Bethel-kerk

The Christian Reformed Church of Leeuwarden was founded at the end of June 1893. On 15 July 1893 a church council was elected, which was confirmed the following day. The first own minister, J. Bos, came in 1895. Until then he had served the congregation in Leeuwarden as an elder/leader. In 1895 the first parsonage was purchased, located at Zuidvliet no. 28, after which the first church was built on a site behind it. This was located at Molenpad no. 15 and was nicknamed "Schipperskerkje", due to the relatively large number of skippers among the congregation members. The total number of members in Leeuwarden was approximately 35, large and small, men and women, baptized members and professing members. At that time there were two other Christian Reformed Churches in Friesland besides the Christian Reformed Church of Leeuwarden, namely in Suawoude and Harlingen. Leeuwarden had a close bond for a long time, especially with the church of Suawoude, which later fell apart in a schism. In 1898, the A-churches (Afscheiding) and the B-churches (Doleantie) united in Leeuwarden. This had resulted in an exodus to the Christian Reformed Church of about 50 people, which meant more than a doubling. The church then grew rapidly, in 1901 there were already 200 members and when Bos left in 1908 there were about 340. On 15 March 1911, a new, more spacious church was put into use, which stood on the Wijbrand de Geeststraat, built by contractor S. Luinstra. This church, called the Bethelkerk, which was equipped with a gallery, received the first pipe organ of the municipality in 1912. Previously, they sang a capella under the direction of the sexton-cantor and then at a harmonium, which was played by two female organists. This is remarkable, since they normally preferred/give preference to male organists.