Vineyard Assen has been moved to Groningen
Vineyard Assen, formerly known as the International Christian Church Assen (ICCA), was
founded by NAM and SHELL employees in 1982. Our mission statement and calling is to serve
the international, multi-cultural English-speaking community in the north of the Netherlands.
Today our congregation comes from a radius of about 40 km, from Zuidhorn to Emmen. As we,
the Leadership Team of Vineyard Assen, have been seeking God’s direction for the future of His
church He has impressed upon us a number of things:
1. The transition to Vineyard (September 2009) has been smooth and brought broader
accountability and support for the Leadership Team, allowed us to be a part of something
bigger than ourselves, and increased the resources and opportunities available to us,
among other things.
2. God is doing something special in Vineyard Assen. There is a softness and sensitivity to
God and His Spirit throughout the congregation. There is also a real sense of family and
community that is growing.
3. The international English-speaking community is shrinking in Assen while expanding in
Groningen.
4. Every member of the Vineyard Assen family is valuable and significant.
5. The newest members that God is bringing to our congregation are native Dutch speakers.
6. God is stirring our hearts to reach more of the international community in the north of
the Netherlands while at the same time continuing to serve our Dutch brothers and sisters
who are responding to the Vineyard DNA.
7. In 2006 when Vineyard Assen was ICCA, God impressed upon the Council (the
Leadership Team) that he was calling the church to move. At that time it was determined
that this was to be a move to Vineyard, not a physical move. Still the seeds were planted,
and in October 2010 as Vineyard Assen with the closing of the Nathaniel Kerk in Assen
the Leadership Team was faced with this question again.
Therefore in order to stay true to our calling and with these things in mind, we know that
God is leading us as a church family to move to Groningen. Some specific details about the
relocation process of Vineyard Assen that is currently underway:
- Sunday services will continue as they are in Assen until the end of December 2011.
Regular Sunday morning services will discontinue to Assen in December and begin in
Groningen in January 2012.
- We have formed a “Building Team” that is working to identify possible locations in
Groningen. It is our desire to announce the new location by November 2011.
We have formed a “Pioneer Team” for Assen that is exploring how we can continue with
a presence in Assen.
- We will intentionally continue to do our best to make sure that every member of the
congregation will be able to travel to Groningen once the move has been made.
- The Leadership Team is open to dialogue with anyone who would like to know more
about this decision
Please take the Prayer Challenge and daily pray for Vineyard Assen and for God’s
leading and guidance through this process. We need to be diligent in prayer and fasting
now more than ever.
As we press on in the coming months let us remember these words from Jeremiah 17:7-8:
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree
planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its
leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Please come back and visit this website often for more information. Updates will be posted
as soon as more information becomes available.
The Vineyard Assen Leadership Team
