Noordbroek (Groningen, Netherlands)

Noordbroek and the adjacent Nieuw-Scheemda are villages in the Dutch province of Groningen, the seat of a Mennonite congregation. Its origin is still unknown. It is however known that there were at first two congregations, one of them in Noordbroek, the other, as Blaupot ten Gate supposes, called Nieuw-Scheemda or Scheemder-hamrik, another name for the place "Klein-Oldambt," which name is found on the list of preachers and in the records of the Groningen Sociëteit (Conference) of the Old Flemish until 1743. Both congregations belonged to this Sociëteit. Noordbroek was also the home of the noted Elder Uko Walles, who was banned in 1637.

Both congregations suffered grievously in the "Martini" flood, which put a part of the province of Groningen under water in 1686. In Klein-Oldambt four men and eight women, and 27 children perished, besides many cattle; in Noordbroek the damage was limited to cattle. In 1717 another flood caused a great deal of damage, drowning many cattle.

In 1738 there were still two independent congregations, which apparently united about 1740. In 1811 a new church was built in Noordbroek, and in 1840 one in Scheemda, and also a parsonage in Noordbroek. The church in Nieuw-Scheemda was used until 1919.

The membership, which stood at 93 in 1733, had sunk to 50 by 1795; in 1840 it had risen to 85, in 1900, 82, and in 1957 decreased to 28.

The first minister whose name has come down to us was Albert Feyes (d. 1650), elder; others were Claes Jansen, Hendrik Sybes, Jacob Alberts, preachers in the 17th century, and the preacher Albert Hendriks (d. 1760) serving from 1722, Peter Harms (d. 1768) from 1733, Albert Jans (d. 1770) from 1738, Jan Peters (d. 1760) from 1751, Harm Roelofs (d. 1791) from 1753, Otto Willems 1764-1788, Jacob Harkes 1776-1796, Hendrik Bavink 1786-1789, and Pieter Harmens de Vries 1790-1796. Isaack ten Kate (d. 1839), who served here in 1796-1836, was the last untrained preacher of the congregations, the first preacher educated at the Amsterdam Seminary being Jacob Bodisco, who served at Noordbroek and Nieuw- Scheemda 1840-1849. He was followed by H. ten Cate Hoedemaker 1850-1852, F. J. Klaasesz 1853-1858, J. ten Bruggencate 1859-1871, P. E. Lugt 1872-1874, B. ten Bruggencate 1874-1900, Iz. Hulshoff 1901-1903, J. H. van Giessen 1904-1906, and J. M. Vis 1907-1945. After Vis's resignation the pastor of Sappemeer was charged with the preaching and catechetical service in Noordbroek.

Bibliography

Cate, Steven Blaupot ten. Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Groningen, Overijssel en Oost-Friesland, 2 v. Leeuwarden: W. Eekhoff en J. B. Wolters, 1842: I, passim, see Index.

Doopsgezinde Bijdragen (1879): 5, 7 f.

Doopsgezind Jaarboekje (1840): 52; (1850): 57.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. III, 265.

Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. Inventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884: II, Nos. 2146-2149.

Author(s)	Nanne van der Zijpp
Date Published	1957

Cite This Article

MLA style

Zijpp, Nanne van der. "Noordbroek (Groningen, Netherlands)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 10 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Noordbroek_(Groningen,_Netherlands)&oldid=144501.

APA style

Zijpp, Nanne van der. (1957). Noordbroek (Groningen, Netherlands). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 10 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Noordbroek_(Groningen,_Netherlands)&oldid=144501.

---

©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.