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CHRISTMAS
Thankful
SO GLAD THAT YOU'VE FOUND US
In every season of life - at Christmas, thinking about starting out the new year in a new way, or curious about faith - we would love for you to discover a home here, at International Church The Garden.
The Garden is a vibrant, international church where people of all ages, and from more than 30 different countries, come together to learn more about Jesus, to become more like Him and to do as He did: planted in community, rooted in Jesus, growing in faith.
Welcome to
INTERNATIONAL CHURCH THE GARDEN
CHRISTMAS
OUR VISION:
ROOTED in Jesus, as a child of God.
Live out our identity.
"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."
Colossians 2:7
GROW in faith, studying God’s word as His disciples.
Deepen our knowledge.
“... speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15
FLOURISH in life, in relationship with God and one another.
Discover our potential.
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.”
Psalms 92:12-13
FRUITFUL in using our God-given gifts to serve and share the gospel.
Find our purpose.
“...walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
Colossians 1:10
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
Before
Our doors open at 09:30, with parking available nearby.
If you are visiting with children, you can register them for their age-specific groups before the service starts.
Our services are in English and Dutch, with translation available in over 200 languages.
During
We start with worship led by the band, a time to lift our hearts and focus on God together.
Our pastors then share updates, before the children and youth head to their own groups.
The service finishes with a practical, Bible-based message that’s clear, encouraging, and relevant to everyday life.
After
Church doesn’t end when the service does! Do stay for a coffee, connect with others — we would love to get to know you.
Our Welcome Team is here to help you get connected, share info about courses, groups, and upcoming events, and help you find your next step.
GROW in faith, studying God’s word as His disciples – deepening our knowledge.
“... speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
EPHESIANS 4:15 (NIV)
FLOURISH in life, in relationship with God and one another – discover our potential.
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.”
PSALMS 92:12-13 (NIV)
FRUITFUL in using our God-given gifts to serve and share the gospel – find our purpose.
“...walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
COLOSSIANS 1:10 (ESV)
“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7
International Church The Garden is recognised as an ANBI (Public Benefit Organisation). All gifts are therefore tax-deductible in the Netherlands. Your generosity helps us continue the mission and is deeply appreciated.
To support us financially, you can give via bank transfer:
IBAN: NL20 INGB 0008 29 19 96
Account Name: International Church The Garden, Hilversum
“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7
OUR KIDS' MINISTRY
Space for little hearts (and sometimes tiny feet!) to grow
Sunday Morning Program Breakdown:
Babies (0–1 yrs) – White Room (1st floor): A quiet space where parents can care for their baby while watching a live feed of the service.
Toddlers (2–3 yrs) – Yellow Room (2nd floor)
Groups 1–3 (4–6 yrs) – 2nd floor
Groups 4–6 (7–9 yrs) – 2nd floor
Groups 7–8 (10–11 yrs) – 2nd floor
KIDS Check-in is in the lobby downstairs. Please arrive 15 minutes early so you’re seated by 10:00 AM for the service.
Kids stay in the main service until the announcements, then are joyfully dismissed to their classes.
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OUR YOUTH: BRAVE
For Teens 12-17 years
Our BRAVE youth programs are designed to support teens ages 12 to 17 as they explore who they are, build strong friendships, and grow in their relationship with God. Whether on Sundays or Friday nights, teens are invited into a space where they are heard, empowered, and encouraged to live boldly in their faith.
BRAVE Teens (12–14 yrs) – Meets every Sunday during service
BRAVE Youth (14–17 yrs) – Meets every 2nd & 4th Friday evening in Hilversum.
Together, our teens form the Rooter Warriors, a vibrant group of boys and girls who grow together in community. Each meeting begins with games and snacks, followed by a short devotional and honest conversation. We aim to help every teen become passionate for Jesus, confident in their identity, and wise in how they live.
Have a teen looking to connect? Contact Gavriel Groenesteijn, our youth pastor.
