Date: Tue, 01 Jun 1999 06:37:42 -0400 From: Darrell Todd Maurina Organization: Christian Renewal/United Reformed News Service Subject: NR 99043: GKN Membership Drops Below 700,000 for First Time Since 1954 NR #1999-043: Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland Membership Drops Below 700,000 for First Time Since 1954; Membership Loss Now 20.8% Since 1971 Peak of 870,349 Last year the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland lost 12,994 members, reducing their total membership to 688,942 members. This means that, for the first time since 1954, these churches have now less than 700,000 members, according to their newly published 1999 yearbook. The decline and aging of their membership means that many local churches are struggling with financial problems, writes Mrs. H. Dolstra-Muggen in the church review section. For the first time in years it was necessary to raise the quota - the amounts of money that local churches should raise to finance denominational expenses.. NR #1999-043: For Immediate Release: Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland Membership Drops Below 700,000 for First Time Since 1954; Membership Loss Now 20.8% Since 1971 Peak of 870,349 Copyright (C)1999 Nederlands Dagblad Translated by Simone Kennedy Distributed by United Reformed News Service LEUSDEN, THE NETHERLANDS (May 6, 1999) URNS - Last year the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland lost 12,994 members, reducing their total membership to 688,942 members. This means that, for the first time since 1954, these churches have now less than 700,000 members, according to their newly published 1999 yearbook. The decline and aging of their membership means that many local churches are struggling with financial problems, writes Mrs. H. Dolstra-Muggen in the church review section. For the first time in years it was necessary to raise the quota - the amounts of money that local churches should raise to finance denominational expenses. Pedophilia Issue Troubles GKN "A number of things occurred this year that I had rather not seen happen," writes Mrs. Dolstra in her introduction. Most disturbing among them were the conflict surrounding the future name of the Together-on-the-Way church and the "pedophilia issue" that arose after the publication of an article by Mr. L. C. van Drimmelen. This last issue caused the complete executive committee of the synod - Mrs. Dolstra was one of its four members - to resign. Synodical president Rev. Richard Vissinga decided not to seek re-election, while the other three members were re-elected. But not all news was bad news. Mrs. Dolstra was glad to mention the synodical report on the Sabbath and the participation of the churches in a protest against the introduction of a 24-hour economy in the Netherlands, in which a committee, led by Rev. K. H. Wigboldus, succeeded in collecting over 800,000 signatures over a short period of time. Cross-References to Related Articles: [No related articles on file] Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland Burg. de Beaufortweg 18, 3833 AG Leusden, Postbus 202, 3830 AE Leusden O: [31] (033) 496 03 60 * F: [31] (033) 494 87 07 Rev. Richard S. E. Vissinga, Past President, Synod of the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland Watermunt 11, 8265 EL Kampen, NETHERLANDS ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive99: nr99-043.txt .