After ten years of bickering, there is finally clarity about the fate of the Grote Kerk in Beverwijk. For the symbolic amount of one euro, the Protestants transfer the medieval building to a new foundation, which will manage the property. There is great relief among the volunteers who have been organizing all kinds of activities in the church in recent years. After the transfer, they can continue their work in the ‘people’s church’, as they call the monument.
The transfer brings an end to a matter that has been dragging on for years and has been a major concern. We are not talking about just any building. The old medieval church is the oldest and most iconic building in the city. Even more emotion is attached to the adjacent Wijkertoren, seen by many Beverwijk residents as the symbol of the city. The dark clouds that have been gathering over the monument for ten years have left no one untouched.
Too big
The church is owned by the PGB, the Protestant Municipality of Beverwijk, who left the building ten years ago because it had become too large. It has been for sale ever since, but a buyer has not been found. Other religious communities, companies or converting the church into apartments, many options were discussed, but all failed.
Meanwhile, the empty church has been rented for years by an association led by the Wijk aan Zee village philosopher Bert Kisjes. The concerts and meetings that the volunteers organize attract more and more visitors, but under constant threat of sales. The association and PGB have also argued for years about the fate of the church.
How that works, colleague Bart Kerstjens explains briefly and concisely in this video:
Grote Kerk Beverwijk explainer – NH News
The well-known Beverwijk entrepreneur Jan Boudesteijn will become chairman of this new Stichting Beheer Grote Kerk. Both people from the PGB and from the association of Kisjes are on the board. With this, both clubs join forces to secure the future of the monument. ,,This is an important step forward”, says Boudesteijn. “We have been talking about it for a long time, but now there is a solution.”
Main tenant
The association becomes the main tenant and can continue its activities undisturbed. In addition, the Protestants also return to the church for their weekly services. Marcel Lindeman of the PGB emphasizes how important this step is for the Protestants. “We have now really spoken out,” he says. “That we embrace and want to continue the ideas of the association and, as it were, hand over the church to the Beverwijk population. In addition, it is of course very nice that churchgoers can hold their services there again.”
“There is a real need for a meeting place in Beverwijk”
There is also hope for a happy ending within the De Grote Kerk Association. “We have built up a lot of expertise in recent years,” says Serge Heman, who coordinates the activities on behalf of the association. “More and more audiences know where to find us. In addition to concerts, there are also all kinds of social institutions that use the space. There is a real need in Beverwijk for a meeting place like this and we don’t want to lose that.”
The association is driven by Bert Kisjes. His philosophy is that the building should remain a church, not reserved for a particular religious community, but for everyone. A ‘human church’ as a central meeting place in the city.
Three years ago, Bert Kisjes explained his vision in this video we made:
200310_CONCILIE_EMPTY_CHURCHES – NH News
With this solution, the worries are not over yet, Boudesteijn explains. Money is needed to renovate the church and make it future-proof. “We buy the church for one euro and receive a budget from the PGB that has yet to be determined, but that will not cover the costs. More than two million is needed for overdue maintenance, restoration costs and a refurbishment. Think of better toilets, mobile stages and a professional catering interpretation. The heating also needs to be addressed in connection with the heating costs. It must be nice and warm before we can receive the older churchgoers.”
Sponsors
He hopes to get the remaining amount together with sponsors and using subsidy pots. Regardless, he remains optimistic. “I foresee a bright future, together with the association. On a personal note, I would like to add that I hope that confidence will become so great that we as a foundation and association can eventually merge into an entity that will take care of the interpretation and preservation of this beautiful building.”
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