The Bethlehem Church Kiel-Friedrichsort e.V. Community of Interests

• was created in 1998 from the organ building support group of the Bethlehem Church with the aim of ensuring the public use of the church and the preservation of the cultural monument;

• acquired the church in 1999 from its former owner - as a former garrison church it belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany - after several years of negotiations between the seller (Oberfinanzdirektion) and the Kirchengemeinde or Kirchenkreis Kiel had failed to produce any results;

• was thereby cross-party supported by Kiel politicians, in particular by Kiel's former Lord Mayor Norbert Gansel, by the Kiel members of the Bundestag at that time Angelika Volquartz (CDU), Dr. Hans-Peter Bartels (SPD), Klaus Mueller (Alliance 90/The Greens) and Prof. Dr. Edzard Schmitz-Jortzig (FDP), by the then member of the Landtag for Kiel-Nord Rolf Fischer (SPD) as well as by the discussion group Pries-Friedrichsort;

• is responsible for the maintenance of the building in accordance with the requirements of historical monuments; in 2006-2009 the wooden facade and in 2013/14 the roof were fundamentally renovated in close coordination with the State Office for Monument Preservation and the Lower Monument Protection Authority of the City of Kiel;

• would like the Bethlehem Church to be open for future church services, baptisms, weddings and funerals;

• ensures that the church is used for cultural events (concerts, readings, lectures ...);

• was able to fulfil the original purpose of the organ building promotion circle (replacement of the organ from 1959) in spring 2016 by the installation of a well preserved pneumatic Walcker organ from 1916 with 7 stops (2 manuals and pedal);

• is non-denominationally oriented;

• is recognized as a non-profit organization, as the association pursues church and cultural purposes, Donations are tax deductible;

• currently (April 2019) has 109 members (declaration of membership).