The Netherlands – Ecumenical Model Project "Bridges of Hope" with the Protestantse Kerk in Nederland (PKN)
A popular Dutch saying declares "One Dutchman, one faith, two Dutchmen, one church, three Dutchmen, one church division" in: Jan van Butsellar: The Netherlands: Mistrust towards Good News, in: Yearbook Mission 2006, p. 90
Meeting Each Other – Learning from One Another – Growing Together
This is included in the logo of the ecumenical model project „Bridges of Hope“ which since 2006 has been joining creation area I of the Westphalian Church (Church Districts of Muenster, Tecklenburg and Steinfurt-Coesfeld-Borken) with its neighbouring Church Districts of Gelderland and Overijssel of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN).
- The Dutch-German Dialogue Partners
In 2004 – when the Westphalian Church initiated ‚ecumenical model projects’ within the framework of its reform process – there was the intention to connect in particular the dimensions of ecumenism, mission and social responsibility as fields of activity of the church. Stimulated by this initiative, discussions about a possible model project took place in Muenster, Tecklenburg and Steinfurt-Coesfeld-Borken – and the focus wandered westward.
In Western Muensterland the border with the Netherlands is accepted quite dispassionately. There is hardly any support for the Euregio-work from churches in the border area. Only a few town twinning programmes between German and Dutch municipalities and communities have been supported by church congregations. But it is impossible to imagine the recreation areas in the Tecklenburg region without Dutch caravans!
Therefore, it was only natural to integrate this border more strongly than before into church work. The ecumenical model project „Bridges of Hope“ was born in creation area I.
The target description declares: „We want to support congregations of both churches to initiate a mutual consultation and renewal process which shall aim at improving the quality of congregational life and at taking a closer look at relations between neighbouring city districts and society as a whole. This process is a step toward a responsible mission and qualified social responsibility … We wish to establish durable contact between congregations of both churches and to integrate them into a learning community which shall remain even after the conclusion of the model project.“.
About the Project Group’s Work
- Logos as an Orientation Help
A project group headed by two full-time church workers (Egbert van der Stouw from the PKN in Utrecht and Beate Heßler from the Institute for Mission, Ecumenism and Global Responsibility in Westphalia) was established. The group identified parishes at the German and Dutch side of the border which agreed upon a joint exchange programme. From creation area I the towns of Borghorst and Rhede, Westerkappeln and Rheine, Luedinghausen and Havixbeck came together for the pilot phase in 2007. Groups, consisting of four parishes each, were created in cooperation with the Dutch participants from Winterswijk, Hengelo, Wezep and Dinxperloo. On-site meetings were scheduled and information about the situation of the other church was collected. Support was provided – in addition to a self-made ecumenical dictionary – from discussions within the framework of an initial conference about the Westphalian and Dutch reform papers „Church with a Future“ and „Learning to Live through the Joy of Faith”“.
Preliminary Conclusion
- Map of the 3 Cooperative Projects (Please click on the picture to zoom).
After viewing the comprehensive material and preparing the respective parish presentations, all participants were meeting each other with great commitment and manifold expectation. Open questions were answered during the meetings, snapshots were taken and current challenges as well as „fresh expressions“, which set new accents to congregational life, were discussed. Two congregational advisors of both, the Westphalian and the Dutch Church, were available in each group to monitor this process.
Further information of the model project may be obtained from Beate Hessler, Reverend of the Regional Service at the MÖWe Institute.
» beate.hessler@moewe-westfalen.de