Church News and Updates

Update for Monday, March 25th

Dear Church family and friends,

The command to follow Jesus appears many times in the Bible, and that appeal is not just meant for those in the Saviour’s time but for us too. One such story of people doing so can be found in Matthew 20 verses 29-34 – the subject of Pastor Buddy’s sermon this Sunday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rvbMGv5HtI.

But where are we to follow Him to, and for how long? Why should we follow Him at all? These questions are all answered in Holy or Passion Week, culminating in Christ’s death on the cross and return to life three days later. He took our place to die, so that we might live in fellowship with the God who created us. His appearance to his disciples in the days after his death shows that His death was not the end of the story.

This Week in Church…

On Tuesday, the Young Adults’ Bible Study will be meeting in their respective groups at 7pm in various locations around Giessen. If you would like more information, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org .

There will not be a Mid-Week Bible Study on Wednesday.
In its place, we will have a service on Thursday (28th) evening to commemorate the life and death of Christ. The Maundy Thursday service will take place in the Chapel Room at the FTH at 7pm. It will of course be livestreamed, and you can get a link to that by writing to office@ibc-giessen.org.

At IBC Giessen, we don’t have a Good Friday Service… but we do have an Easter Sunday breakfast! There’s room at the table for everyone who would like to join us in celebrating Jesus’ victory over the grave at 9am on Sunday morning – we would ask you to tell us that you are coming beforehand, though. That way the Church can provide enough bread rolls for everyone. Contributions to the spread are very much appreciated! To register, tell us what you’ll be bringing, or for some inspiration as to what you might like to prepare, please write to office@ibc-giessen.org.
Our morning meal will be finished in time for our 11am Resurrection Sunday service – link to the livestream is available via the e-mail address above – after  which there will be an Easter Egg Hunt for the children. We are looking to the congregation to provide small individually wrapped Easter chocolates and sweets for this activity. The adults will need to find Philipp first, before the children can go searching for their treats!

Please be aware of the time change on Sunday (31st) morning! The clocks will go forward by an hour.

Elsewhere in Giessen…

As mentioned, traditionally we don’t have a Good Friday service. However, if you wish to do something to mark the day, how about a trip to the cinema? Popular Netflix series “The Chosen” is a re-telling of Jesus’ life story. To celebrate the beginning of series 4, for the first two episodes are being shown in 50 different cinemas around Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In Giessen, the episodes will be shown, in German only, in Kinopolis at 11:30am. For more information, please click this link: https://www.kinopolis.de/kg/events/detail/the-chosen-staffel-4-episode-1-2/4811

We pray that you have a peaceful, blessed week, and are able to make time to attend one of our events reflecting on these important milestones in our faith.  


Update for Monday, March 18th

Dear Church family and friends,

Lent isn’t a countdown to Easter in the way that Advent is to Christmas. Yet it does feel like we’ve blinked and now we’re one week away from Palm Sunday. That’s not the main event though, what happens a week later is…

Again, we’re rushing ahead of ourselves; this past Sunday we had a guest preacher in the form of Kirill Swiderski. You can listen to his sermon on Romans 1:16 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYpur4ct2Ak

This Week in Church…

On Tuesday, the Young Adults’ Bible Study will be meeting in their respective groups at 7pm in various locations around Giessen. If you would like more information, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org .

On Wednesday at 7pm, Pastor Buddy will continue our study of the book of Amos. Everybody’s welcome! For a link to the Zoom meeting, please e-mail office@ibc-giessen.org.  

If you are a man, the place to be on Saturday (23rd) at 9:30am is the Student Kitchen at the FTH! There, a hearty breakfast will be served and great fellowship can be enjoyed. To secure your spot, please write an e-mail to office@ibc-giessen.org telling us how many people you are bringing with you and what you will contribute to the breakfast buffet.

The day after, Sunday 24th, we will have our regular Sunday service starting at 11am in the Chapel Room of the FTH. If you are unable to make it because you are ill or elsewhere, then we have a livestream that you can watch – just e-mail office@ibc-giessen.org for access.

