 1935, the congregation was officially established as the Gereformeerde Gemeente Amsterdam-Noord. It was not until 1951 that its own church building could be put into use at Melkweg 16. The church had approximately 200 seats.
In 1979, a new community center with a consistory was built behind the church of Gereformeerde Gemeente Amsterdam. This was put into use in March 1980. There is room for all kinds of activities here. Since the Gereformeerde Gemeente Amsterdam-Centrum was dissolved in 1994, this congregation has been named Gereformeerde Gemeente Amsterdam. Since 2012, the Gereformeerde Gemeente of Zaandam has merged with the congregation of Amsterdam.
The church building has about 160 seats. It is located in the north of Tuindorp Oostzaan in Amsterdam-Noord. The Gereformeerde Gemeente Amsterdam is a charming sober reconstruction church with a roof turret. It is beautifully situated at the bottom of a dike amidst later new buildings in the immediate vicinity. To the left behind the church hall are side rooms.
In 1951, the first pipe organ was installed in the church building of Gereformeerde Gemeente Amsterdam. It was a second-hand electric pipe organ with 5 stops and one keyboard with an attached pedal. It was purchased from the Spiering company in Dordrecht. This organ served until 1962. As a result of the flood disaster that struck Tuindorp Oostzaan, the church building and organ were damaged to such an extent that another organ had to be sought. The new organ was not delivered until 1962 because Vierdag organ builder had many commissions. The organ was put into use on August 24. In early 2013, the organ was moved from the dissolved Gereformeerde Gemeente in Zaandam to this church.
Today, the Gereformeerde Gemeente Amsterdam stands as a symbol of faith. It is a testament to the enduring power of community. Take a moment to appreciate its simple beauty and the stories it holds within its walls.