The Church of the Nazarene in Darmstadt, Germany, officially began on 24 August 2024. Most of its members had previously been part of “Church in Action,” which served as both a church community and a social ministry for refugees. When that work ended in the summer of 2024, a small group chose to stay and continued the ministry.
Today, the congregation meets on Sundays, with around 10 people attending services. While a small number, the church reaches around one hundred people overall through social and community ministries, with approximately 50 people participating each week.
For the Darmstadt Church of the Nazarene family, Alabaster support made a critical difference at a fragile moment. The church is keeping its central space in the city—a place that feels like a café or a living room, with seating areas, large windows facing the street, and a kitchen. This space has become a second home for many.
Children stop by after school to do homework or talk about their day. Refugees find a place of encouragement and community. Located near public transport and refugee accommodations, the space allows newcomers in the town to step out of isolation and become part of everyday life. Because it is part of a larger apartment building, connections with neighbors have also grown.
For a small congregation serving a community many times its size, sustaining this space would not have been possible without support. Financially and organizationally, the burden would have been overwhelming. Without Alabaster funding, the church would have lost the space during a season of transition, with no realistic ability to relocate.
The stability provided through Alabaster has given this church time — time to survive a season of crisis, to continue the ministry, to build local networks, and to seek partners who can help carry the work forward.
As one participant in a German language course shared, “Every time I come here, I find new motivation to learn. My fear becomes smaller.”
A neighbor from the apartment building added, “I see the wonderful work this team is doing on our street and the people who are being helped. Please tell them not to give up hope.”
Through Alabaster, this ministry continues to offer ample scope—a shared space, a caring community, and hope for people building new lives in a new country.