To circle back to what was mentioned in the beginning – we would like to remind you of our Easter Breakfast on Sunday 31st March at 9am. We look forward to celebrating Jesus’ resurrection with you, so please do tell us if you plan on attending! You don’t have to have a decision on what you will contribute to the morning feast, but if you do know already, we would gladly hear of that too: just send an e-mail to office@ibc-giessen.org and we will add you to the list!

Have a blessed week!


Update for Monday, March 11th

Dear Church family and friends,

Taking a break from his Philippians series, Pastor Johannes preached on Ephesians 2, verses 14 to 16, in a sequence of sermons that will lead us up to Easter. To listen to what he had to say, and find out how flags are involved, you can follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a6XLFSF3Dc

On the subject of Easter, we are aware that something in the last Church announcement was incorrect. Easter Sunday is on 31st March 2024, and not 1st April. The rest of the information, however, remains true: 9am is the Easter breakfast – sign-up sheets are at the back of the Church!

This Week in Church…

It’s ‘back to normal’ on Tuesday for YABS this week. The Young Adults will be meeting in their respective groups at 7pm in various locations around Giessen. If you would like more information, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org .

On Wednesday at 7pm, Pastor Buddy will continue our study of the book of Amos. You will need your Bible and a link to the Zoom meeting – obtainable by writing to office@ibc-giessen.org – to take part.

This Sunday a guest preacher, Kirill Swiderski, will be giving us the Word of God during our 11am service! Don’t worry if you can’t make it, we will have our livestream and we will include a link to the recording of the sermon in next week’s Church update. For access to the livestream, please write to office@ibc-giessen.org.

Have a blessed week!


Update for Monday, March 4th

Dear Church family and friends,

It’s a big week at IBC Giessen with lots to announce, so it might be a bit of a longer update!

What’s not been big – or in this case ‘loud’ – is the sound on the recording of Pastor Buddy’s sermon from Sunday (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nCYWXNuE9I). We can assure you that the audio is there, albeit a bit reverb-y, but it is very quiet. Don’t forget to turn the volume back down on your computer/tablet/phone once you’ve finished listening!

This Week in Church…

As it is the first Tuesday of the month all of the YABS groups will be meeting together at the earlier time of 6:30pm in the Student Kitchen. They will be starting with a bring-and-share buffet, and ask that everyone planning on attending contribute something. Guests and first-timers are always welcome – just e-mail yabs@ibc-giessen.org for more information.

On Wednesday at 7pm, Pastor Buddy will continue our study of the book of Amos. You will need your Bible and a link to the Zoom meeting to take part. You can get the access link by writing to office@ibc-giessen.org.   

King’s Daughters is our women’s ministry which holds different events on the second Saturday of each month. This month, they will be taking advantage of the (hopefully) nice weather on Saturday (9th) afternoon, meeting at the FTH at 2pm before setting off on a walk and reflecting on the events of the first Easter, and what impact they have on our lives today. If you have any questions about this, please write to office@ibc-giessen.org.

Pastor Johannes has a special request for his sermon this coming Sunday (10th). Do you have a flag of your home country? It does not have to be a fully textile, or big, flag – it might be a print out – but a recognisable flag of your home nation. Please bring it with you! To see how these will be incorporated into his preaching, you are invited to join us at 11am at the FTH, or online. A link to the livestream can be made available to you by e-mailing office@ibc-giessen.org.  

An extended note on Easter…

With only a few weeks to go until Easter, we thought we would share a few more details of our plans:

Our traditional Maundy Thursday service will take place on Thursday 28th March at 7pm. It is a time of solemn reflection and thanksgiving for the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf. We will share the Lord’s Table together and hear a devotional as well as sing a few songs. The service should last around an hour.

