Bern Church Timeline – Park Avenue church of Christ © 2025

1956-60

August 1957: Kurt Blum, supported by the Trinity Heights church in Dallas, Texas, and Jerry and Shirley Earnhart arrive in Bern; using the local newspaper (Anzeiger Der Stadt Bern) to share sermons generating opposition and interest
December 24, 1957: Jerry and Shirley Earnhart start the work in Bern having received their residence permission working with Kurt Blum; Bible correspondence course written by two Zurich preachers is used with 40 requesting the course
June 1958: gospel meeting with Richard Walker from Berlin; attendance is 45-75; two baptized a couple of weeks after the meeting
August 1958: Ludwig Hoepel holds meeting with 120 in attendance; ten baptisms: six remain faithful and four leave for various reasons
August 24, 1958: Kurt Blum marries Christel, a member of the Hamburg church
May 19-25, 1059: gospel meeting with Dieter Alten from Hamburg; small attendance, two baptized
June 15, 1959: the church moves to a larger meeting place
June 15-19, 1959: gospel meeting with Rost from West End church in Frankfurt; Dr. Burri, an 80 year old former dentist, was baptized in the Aare River; he died shortly afterwards on September 9
July 6-8, 1959: VBS with 12-23 childen
October 1959: Jack McKinney holds meeting
December 1959: 12 members in Bern congregation
February 21-28, 1960: Gottfried Reichel preached a meeting; 20 visitors, a 55 year old widower is baptized who has 3 children and lives in Thun

January 1, 1963: members of Zurich, Bern, and Biel congregations meet
February 17, 1963: Fifth anniversary of the start of the church in Bern
1963: Jack McKinney holds meeting before returning to states on study leave; 2 baptized; Jerry Earnhart goes to Zurich while McKinneys are in states
August 11-24, 1963: 37 campers at Judila Camp begun by Kurt Blum

April 1971: Gottfried Reichel holds meeting with ten baptisms: six member of the Josef Kock family; a new house church was started in Schuls where the Kock family lives

1990: the two or three remaining members of the Biel congregation begin attending Bern when the Biel congregation stops meeting