Imagine Amsterdam in 1907. A new religious movement begins. It all started with the Pinkstergemeente Immanuel.
The first Pentecostal church in the Netherlands started in Amsterdam that year. It began in a house on Prinsengracht 42. Gerrit Polman led this new church. He was a key figure in the Pentecostal movement in the Netherlands.
In December 1909 the church grew. They rented a horse stable with 240 seats. It was located at Huidekoperstraat 22. The Pinkstergemeente Immanuel needed more space.
On February 20 1911 they bought a former liquor distillery. It was also a frame factory at Kerkstraat 342-344. They demolished the building. A large hall was built for 500 people.
In June 1912 the new hall opened. It was named Immanuel Chapel. A conference celebrated the opening. The Pinkstergemeente Immanuel had a permanent home.
But the church moved several times. In 1933 they moved to Bellamystraat 39. Then in 1936 the church relocated to Noorderstraat 35-37. On January 2 1942 the Immanuel Chapel returned to Kerkstraat 342-344. It was a time of change.
After the war the Immanuel Chapel was sold to a bank. Eventually it became the Evangelical Brethren Church. In 1947 the Pinkstergemeente Immanuel rented a hall. This hall had 300 seats at Valkenburgerstraat 149. The church continued to evolve.
By 1961 the Pentecostal church needed more space. They acquired the Dutch Reformed chapel. It was the Zuidwijk Chapel at Stadionweg 269. Many activities demanded a larger multifunctional building.
In 1978 the RK church H Johannes Evangelist closed. It was located at Arent Janszoon Ernststraat. The building was sold and renovated. It became a party center and library.
Since 2007 the church hall of the Pentecostal Church Keerpunt has been located there. The first church service was on Sunday July 8 2007. The Pinkstergemeente Immanuel’s story continues through Keerpunt.
The Pinkstergemeente Immanuel played a vital role. It helped establish the Pentecostal movement in the Netherlands. Despite changes and relocations its legacy remains. The story shows the church’s growth and adaptation over time.