Evert and Géraldine know what it means to long for a place to feel rooted — both physically and spiritually — having lived in six different countries as expats with their young famliy.
Géraldine grew up in a pastor-missionary family moving across continents, while Evert - once an atheist - encountered Jesus after his studies, changing his life forever. God spoke into their lives in 2019, when they were still working in the corporate world, and what began as a small gathering in their own back garden, has since grown into International Church The Garden, a living testimony that “God’s ways are higher than our ways” (Isaiah 55:9).
Together, it's their deep conviction that the church should be a place to grow in faith, to be planted in God’s love, and to flourish so that others may “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).
“We’re honoured to serve, to walk alongside others, and to see God’s people flourish.”
FOUNDERS/PASTORS
Evert and Géraldine Nooter
Pastor Herman has served the Lord for over 70 years, since he was just 18 years old, planting more than 30 churches across France, Switzerland, Africa and in the Netherlands. International Church The Garden, however began closer to home - starting and growing in his very own back garden.
General superintendent of the Assemblies of God in the Netherlands (now VPE) (from 1975-1996), Pastor Herman founded Teen Challenge, Haarlem and has held many different board positions in various organisations over the years.
Pastor Herman loves to share the love of God with anyone and everyone he comes in contact with.
FOUNDER/ELDER
Pastor Emeritus Herman van Amerom
Originally from Scotland, and but for a few years in the USA, David and Margret have lived in the Netherlands for many years. They have three (now married) children and four grandchildren.
David has extensive experience in church development and leadership and Margaret's heart is to care for and come alongside those in need. They share a passion for leading people to Jesus, having led many (many!) Alpha courses, and the discipleship course, Freedom in Christ.
"We love being part of this flourishing and international church family, witnessing people becoming disciples of Jesus and growing in their faith".
ELDERS
David and Margaret White
Since he was 20 years of age, Daan has loved the Lord. A retired dentist, Daan has been married to Melinda for more than 50 years, and have two sons and four grandchildren.
Daan has served in the OBED ministry for over 20 years. He has a deep passion for the nation of Israel and all topics related to it.
Studying Scripture is one of his greatest joys.
ELDER
Daan Noorman
Gavrièl is most definitely an evangelist at heart!
He became a Christian when he was 16 years old, and has a deep passion to connect with people and lead them to Jesus. He is studying theology part-time at Christelijke Hogeschool Ede.
As Youth Pastor, Gavrièl leads both our youth ministry "BRAVE" teams (for teenagers aged 12-17 years old), and "GROW" (for young adults aged 18+).
YOUTH PASTOR
Gavrièl Groenesteijn
Copy here from Janneke
KIDS' MINISTRY TEAM LEAD
Janneke van der Werf
Copy here from Esmeralda
FINANCE/KOSTER
Esmeralda Schalkers
Keila, was born in Honduras and grew up in Miami from the age of 13. A year later, she made the decision to make Jesus her Lord and Savior. On September 3, 2012, God called her to serve Him in Holland, and by September 28, she was on a plane to Amsterdam—leaving behind the familiar to follow & obey God's call to serve and trust Him with the unknown.
She is passionate about serving God and others through her gifts in the arts, singing, cooking, and connecting people. As a PK, Keila grew up involved in every aspect of church life, and now serves at The Garden overseeing the Beamer Team, a Garden Group, and is on staff as a Graphic Designer.
DESIGN
Keila Carías
NEWS
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ROOTED
in Jesus, as a child of God – understanding our identity.
"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."
COLOSSIANS 2:7 (NLTL)
GROW
in faith, studying God’s word as His disciples – deepening our knowledge.
“... speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
EPHESIANS 4:15 (NIV)
FLOURISH
in life, in relationship with God and one another – discover our potential.
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.”
PSALMS 92:12-13 (NIV)
FRUITFUL
in using our God-given gifts to serve and share the gospel – find our purpose.
“...walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
COLOSSIANS 1:10 (ESV)
ROOTED
in Jesus, as a child of God – understanding our identity.
"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."
