Have you ever wondered about the story behind a cornerstone. Today we stand before the NG Kerk Eros. It is more than just a building. It’s a testament to faith and community in Windhoek.
The NG Kerk Eros began as an offshoot of the larger NG Gemeente Windhoek. This happened on April 26, 1957. Soon after, Ds. P.L. Scholtz became the first minister on June 13, 1957. A year later, on May 10, 1958, the first church building was dedicated.
In May 1961, Ds. Scholtz departed. After four months, Ds. PA du Toit arrived in September. The congregation celebrated its tenth anniversary. It said goodbye to Ds. du Toit in March 1967.
Ds. PC van Rooyen was welcomed on May 28, 1967. A couple, Ds. and mev. AS Benecke, joined the Eros congregation on June 13, 1971. Ds. PC van Rooyen left on August 8, 1971.
In March 1974, the church council decided to erect a new building. The dedication took place on April 15, 1978. Ds. GJ Engelbrecht joined the Eros congregation in January 1983. After eighteen years, the Beneckes left Windhoek on September 30, 1989.
January 1990 saw the arrival of Ds. Serfontein. He married Betsie Smit the following year. In 1996, the Engelbrecht family moved to South Africa. Ds. Van den Berg became the sixth minister of Eros in September 1997.
Over the years, NG Kerk Eros has had several ministers. Philippus Lodewicus Scholtz served from 1957 to 1961. Paul Albertus du Toit followed from 1961 to 1967. P C van Rooyen ministered from 1967 to 1971. Andrew Stephen Benecke served from 1971 to 1989. Gerhardus Johannes Engelbrecht was there from 1983 to 1996. Johann Friedrich Serfontein served from 1990. Fourie van den Berg began in 1997. Marco Koch served from 2019 to 2022.
Today, NG Kerk Eros is located on the corner of Kuiseb Street 1. You can contact them at kantoor@ngeros.org or 081 822 6770. The church welcomes everyone. It aims to renew relationships with God. It wants to foster relationships with oneself, others, and the environment.
The church uses the Bible as its guide. It views Christ as the builder. NG Kerk Eros sees itself as God’s spiritual house. God owns it. His Spirit is the contractor. Members are the builders. They are instruments in building His Kingdom.
NG Eros is active online. It streams services on its YouTube channel. It sends announcements via email. You can find them on Facebook under NG-Eros Gemeente. The church also uses PayToday for payments.
The NG Kerk Eros is more than bricks and mortar. It is a living, breathing community. It is dedicated to faith, growth, and service. It continues to shape lives in Windhoek.