St. Paul's Church, Jakarta, Protestant church building in Menteng, Jakarta, Indonesia
St. Paul's Church in Menteng is a Protestant church building with a cross-shaped floor plan and steep pitched roofs, topped by a tall tower with four clock faces. The structure occupies two stories and provides seating for around 600 worshippers.
The first stone was laid on 3 January 1936, after nine years of fundraising by the congregation without government subsidy; the church opened on 6 June 1936 as Nassaukerk. During the Japanese occupation it became Gereja Menteng, and Dutch services were replaced by Malay in October 1944. It was renamed Pauluskerk on 31 October 1948, when the synod of the Protestant Church in West Indonesia was formed.
The church served as a gathering place for the Protestant community in the Menteng area for generations. Visitors today can observe how the space functions for both religious services and community meetings.
The church is located in the Menteng neighborhood and is accessible by foot or public transport. Visitors should be aware that the building spans two levels, so expect stairs when moving between floors.
The church bell, cast by Firma A.H. van Bergen in Heiligerlee, Netherlands, was bought by catechism students and bears the inscription Sursum Corda (Lift Up Your Hearts). It was said to be the largest bell in Indonesia and rang for the first time at the 1936 consecration. The 1997 organ by PT. Prajawidya Instrumentalia Indonesia replaced the original gift of the Deo Juvanto society.
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