A list is already out for the Easter Breakfast at 9am on Sunday 1st April! Be sure to at least note down your intention to attend, even if you’re not sure what to bring to the feast. We are looking forward to both plenty of food and plenty of people! Our service will start at the usual time of 11am, but there is something special for the kids at the conclusion of the service – an Easter egg hunt! All contributions of individually wrapped Easter chocolates and candies are greatly appreciated!

Have a blessed week!


Update for Monday, February 26th

Dear Church family and friends,

Pastor Buddy continued preaching on Matthew 20 this past Sunday, but told us that he would be concluding this mini-series on Maundy Thursday with the most important verse, verse 28. What a cliff-hanger! To listen to his sermon, just follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_3arc3Klmk

This Week in Church…

YABS will meet in their respective groups at 7pm on Tuesday (tomorrow) evening. For more information on who meets where and what they’ll be getting up to, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org.

On Wednesday at 7pm, our Amos Mid-Week Bible Study continues online, just e-mail office@ibc-giessen.org for a link. Everyone is welcome!

Thursday is the last day of February, which means that Sunday is the first Sunday of March! As part of our service at 11am we will be taking part in the Lord’s Table. So, if you are watching online – you can get a link to the livestream by e-mailing office@ibc-giessen.org – you might want to get the elements prepared beforehand.

Next month…

The women have another King’s Daughters event on Saturday 9th March. This time meeting at 2pm at the FTH, the group will be heading out into the fresh air and going on a walk and reflecting on the events of that first Easter.

Regarding Easter, this is the perfect opportunity to remind you of our Maundy Thursday service which will take place at 7pm on 28th March, as well as our Easter Sunday Breakfast at 9am three days later. We look forward to seeing you there!

Have a blessed week!


Update for Monday, February 19th

Dear Church family and friends,

As the conflict in Ukraine and Russia passes another year, we would like to lift this up to the Lord in prayer – as well as that in Israel and Gaza. We pray for an end to the atrocities; for the healing of those nations, and for God Almighty to bring peace where it is needed most.

In his sermon on Sunday, Pastor Buddy looked at the story of two brothers seeking confirmation from Jesus about their position when they get to heaven. To listen again, just follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgBeYEh8TiY

This Week in Church…

Tomorrow (Tuesday) evening, YABS meets in their respective groups at 7pm. For more information on who meets where and what they’ll be getting up to, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org.

On Wednesday at 7pm, our Amos Mid-Week Bible Study continues online, and you can get a link to the meeting by writing to office@ibc-giessen.org . Everyone is welcome!

It is Breakfast time for the men this coming Saturday (24th). A time for food, fellowship and God’s Word, the gentlemen meet at 9:30am every 4th Saturday of the month in the Student Kitchen. To join in, please e-mail office@ibc-giessen.org and tell us how many people you’ll bring with you as well as what food you will contribute to the breakfast.

Last Sunday’s experiment with the translation app yielded some good results. There are some things that need ironing out, so it is good that we will be testing again this Sunday (25th). If you would like to use the app, please bring your smartphone and some headphones with you, and there will be a QR on the screen just before the sermon, which is the only part of our service which will be translated. The service itself will start at the usual time of 11am. We are still offering a livestream for those unable to attend – office@ibc-giessen.org is your address for a link – but please bear in mind that no translation will occur online.

Have a blessed week!


Update for Monday, February 12th

Dear Church family and friends,

Anyone watch the game last night? Well we know that Pastor Johannes did, as he mentions it at the beginning of his sermon. In fact, his latest instalment of his series on Philippians around the notes a coach might give to the players on his team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txRBibWC3aI

This Week in Church…

On Tuesday evening, YABS will be meeting in their separate groups dotted around Giessen. Everyone starts at 7pm, so if you’d like to find out who meets closest to you, then please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org.

Our Amos Mid-Week Bible Study continues on Wednesday at 7pm online. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time, or whether you’ve been to every session, just write to office@ibc-giessen.org for a link and grab your Bible.

