Reformed Church opens ‘megachurch’ in Yerseke which can accommodate 2,000 people

The Reformed Church is opening a ‘megachurch’ in Yerseke this weekend. The most impressive part is the tower that rises 45 meters above the land of Zeeland.

The opening of a new church in the Netherlands, especially one of this size, is wonderful news. Due to secrecy and declining church attendance, many churches are now forced to close.

But that doesn’t bother the Reformed Church. The number of members is only increasing. In Opheusden, Gelderland, the former Reformed Church built a church with 2,850 seats, the largest church in the Netherlands in terms of the number of seats. And now there is the church in Yerseke where 2000 people can attend service at the same time.

But the megachurch didn’t happen overnight, he wrote Broadcasting Zeeland. When the church council presented the first plans for a large new church on the edge of the town with more than 7,000 residents in 2015, there was immediate criticism.

“I now look out over a meadow where I see lambs being born, which will soon become a church,” replied a resident at the information evening. Other residents were afraid in Yerseke before traffic, not only on Sunday, but also during the week at weddings and funerals, thirteen local people hired a lawyer to stop the construction of the h – church.

The Reformed Church changed the plans slightly, but criticism continued. There was also fear in politics of “horizontal pollution” and (also) busy roads. In March 2017, the local PvdA proposed to choose another location. The CDA raised concerns about noise pollution. Nevertheless, a majority of the town council, in which the SGP is the largest party, agreed in July 2017 to the construction of the megachurch at the planned location.

But even then, construction could not begin immediately. A number of local residents went to the State Council. They decided in March 2019 that the church could be built, but that the building and tower would have to be taller than expected. Measures also had to be taken to direct the flow of cars.

In the meantime, costs went up. Not only because of the procedures, but also because the prices of building materials and contractors rose. According to one of the members of the church, who wants to remain anonymous, the cost of the church already exceeded 20 million euros. Large size, as the construction was not subsidized and fully funded by the members. Nevertheless, the first pile was driven on September 22, 2022, after which the new building was completed within two years.

The new church, built entirely of orange brick and with a large roof, was designed by Van Beijnum Architects. The building also has seven rooms for societies, a sexton’s house, a parsonage and a mortuary. Outside there is a cemetery and parking for 353 cars.

A number of local residents at Omroep Zeeland are now responding enthusiastically. “I think it’s a beautiful building and I’m curious to see what it looks like on the inside,” said one of them. Another local resident is happy to see the clock on the tower. “I can now keep track of the time from our backyard,” she says.

A church member also responded positively. “Recently not everyone in the church has been able to attend a special service such as the baptism of children. I hope we now have enough space for that.”

Saturday is an open day at the church, Sunday is the first service.