COLOSSIANS 2:7 (NLTL)
GROW
in faith, studying God’s word as His disciples – deepening our knowledge.
“... speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
EPHESIANS 4:15 (NIV)
FLOURISH
in life, in relationship with God and one another – discover our potential.
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.”
PSALMS 92:12-13 (NIV)
FRUITFUL
in using our God-given gifts to serve and share the gospel – find our purpose.
“...walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
COLOSSIANS 1:10 (ESV)
ROOTED
Be rooted in Jesus as children of God – understand your unique identity.
Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."
COLOSSIANS 2:7 (NLTL)
GROW
Grow in faith by studying God’s word and become disciples – deepen your knowledge.
“... speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
EPHESIANS 4:15 (NIV)
FLOURISH
Flourish in life in joyful relationship with God and one another – discover your potential.
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.”
PSALMS 92:12-13 (NIV)
FRUITFUL
Be fruitful in using your God-given gifts to serve and share the gospel – find your purpose.
“...walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
COLOSSIANS 1:10 (ESV)
WHY WE GIVE—WHY WE LIVE GENEROUSLY
Welcome to
INTERNATIONAL CHURCH THE GARDEN
VOYAGERS
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Stage of Life: all ages
Day: Friday, once a month
Time: 18:30-21:30
Location: Soest
Language: Dutch only
Leader(s): Daan
GARDEN GROUP
TRAVELLERS
The Travellers is an English-speaking Bible-study group on a journey to deepen our faith in a relaxed and friendly way.
We come together on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month, in Huizen.
GARDEN GROUP
FOUNDERS/PASTORS
Evert and Géraldine Nooter
Evert & Geraldine, after spending over 10 years as expats in Japan, Australia, the USA, France, and Switzerland, returned to their homeland and settled in Hilversum with their young family. Both pursued their own professions and, with hard work and dedication, achieved significant success: Evert as the founder of a management and consultancy company and Geraldine with her luxury jewelry line.
Unbeknownst to them, XX years later, the Lord would call them to be the founders and pastors of International Church The Garden. Geraldine, the daughter of an evangelist, studied XX at a Bible university in the USA. Evert, through his extensive professional leadership expertise, was called by God to be a pastor. Together, they chose to obey God's call for their lives.
As internationals who have lived abroad, they know first-hand how hard it is to find Christian connections in a new country. This is why, at International Church The Garden, community, fellowship, and multi-cultural aspects are highly valued. Also, their combined skills and commitment drove remarkable growth and prosperity.
Above all, their aim is to lead everyone to Jesus, empower each individual to be deeply rooted in the hope of the Gospel and help people flourish emotionally and spiritually in every aspect of life.
Evert & Geraldine have been married XX years and have three amazing children (and their spouses): Sophia (Henty), Steven (Kim), Juliette (Micha) and one beautiful grandson Lewis. Oh and 2 puppies!
ELDERS
David and Margaret White
David and Margaret White are originally from Scotland and have lived in the Netherlands for many years, with a brief stay in the USA. They have three married children and four grandchildren, all residing in the Netherlands.
Active in various churches throughout their lives, Margaret has a heart for those in need, providing spiritual care and leading Freedom in Christ Discipleship Courses. David has extensive experience in church development and a passion for leading people to Jesus Christ, particularly through Alpha Courses.
After retiring a few years ago, God led them to Hilversum and recently to IC The Garden. They are excited to be part of this flourishing international church, witnessing people grow in their faith and become disciples of Jesus Christ.
In their free time, they enjoy traveling, walking, golfing, photography, and spending time with friends and family.
FOUNDER/ELDER
Pastor Emeritus Herman van Amerom
Pastor Emeritus Herman van Amerom has served the Lord for 70 years, since he was 18 years old. He planted more than 30 churches in France, Switzerland, Africa and the Netherlands.
From 1975-1996 he was general superintendent of the Assemblies of God in the Netherlands (now VPE) and founded Teen Challenge Haarlem and had many other functions on boards of Christian organizations.
