Spe Gaudentes
In the heart of
Amsterdam
Faith through action
Oudezidjs 100
Spe Gaudentes
Chapel of the ordinari
man (Allemanskapel)
The chapel of every day, where
everithing begins and ends. A place of community and inspiration. Back to the
source. The “Allemanskapel”of St. Joris is the true heart of
Oudezijds 100.
Community
As a prayer community
we discover that we are all beggars with empity hands, waiting for them to be
find. The community comes together for prayer in the Allemanskapel twice
daily.
The chapel is the heart
of:
A living community,
spread over ten houses in the red light district of Amsterdam and the
community’s retreat in Friesland. A community where everione has a place
with his/her own gifts and questions.
A working community,
which seeks to pave a path through the jungle of modern sociery towards the
promised Kingdom.
Spe Gaudentes
The centre of Oudezijds 100 is
the community Spe Gaudentes: a “happy open cloister” of matrried and
unmarried men and women ferm different church traditions. Spe Gaudentes is
surrounded by other members of Oudezijds 100, each in his/her own selfchosen
function. Oudezijds 100 seeks to give this community life form, in the following
activities:
Fatherhouse
A place of hospitality and
welcome, a place for coffee and meals:here community is celebrated. This is also
the place where we ourselves live and seek our own identity. A place where there
is also room for others to share in the community.
Guesthouse (Crisis
intervention centre)
The guesthouse offers help to
people with different sort of problems – primarily addictions and
socio-psychologial problems. The therapeutical method used here has been widely
recognised and is followed in many similar centres. Our internal therapy
consists of phased guidance ending with a period of supervised living in one of
our houses.
There is a créche for
children of the community’s inhabitant’s and guests, where
observation is also provided for.
Kruispost
A medico- deaconal (first) aid
centre. The “Kruispost” assists inhabitants, workers and visitors of
the centre of Amsterdam without discrimination. The Kruispost is primarily
available for assistance to uninsured, homeless and refugees.
Inloop (General social
work)
Adjoining the
“Kajuit” (reception) is a meeting area where it is also possible, if
desired, to receive professional assistance. Six social workers are available,
each with his/her own specialisation. The Amsterdam City Council has given
Oudezijds 100 the special task looking after South American women, amongst whom
are many prostitutes.
Onderdak (supervised
living)
In the same street as the main
community houses there are a number of other houses with room for supervised
living. Living in the community’s accommodation always aims towards the
(re)gaining of independence. The supervised living programme is the logical
continuation of the Guest house. In addition, it is possible to go straight into
the accommodation, or for those under the Guided living programme to spend some
time living with the community.
Maria ter Claesze
The community’s
“retreat” is located in the Friesian countryside – a place to
get a breath of fresh air!. Two small farms with additional vuildings offer
accommodation to youth groups, visitors and guests from the guest housre in
Amsterdam.
Bible study weekends are
organised at Maria ter Claesze on the theme “Faith, Through Action”,
during which we explore the question of the biblical purpose if our daily life
in the practice of Word and Deed.
Projects (activities
under decelopment)
Bouschrâ
An Arabic scool for the
children of North African families This school, which has been recognised by the
Ministries for Education in both The Netherlands and Morocco, aims to promote
friendship between Muslims and Christians based on their different identities,
and thereby to combat fundamentalism.
Kishenyi:
(Uganda)
A missionary project for
medical and agricultural development in a remote district of Uganda. The project
is led in the field by a Ugandan agricultural engineer who grew up in the area,
and who has been for a number of years a member of the community spending
several periods living at Maria ter Claesze.
Kazan (Tatarstan,
Russian Federation)
A co-operative project in the
field of social work, treatment of drug addicts, and agricultural
development.
Kommunitaire
Gemeenschap
Oudezijds 100
Communiteit Spe
Gaudentes
Address:
Oudezijds Achterburgwal
100
1012 DS
Amsterdam
Tel: 020 – 626 66
34
Fax: 020 – 627 72
83
Stichting Oudezijds
100
Postgiro:
640700
or
ABN Amro bank: 41 36 46
602