Zurich Church Timeline – Park Avenue church of Christ © 2024

1945-50

Missionaries going to Germany wait in Zurich for permissions to enter Germany
Sunday assemblies are held with 20-30 American and Swiss attending
Five or six were baptized, among them were Heinrich and Kurt Blum, twin brothers, baptized by Weldon Bennett and taught further by Russell Artis
The last assembly in Zurich was in 1949

In 1954-55 while studying at Abilene Christian College, the Blum brothers persuade Jack and Joanne McKinney to return with them to Zurich
The Trinity Heights church in Dallas support the Blum brothers as well as oversee their work
The McKinney’s were supported by the Graham Street church in Abilene, Texas
July 1, 1955 the McKinney’s sail for Germany to await permission to enter Switzerland
November 1955 Heinrich Blum returns to Zurich

February 1956 three were baptized among them the parents of the Blum brothers
April 4, 1956, the McKinney’s move to Zurich to assist Heinrich Blum
May 1956 English service discontinued
September 2, 1956, the congregation meets in a new hall with seven present
September 17, 1956, the first gospel meeting ws held with Hans Grimm of Kaiserslautern, Germany; average attendance for the meeting was 40 with a high of 59
October 29, 1956, an evening Bible study class was begun
1957: Rene Chenaux-Repond, native Swiss, returns as minister; Kurt Blum returns from Abilene Christian College; Jerry and Shirley Earnhart arrive overseen by the Trinity Heights church in Dallas, Texas
March 3-7, 1958: gospel meeting with Ludwig Hopfel from Munich with six baptisms, attendance 65-83.
Between June and August 1959: Clyde and Gwen Antwine arrive in Zurich intending to do work in Basel, but remain in Zurich
December 1959: 50 members in Zurich church

January 1, 1963: members of Zurich, Bern, and Biel congregations meet
1963: Jack McKinney and family leave Zurich for study in states; Jerry Earnhart takes Jack McKinney’s place while on study leave
1966: Tommy Minton family arrive to work in Zurich to take the place of the Antwines who leave to work in Germany; support from Pipeline Road church in Hurst, Texas, is transferred from Antwines to Mintons

1966: Jack McKinney family return to Zurich and continue to work there until 1974

Albert Voser and Daniel Steinhauer familes leave Zurich church and move to Thun area