Association of Free Missionary Churches
| Association of Free Missionary Congregations (VFMG) |
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|---|---|
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| founding | December 9, 1967 |
| founder | Peter Zürcher |
| Seat | Rubigen , Switzerland |
| main emphasis | Free Church |
| Action space | Switzerland |
| Chair | Thomas Knupp |
| Employees | approx. 85 |
| Members | approx. 4,000 |
| Website | www.vfmg.ch |
The Association of Free Mission Communities (VFMG) is a free church with evangelical - Protestant tradition in Switzerland. The association has more than 40 independent local communities in German-speaking and French -speaking Switzerland . The association performs joint overarching tasks, such as missions, child and youth work, the implementation of events throughout Switzerland and the further training of employees.
History of the VFMG
On December 9, 1967, the Free Missionary Congregations (FMG) split off from the Evangelical Brothers' Association (today Congregation for Christ ) and merged into the Association of Free Missionary Congregations (VFMG) under the direction of Peter Zürcher. Zürcher was previously an evangelist, preacher and a leading member of the Brothers' Association, which, together with 44 fellow campaigners, revolted against the delimiting and legal doctrine and centralistic and authoritarian leadership and sought changes in vain. The FMG congregations under the leadership of Peter Zürcher, Hans Bärtschi, Ernst Trachsel, Hans Wüthrich, Erich Mauerhofer and Werner Uhlmann gave themselves a more open and autonomous structure, freed themselves from some special teachings and legalities of the brother association and promoted missionary and youth work. Other important players were Karl Dollenmeier, Fritz Pfister, Jakob Zürcher and René Richard. Within a short period of time, around 70 congregations and meeting places were created. In particular, the introduction of the free election of the brother council delegates by the congregations was a concern.
Missionary work in Austria began as early as 1968, in 1971 Erino Dapozzo's evangelistic work in Sicily was supported and in 1972 a work was started in France . After the severe earthquake in southern Italy in 1980 , the Mission in Volturara near Avellino first founded a kindergarten and later a small church. In Sicily, together with communities in the city of Nicosia and elsewhere, the Il Faro aid organization for single mothers with their children was founded. In 2020, the network of churches called Unione Chiese Bibliche Cristiane (UCBC) included 35 churches across Italy.
In 1974 VFMG bought the "Friedegg" hotel in Aeschi (BE) . With this house, the VFMG was able to present itself to the outside world and had a center for its own events until it closed in 2009. In 1975, its own statutes were adopted, the VFMG received regulations and the board was expanded from four to seven members. In 1976 the Wydenhof retirement and nursing home in Rubigen (BE) was purchased. In 1985, Strategy Paper I was published, with which there was a slow move away from the travel preacher system. As a result, preachers were stationed in larger congregations.
From 1986 to 2002, Sam Moser, who had been involved from the start, became the head of the community association. In 1987 the VFMG joined the Association of Evangelical Free Churches and Congregations in Switzerland (VFG), which meant a further opening to the other free churches. As a result, there was an even closer cooperation with the Free Evangelical Churches (FEG) and the Chrischona Churches , which enabled the organization of church building congresses. Strategy Paper II of 1993 contained impulses for the community growth movement in the USA, which were adapted to Swiss conditions. In 1994 the VFMG was accepted as a sponsor in the Federation of Protestant Swiss Young Flocks (BESJ).
From 2002 to 2008 Paul Beyeler succeeded Sam Moser. In 2006, 45 municipalities belonged to the association, seven of which were located in French-speaking Switzerland. Almost 50 full-time and part-time employees were employed, and an additional 35 people were in the missionary service. From 2008 to 2015 Markus Häsler was head of the association. In 2009, on the initiative of the leadership of the church for Christ, a reconciliation meeting took place to deal with the split of 1967.
aims
The VFMG pursues the following goals:
- Proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and performing diaconal tasks at home and abroad.
- Development and support of communities in Switzerland and in the neighboring countries of France, Italy and Austria.
- Care of the community through common events.
- Training of employees for various areas of community work.
- Management of houses for those in need of relaxation and the elderly.
All expenses are financed by donations. In the mission, she primarily supports the worldwide commitment for Christ WEC, the Bible translators from Wycliff and the Swiss Record Mission .
Doctrine and Creed
The individual congregations of the Association of Free Missionary Congregations have a confession that is based on statements from Reformation and Evangelical Christianity. Anyone who fully recognizes the Holy Scriptures as the basis of their faith, believes in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord, wants to follow him and actively participate in community life can become a member. Everyone who wants to practice their faith with a view to the finished sacrifice of Jesus is invited to the Lord's Supper. The baptism of adults on the confession of faith is taught and practiced, but is not a criterion for membership.
Structure of the VFMG
In 2008 there were over 40 Free Missionary Churches, by 1994 there were 70.
The VFMG is an association within the meaning of the Swiss Civil Code. Members are the affiliated congregations, which are represented at the assembly of delegates according to their number of members. The assembly of delegates is the highest body of the VFMG.
A special focus of work is the foreign mission in Austria, Italy and France, where the VFMG operates its own mission stations. The monthly publication is the magazine Christ in focus . The central secretariat of the association is located in Rubigen (BE).
Web links
- VFMG website
- relinfo.ch: Association of Free Missionary Congregations
- Freie Missionsgemeinde FMG on the Inforel website, Information Religion
- Article by Lothar Gassmann. In: HANDBUCH ORIENTATION: Religions, churches, sects, world views, esotericism
Individual evidence
- ↑ VFMG website (accessed on: March 5, 2012) ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Oswald Eggenberger: The churches, special groups and religious associations. A manual. 6th, revised and expanded edition. Theological Publishing House Zurich 1994. ISBN 3-290-11639-5 , p. 80.
- ↑ David Gysel: Is Italy a Mission Country? IdeaSpektrum, Liestal May 13, 2020, p. 14
- ↑ https://www.vfmg.ch/portraet/geschichte-der-vfmg/
- ↑ Bernhard von Allmen and Walter Donzé: Always reflecting on God's vision anew , ideaSpektrum No. 32/33 August 17, 2017, pp. 10–11
- ^ Oswald Eggenberger: The churches, special groups and religious associations. A manual. 6th, revised and expanded edition. Theological Publishing House Zurich 1994. ISBN 3-290-11639-5 , p. 80.
- ^ Oswald Eggenberger: The churches, special groups and religious associations. A manual. 6th, revised and expanded edition. Theological Publishing House Zurich 1994. ISBN 3-290-11639-5 , p. 80.