We will have our first trial Sunday for a new translation app during this week’s service. To use it, you will need to download the Linkbox app and then scan a QR-code or use an event code. We are offering a translation of the sermon only, and it will only work for those in the building at the time of the service (11am). Those attending online will have to make do with just the English version.
After the service, at 1pm, the music ministry will be meeting together to eat, organise and pray together. We are always on the lookout for more musicians – so if you’ve been thinking about getting involved, this is a very good opportunity to do so! For more information about this, or the translation app, or to get a link to the livestream, please write to office@ibc-giessen.org.

It feels like Christmas has barely passed and we already started announcing the Maundy Thursday service and Easter Sunday breakfast this past Sunday! This week marks the beginning of Lent, when people give up bad habits or certain luxuries until Easter Sunday. While it is a noble thing, it has no meaning if our eyes are not then turning to Jesus and all that He did for us through His death on the cross. We pray that in these 40 days, everyone can experience Jesus, and truly get to know the impact of Jesus’ sacrifice in their lives.

Have a blessed week!


Update for Monday, February 5th

Dear Church family and friends,

Semesters coming to an end, timetable changes, Business Meetings – and is it just us, or are the birds beginning to come out to explore the world again after their winter in hibernation? A change of season is definitely in the air!

Unfortunately we are unable to provide a recording of Pastor Buddy’s sermon from Sunday as sound issues rendered the recording difficult to listen to.

This Week in Church…

…it’s Big YABS for our Young Adult’s Bible Study. On Tuesday evening all groups will meet at their regular time of 7pm, but together as one large group at the student kitchen of the FTH. There will be a ‘bring and share’ buffet – but only if people contribute food and drink to it! For more information, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org.

Our Amos Mid-Week Bible Study continues on Wednesday at 7pm online. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time, or whether you’ve been to every session, just grab your Bible and click the link – which you can get by e-mailing office@ibc-giessen.org.

The next King’s Daughter meeting takes place on Saturday 10th, at 10am! Again, the earlier start doesn’t mean that breakfast is part of the programme, but snacks can be brought to share with the other women if wished. In their meeting, the ladies will be writing letters to their younger selves, detailing the many ways in which God has shown them His love through the years. If you are a lady and are interested in joining in, please write to office@ibc-giessen.org , and we will look forward to seeing you at the student kitchen at the FTH on Saturday morning.

Sunday sees not only our service which starts at 11am – write to office@ibc-giessen.org for a link to the livestream in case you cannot make it – but also our Business Meeting which begins after the service ends (around 1pm). We are not opening the vote online this year, as ensuring the vote’s anonymity in this way is complicated – as well as its validity, as only members are allowed to participate in votes. We thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3,…

A little while ago we began to research solutions to a request given by many: translating the sermon into German. We are pleased to offer a new trial run on 18th and 25th February via an app. If this is something that you feel would be a benefit to you, please bring your smartphone and a set of headphones with you on those Sundays.

Have a blessed week!


Update for Monday, January 29th

Dear Church family and friends,

As January draws to a close, we do begin to wonder whether the New Year has really brought about any change. We start to reflect again on the state of the world, and it is these very questions which Lucas used to introduce his sermon on Sunday. Using Habakkuk as his reference text, Lucas explains that we are not the first ones to have such thoughts – and that God does answer our queries. You can listen (again), here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMwEyERKhI0

This Week in Church…

Our Young Adult’s Bible Study will meet on Tuesday evening at 7pm. To find out what they’ll be getting up to, and where, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org.

Wednesday at 7pm sees the second online session of the Mid-Week Bible Study. They will be going deeper into the book of Amos, as well as praying together. There’s no need to have been at last week’s meeting, so if you’d like to participate, please write to office@ibc-giessen.org.

As Sunday’s service is the first one February, the Lord’s Table will be part of our service at 11am. Should you need a gluten free option, please ask. If you plan on watching our livestream, write to office@ibc-giessen.org for a link, and then get some bread and juice ready before the service begins.

