Pauluskerk
Leerdam, NL
In the post-war period, Leerdam expanded strongly in the Leerdam-West district. Church services had also been held there since the sixties; namely in the Rehoboth building on the Tiendweg. However, this building gradually became too small for the congregation, so plans were made for a new church in West. The church was placed on the Europaplein, where it was given a dominant position – at the end of the Joost de Jongestraat – partly because its tower is visible from afar. The construction was carried out by the firm Schuite & De Graaf. The building, which can accommodate 600 people, was designed as a rectangle, with the actual church building as the main part, behind which are several ancillary rooms. The foundation stone was laid on 6 February 1960, while the official opening took place on 26 January 1961. The celebrant in the service at the opening was the then district minister, ds. K. Ooms. His sermon was about 'the miraculous catch of fish' from Luke 5. This choice of text had to do with the image of the miraculous catch of fish on the north wall of the church. In 1988, the adjacent rooms were thoroughly renovated and expanded. The large 'Rehoboth Hall' was also created (which now has the image of the miraculous catch of fish on the inner wall). These rooms now offer all the possibilities for the various forms of church youth work; and are also very regularly rented out to third parties.