The Association of Managers of Monumental Church Buildings, the VBMK, which is committed to monumental church buildings, is a national association that managers and owners of churches can join. All religious denominations with monumental buildings are welcome as members; it is a collection of church administrators. The association is committed to good management and preservation of small and large, iconic and monumental church buildings in the city and in the countryside. The first goal is to save churches from the demolition hammer. The VMBK can then provide support with the plan for operating the building.
For the preservation of small and imposing church buildings
- Monumental church buildings
- Dechurchification and demolition hammer
- Association for owner and manager of the church
- Exploiting church buildings
- Director
- VBMK
- Regional meeting
Monumental church buildings
Every village and every city has a church building. Often there are more than one. They are small churches and large imposing buildings, simple and old, large and monumental. There is great diversity in the appearance of Dutch churches. They are part of Dutch society and have great significance in the lives of religious communities and local residents. The bells are heard, weddings, baptisms and burials take place in the church. Many people live with the church.
Dechurchification and demolition hammer
Since secularization continued in the 1960s and beyond, many buildings lost their function as houses of worship. Managing the building was like a millstone around the neck of many owners. Church administrators had to look for new sources of income and the problem of good and responsible management was emphatically on the agenda.
Too often the church could not escape the demolition hammer or the cultural heritage had to be protected and saved from destruction. A number of church administrators then joined forces and founded the Association of Administrators of Monumental Church Buildings in the Netherlands (VBMK) in 1981.
Collaboration with monument organizations
The VBMK collaborates with other monument organizations, such as:
- The National Restoration Fund;
- The Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands
The association regularly consults with:
- The Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG);
- Heritage Netherlands;
- Many other organizations that also have monumental heritage in the Netherlands on their agenda.
Association for owner and manager of the church
The association supports managers and owners of monumental church buildings. The association is committed to ensuring good management of all monumental church buildings in the country and to publicize the multifunctional uses of the churches as much as possible. The VBMK also represents the interests of its members and positions itself as a discussion partner in politics and government. The churches can be used for the following activities, among others:
- exhibition space;
- wedding ceremonies;
- baptize;
- rent for the tenant’s own activity.
Exploiting church buildings
The VBMK is a source of information for its members when it comes to managing and operating church buildings. The association also promotes a professional method of exploitation so that the future of the monumental building is guaranteed.
Members
Church foundations, dioceses and church administrators can become members of the VMBK. The association has a total of 180 members from national, regional and local organizations. The membership base collectively represents hundreds of churches, spread across the country and from all religious denominations, from the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam – where the inauguration of Queen Beatrix took place and in that church the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander was on April 30, 2013 – to the Old Groninger Churches Foundation.
The contribution is €125 per year, for which members are kept informed of the activities of the VBMK and developments in the field of church management. The VBMK helps to increase knowledge about church management and is committed to the preservation of church heritage.
Director
Michiel Zonnevylle, former mayor of Leiderdorp and former mayor of Ameland, is the chairman of the board.
VBMK
visiting address
Girls’ House
Oude Delft 116Delft
Mailing address
VBMK
Erfgoedhuis ZHPostbus 30922601 DB Delft
Telephone: 015 215 4395the office is available on ThursdaysFax: 015 215 4399E mail: [email protected]: www.vbmk.nl
Regional meeting
The VBMK members regularly hold regional meetings. In May 2018 it was in Friesland, because of Leeuwarden Cultural Capital 2018. The meeting was organized together with the Alde Fryske Tsjerken Foundation (SAFT). Every regional meeting has a theme and fitting for LF2018 that was ‘Tourism’. The Frisian country has many churches that are worth visiting.
Source: Under de Toer
Alde Fryske Tsjerken Foundation and LF2018
Churches are also explicitly part of the LF2018 program. Under de toer (Under the tower) is a series of performances that are played in and near various churches in Friesland. A total of 32 performances are given during the festival year in one of the 750 churches in the province. They are art manifestations where the community works together with artists. Activities in the churches include:
- Marijke Muoi in the Jacobijnerkerk in Leeuwarden
- Anna Maria in the Nicolaaskerk in Wiuwert
- Hair in the wind in the Mattheus Church in Langezwaag
- The sacred deer of Cambuur in the Agneskerk Goutum
- A night in the Sint Janskerk in the Sint Janskerk in Hoorn on Terschelling
- Slauerhoff – In Memoriam Patris in the Village Church in Huizum
- Tusken Twa Tuorren in the Sint Martinus Church in Warga
read more
- Sint Clemenskerk in Nes on Ameland – Cuyperskerk
- Cuypers Society and Pierre Cuypers
- Former mayor of Ameland: Albert de Hoop
- Reliplan – Brokers for churches and monasteries
- Clemens Church in Nes on Ameland – reconstruction of a national monument