The weekend after…

… is the second Saturday of the month, so the King’s Daughters will be meeting! As it is so close to Valentine’s Day, the topic will be “Love Letters from God” – which sounds very intriguing. Again, this will take place at 10am at the FTH. More information to come in next week’s announcement!

The day after – Sunday 11th February – we will be having a Business Meeting after our service. Everyone is invited to attend and listen in to what is said, but only members of the Church will be allowed to vote. If you would like more information on becoming a member, would like to see the proposed budget, or have any further questions about the Business Meeting, please write to office@ibc-giessen.org.

Have a blessed week!


Update for Monday, January 22nd

Dear Church family and friends,

Well, that was a strange week. Schools started back up after Christmas, only to be closed because of the winter weather. It seemed a little like lockdown again… but without the changes to how we held a Church service! In case the snow and ice did impede travel for you on Sunday – or you were otherwise unable to attend – here is the recording of Pastor Buddy’s sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAStHn0yB5w .

This week…

It’s regular YABS on Tuesday at 7pm. You might ask what ‘regular’ YABS is – and the answer is several smaller Young Adult groups all gathering in various locations around Giessen to study God’s Word and share life together. If this sounds like something you’d like to be involved in, don’t hesitate to write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org and ask for more details.

Amos is the subject of Wednesday’s Mid-Week Bible Study – the first session of which takes place this Wednesday (24th). Whether the group splits into men’s and women’s Bible Study groups is dependent on how many people join in the first instance. This time of prayer and learning will take place on Zoom at 7pm.

After their pause in December, we know that the men are chomping at the bit for their next breakfast together. Don’t fret – it takes place this coming Saturday (27th) at 9:30am in the Student Kitchen. Gentlemen, make it your New Year’s Resolution to register, and then attend, this monthly morning feast!

To round off the week, we’ll have our Sunday morning service at the FTH. Please do join us either in-person or online at 11am.

Lastly, we would like to invite you to our Business Meeting which will be held after the service on Sunday 11th February. This invitation goes out to everyone, whether they are a member of the Church or not, however only members are able to vote on any points raised.

Should you be interested in becoming a member of IBC Giessen, please get in contact with either Pastor Buddy or Pastor Johannes, or write to office@ibc-giessen.org. This same e-mail address is the one to use should you require any Zoom links, or if you would like to tell us that you are a gentleman planning on going to the Men’s Breakfast.

Have a blessed week!


Update for Monday, January 15th

Dear Church family and friends,

Holding steadfast on his course through the book of Philippians, this Sunday Pastor Johannes made his way into chapter four of the book. You can listen back to what he had to say, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82ZcVn9K4jI

This week in Church…

Big YABS is taking place on Tuesday! This is when all the smaller groups from our Young Adult Bible Study come together as one and share the Word, praise and worship with one another. If you’ve been thinking about joining YABS, then this would be a good opportunity to do so. They will meet at 7pm on Tuesday evening at the Student Kitchen. If you would like to bring some food to share, then nobody will say no! For more information, you can write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org.

We will be hosting an event for the Allianzgebetswoche on Wednesday. Throughout the week several different churches within Giessen will be holding similar events, all of whom are also part of the Allianz organisation. Our particular evening is entitled “Pray and see Gebetsabend” and will be held in German, starting at 7:30pm. For more information on the Gebetswoche and what else is taking place where, take a look at this website: https://ev-allianz-giessen.de/allianz-gebetswoche-2024/

Then it’s Sunday again, when we have our regular service both at the FTH and online at 11am – you can get a link by writing to office@ibc-giessen.org. Should this snowy, icy weather continue, we will of course let you know via our usual channels – website/facebook/e-mail – if the service is still able to go ahead or whether we will need to cancel.

Next week in Church…

… sees the return of the Mid-Week Bible Study! Again, it will be online only via Zoom, on Wednesday evening at 7pm. Whether it splits into Men’s and Women’s Bible Study depends on how many attend. We will be taking a deeper dive into the book of Amos – if you’re interested, please get in touch with office@ibc-giessen.org for more information.

