The history of the Hardinxveld-Giessendam branch goes back to the middle of the 19th century. By Royal Decree (1866), male members of the Dutch Reformed Church were now allowed to elect church council members. As a result, the church council changed colour in many places, including Hardinxveld-Giessendam. More conservative members joined the church council. And they preferred orthodox ministers. The liberal voice in the Reformed Church weakened. In 1870, Prof. CW Opzoomer founded the Dutch Protestant Union NPB, which had local branches in many municipalities. On 29 April 1890, a branch was also founded in Hardinxveld-Giessendam by physician ABJ Lulofs. The branch then consisted of 52 members. The aim of the branch was “to promote the free development of religious life, both within the circle of church communities and in any other area.” How? Through religious education, sermons, lectures, Sunday schools and the distribution of literature. Despite the task that the department sets itself, in the first few years it only comes to a limited number of lectures in a café on weekday evenings. During the lectures, free thinking is advocated. It proves difficult to find speakers. The board also sets up a kind of people's association that has to provide educational evenings. Initially, there are no Sunday meetings. That proves too expensive. The number of lectures does increase and they increasingly resemble church services. In 1913, the department buys its own building, the building "Helpt Elkander" on the Peulenstraat. There is a service twice a month, but only in the winter. The interest in church services in the summer proves to be too small. After the war, the national NPB employs a "propagandist" who does a kind of missionary work and takes on the role of pastoral worker. She increases the number of members to 80 and church attendance also increases. From 1949, the services are also held in the summer again. In 1958, the department moved into the current church building, which was built on the same site as the old building. Three sculptures of baked chamotte clay were attached to the facade, by local painter and sculptor A. van Bennekum. They are representations of Elijah fed by the ravens, the return of the prodigal son and the Samaritan woman. Since 1965, the department has had a pipe organ. It functioned until 1976. Due to leaks, the organ was damaged so badly that the instrument could not be saved. Since then, only the organ front has been in the church.