Pastor Herman was the driving force behind International Church The Garden as it started and grew in his own backyard. He genuinely loves people and loves to share the love of God with everyone he comes in contact with.
ELDER
Daan Noorman
Since the age of 20, Daan has loved the Lord and served for more than 20 years in OBED ministry.
Now a retired dentist, Daan has been married to Melinda for 50 years. They have been blessed with two sons and four grandchildren.
Daan's great passion is for all-topics related to— and the nation of Israel. Learning about scripture is also a favorite activity of his.
STAFF
Esmeralda Schalkers
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STAFF
Keila Carías
Keila, was born in Honduras and grew up in Miami from the age of 13—just a year before giving her life to Jesus and getting baptized one year later. On September 3, 2012, God called her to serve Him in Holland. That same week, she gave her two-week notice, left her full-time job, and by September 28, she was on a plane to Schiphol—leaving behind family and friends to follow & obey God's call to serve.
She is passionate about serving God and others through her gifts—in the arts, singing, cooking, and connecting with people. As a pastor’s kid, she grew up deeply involved in church life, and that experience shines through in the many ways she serves today. At The Garden, she serves as a Graphic Designer, a software troubleshooter, leads the Beamer team and also a young adult ladies' Garden Group, "Blooming Beauties".
In her free time, you’ll find her cooking up something delicious, working on a DIY project, getting creative with crafts, hanging out with friends, or enjoying a good movie.
STAFF
Gavrièl Groenesteijn
An evangelist at heart! Gavriel's passion is connecting with people and leading them to Jesus.
He grew up in a Christian household and went to church every week. At the age of 16 he decided to take his walk with the Lord more seriously and got baptized. Shortly after he became involved in youth ministry.
After his studies of Marketing & Communication, he attended a Bible seminar in the city of Ede for 2 years.
At ICThe Garden, he is currently the Youth Pastor leading all teenagers 12 years and up. He works alongside other youth leaders.
Gavriel also is responsible of overseeing our Deep Roots Programs such as, Alpha and Freedom in Christ.
In his free time, he loves to exercise, hang out with friends & go into the nature.
ALPHA
Explore life’s profound questions & the Christian faith in a relaxed setting with good food, honest conversation, and the freedom to ask anything—no strings attached. Alpha is a series of interactive sessions designed for anyone curious about life, faith, and the Christian journey, all in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
MINISTRY TEAMS
Our church is supported by the many wonderful volunteers who give their time and expertise to serving in multiple functions from audio/visual to music/worship; from helping in the kids service to managing food and facilities. Visit our Ministry Teams page to find out more and get involved.
HOME GROUPS
Home Groups are an essential part of how we fellowship with one another and grow in faith. Home Groups help us to build each other up while we journey together in life with God. We have more than ten groups, so no matter what your interest is or what season of life you are in, there is always a group to suit you. If you would like to know more, visit the Home Groups page for more information or reach out to us directly.
FUNDAMENTALS
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ALPHA
Alpha is a series of interactive sessions that provide a welcoming, open and casual atmosphere to engage in conversations about life’s big questions. Plus, we kick off each sessions with a delightful meal!
Alpha is open to all who are curious and have a desire to explore life’s profound questions & the Christian faith.
FREEDOM IN CHRIST
This 10-week discipleship course is for people who want to learn how to live out of your identity in Christ, break free from negative sin patterns, identify and remove strongholds, and walk in forgiveness.
ACTS OF KINDNESS
In the midst of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, our church remains committed to providing essential assistance to those affected. Click through for more information about our Acts of Kindness ministry and how you can get involved.
OUR SERVICES
You are welcome! No matter where you are in life and in your journey with God, you can be confident you have a place here at International Church The Garden.
ALPHA
Explore life’s profound questions & the Christian faith in a relaxed setting with good food, honest conversation, and the freedom to ask anything—no strings attached. Alpha is a series of interactive sessions designed for anyone curious about life, faith, and the Christian journey, all in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.