By Anton Lutter.
At the Grote Kerk in the center of The Hague Mayor Mrs Pauline Krikke met with the representatives of Community of Churches of The Hague (Haagse Gemeenschap van Kerken) for the first time.
The Community of Churches was founded in 1968 with the purpose to cooperate between the different Christian churches in The Hague. This also truly international ecumenical organisation consists of the following denominations: American Protestant Church, Anglican Church, Apostolisch Genootschap, Baptisten Gemeente, Deutsche Evangelische Gemeinde, Doopsgezinde Gemeente, Ekklesia, Evangelisch Lutherse Gemeente, Evangelische Broedergemeente, Gereformeerde Kerk den Haag Oost, Gereja Kristen Indonesia Nederland, Leger des Heils (Salvation Army), Oud Katholieke Parochie, Orthodoxe Communauteit HH Bonifatius, Protestantse Gemeente (Dutch Protestant), Quakers, Remonstrantse Gemeente, Rooms Katholieke Kerk, Waalse Kerk (Huguenot), Vrije Evangelische Gemeente, Zevende Dag Adventisten (Seventh Day Adventists).
The Hague Community of Churches is chaired by Dr. Ad van der Helm, vicar of the Roman-Catholic Church in The Hague, adjunct-professor of Church Law at the Leuven Catholic University and, amongst many other positions, vice-officiaal of the ecclesiastical court in Surinam.
Van der Helm, who showed the mayor around the stands of the different religious organisations, pressed on the importance of volunteer workers. Their contribution to society is enormous, visiting the sick en elderly, organising social meetings, caring for the abandoned. The professionals of religious organisations are also involved in mental health care. The mayor was duly impressed, noting “Your wish to help all people and your large network touches me deeply”.
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Source of the photo’s: www.