This day has become known as ‘Blue Monday’ – when the January blues catch up with people. That Christmas joy begins to wear off, and New Year’s Resolutions become hard work and not just good thoughts. There are those for who ‘blue’ is perhaps too light a word, and that feeling definitely isn’t just confined to one day. We would like to lift all those who suffer, or try to cope with, depression up to the Lord; that they may be comforted and encouraged – and find their worth in Him.

Be blessed!


Update for Monday, January 8th

Dear Church family and friends,

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Proverbs 1:7

… and we’re off on a new topic of the year! Every first Sunday of the month’s sermon will be dedicated to this short Bible verse, each focussing on a different aspect. To listen to yesterday’s introductory sermon, please click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUuJ4w6Cw64

This week in Church…

Some YABS groups might be meeting on Tuesday evening (tomorrow) at 7pm. To find out which ones, and where they’ll take place, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org.

Ladies, your first King’s Daughters event of 2024 is here! Even though the event time is 10am, a sit-down breakfast is not planned – although you are more than welcome to bring along snacks if you wish – a time of togetherness reflecting on the last year is. Maybe you have a couple of Bible verses that have challenged you or guided you in 2023 that you would like to share. Otherwise, the plan is to get painting! Don’t worry if you don’t have any painting skills or materials, they will be provided – but feel free to bring acrylic paints and brushes with you on Saturday should you have them. Just let us know if you plan on joining in (office@ibc-giessen.org)!

To round up the week, we have our Church service on Sunday at 11am. As always, our livestream is there for people who need it: you can get a link by writing to office@ibc-giessen.org.

Next week and beyond…

While we are still waiting for news on when the Mid-Week Bible Studies will start, we can tell you that next Wednesday (17th) IBC Giessen will be hosting an event for the Allianzgebetswoche. There will be several such events during the week, all taking part in Giessen in churches who are part of the Allianz organisation. Our particular evening is entitled “Pray and see Gebetsabend” and will be held in German, starting at 7:30pm. For more information on the Gebetswoche and what else is taking place where, take a look at this website: https://ev-allianz-giessen.de/allianz-gebetswoche-2024/

Men’s Breakfast will definitely be returning this year, with the kick-off being on 27th January. Gentleman, consider this advance notice to save the date!

Be blessed!


Update for Thursday, January 4th

Dear Church family and friends,

Whether you are already back at work or still at home, there’s no doubt that at some point we all would have done the same thing over the last week or so – or if we haven’t yet done so, we will in the upcoming days: looking at our calendars and diaries and wondering how all the appointments we need to make and the events we need to attend will fit into this year.

Here at IBC Giessen, we have a similar issue. We can tell you that a service happened on Sunday, which marked the New Year – you can listen to the sermon here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAJarjTuFZY – and we can tell you that there will be a service this coming Sunday (7th) at 11am, in which we will celebrate the Lord’s Table. In case you are still out and about – or worse, you’ve started the year ill – then you are of course more than welcome to join us on our livestream.

As yet there is no start date for our regular Bible Studies, but we can let you know of a few things coming up relatively soon.

Firstly, the King’s Daughters will be having a craft-based event on Saturday 13th January. While the time is yet to be confirmed, ladies, hold that day free! Not to be left out, the Men’s Breakfast takes place in its regular pattern of the 4th Saturday of the month at 9:30am, with the first gathering taking place on Saturday 27th January.

With our Business Meeting coming up, we wanted to give people the opportunity to contribute to the agenda, as well as have a chance to look over the proposed budget and ask questions, or suggest changes. The meeting itself will take place after a service in early February – so you have plenty of time to have a think. For a copy of the proposed budget, a link to the livestream of our service this coming Sunday or more information on anything related to IBC Giessen, please e-mail office@ibc-giessen.org.

We also pray that you have had a wonderful end to 2023, and have had a re-energised start into the New Year! Be blessed!


Older information and online sermons are available in our archive: Update Archive