CCG is made up of people who believe in Jesus. We are Groningen residents from all over the world. We are people with our own stories, just like you. We are a church that comes together to celebrate the life of Jesus.
You may know us from our annual Neighborhood BBQ in June or our cozy Christmas dinner. This year, we also opened Neighborhood Café Herder, serving lunch every first and third Friday of the month.
On Sundays, you are welcome to attend a service from 10:00 AM. The service is often in three languages: Dutch, Dutch Sign Language (NGT), and English.
about us
“We are a church that comes together to celebrate that Jesus is alive.”
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As a church, we are called to be witnesses in the neighborhood. This applies to where we are as individual Christians and where we gather as a whole church. Our church building (Goede Herderkerk) is located in the heart of the Selwerderwijk Zuid neighborhood, part of the Korrewegwijk district. We strive to be good neighbors and welcome coffee and a chat. We serve the neighborhood with various initiatives and facilitate activities of other neighborhood organizations.
One of these neighborhood initiatives is Neighborhood Café Herder. Read more about Neighborhood Café Herder below.
3. the neighborhood
Welcome to Groningen and welcome to CCG! We love Internationals! Jesus gave His life for the Nations and He said that the house of the Lord should be filled with people from the nations. If Jesus loves people from all over the world, so do we.
In the new season we’re starting off with an Internationals Small Group. During the week we come together for a meal, prayer & bible and to meet one another. This can be a place to bring your friends or colleagues. The main language spoken would be English.
At the service we provide for translation via headsets. We’re not professionals but we try our best to serve you well in this.
2. INTERNATIONALS
CCG has a long history with deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Someone once said, "The Deaf community has something to offer the hearing church in the worship of Jesus." This may sound obvious, but we often view being deaf as a shortcoming and a loss. We celebrate the differences in culture and expressions of faith, and it's wonderful what the Deaf community adds to the church as a whole. We certainly recognize the practical challenges in our services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. We address this by regularly having an NGT interpreter present in the service.
During the week, a small NGT group meets in people's homes for fellowship, Bible study, and prayer. There is also a monthly Sunday gathering in the Deaf Clubhouse.
1. NGT
One of the neighborhood initiatives is Neighborhood Café Herder. On Thursday afternoons, the WIJ team is present to answer questions from residents. Every first and third Friday of the month, there's a Join-in Lunch. Residents are welcome to join us at a deliciously set table. Sometimes Iranian, sometimes Malay, or Moroccan dishes are served. A wonderful reflection of the diverse neighborhood at the table!
Around the beginning of summer, we traditionally organize the Neighborhood BBQ. The whole neighborhood is invited to join in the fun.
At Christmas, the festive tableware is brought out of the cupboard, and residents and CCG members are treated to a delicious, traditional Christmas meal. A true delight!
neighborhood cafe 'shepherd'
The elder team currently consists of four men: Dick, Teun, Arie, and Dirk-Jan. Teun leads the team. The elder team is surrounded by trusted women and men in a so-called "leadership council." This is a group of people who come together in biblical fellowship to pray and speak about the health of the church.
As a church, we are connected to the "Relational Mission" family of churches. This "Apostolic Network" is led by the ministry of an apostle in the persons of Mike Betts, Stef Liston, and Maurice Nightingale. We have regular contact with Maurice, and we believe this ministry is beneficial to the health of CCG. As a church, we are independent, but not self-sufficient. This is expressed in a voluntary submission to the apostolic authority represented by these individuals. This occurs on a relational basis, not based on hierarchy or status.
Leadership is important. We believe that Jesus builds His Church and that the church is led by the Holy Spirit. In the Bible, we see that Jesus gives gifts—in people—to the church for its edification, and that the Holy Spirit appoints people as "overseers." Therefore, leadership also involves people who take on specific responsibilities within the church.
Jesus is clear that leadership is about service and humility. These are some of the most important characteristics of leadership in CCG. Therefore, leadership is not based on hierarchy and is not about achieving and maintaining a specific position. Within the church as the Body of Christ, there are different roles, members, and functions. We see this manifest in the various teams within the church.
The elder team is appointed by the Holy Spirit to oversee the church. Oversight means looking at the health of the entire church from a pastoral perspective and taking responsibility from that perspective. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in consultation with others, the elders oversee the church's course, ensuring it fulfills its calling. The church is called to serve God, love one another, and be a witness in the world. This determines the church's course.
“Jesus is clear that leadership is about service and humility”
LEADERSHIP AT CCG
children at ccg
We love children! Jesus says, "Let the children come to Me," and that's exactly what we do. We go with the children to Jesus. Meeting Jesus is central to everything we do. We tailor our language and approach as much as possible to the age group. Below is an overview of each age group and the relevant offerings.
The youngest children in the lower grades of primary school have their own meeting every Sunday (with the exception of the 'Family Service').
3. primary school group 1-5
For the toddlers, there's a festive gathering on the ground floor every week. In a beautifully decorated room, we have a wonderful time together getting to know Jesus and honoring Him. We enjoy it when the children play, listen to a Bible story, sing and dance, and enjoy something delicious to eat and drink.
2. Toddlers
You can use a room to feed or change your baby at your own convenience. Feel free to ask one of our administrators or a local church member. Feel free to join us for the service with your child. Children make noise, and we often enjoy that. We try to be considerate of each other as much as possible, and tolerance is a great asset!
1. baby's
Every first Sunday of the month, we celebrate Jesus' life with the entire (church) family in a "Family Service." This service has a more relaxed atmosphere and is more accessible to all ages. Almost all age groups participate in the service. For example, you might see one of the teenagers leading the service, and often you can admire the fantastic dance group (made up entirely of children!) led by teenagers Sophie and Tessa on stage! Afterward, we share a meal together with what we brought together. You're very welcome!
6. family services
Youth ministry at CCG is being rebuilt. A monthly meeting on Sunday mornings at the CCG café and occasional outings to events like the EO Youth Day are also taking place. A monthly youth breakfast is also organized in Haren at CCG members' homes. This has left us wanting more!
5. teenagers
The children in grades 6-8 regularly stay for the service in the main hall. Two Sundays a month, they have their own gathering in the CCG café.