18. Piterkerk

The first church of Lippenhuizen was probably built in the fourteenth century or a little earlier, since Lippenhuizen is mentioned in the chapel list of 1315, which listed all the churches falling under the district of Bornego, which included Lippenhuizen. This church stood on a raised fenced-in cemetery and had no tower. Lippenhuizen was Catholic until 1566. 

In 1743, a new church was built by contractor Albert Tjebbes, framer Coop Berents and glazier Pier Wijtses Madhuysen to replace the predecessor. The present church was created in 1860 from rebuilding the 1743 church. The Piterkerk is a hall church with a three-sided chancel. The church building has semicircular closed windows in compartments formed by aisles. 

The church did not initially have a tower. The facade tower with needle spire was added in 1862 for 2221 guilders and 22.5 cents. The lower part of the tower where the clock is placed used to be made of wood but was replaced with slates in 1930. In this year, the west facade was also restored. 

With the installation of the tower, a clock was added to the whole. The church trustees bought a used, mechanical clock from Baroness Van Lynden for 300 guilders, which the Lippenhuister clockmaker Snoek fixed in the tower. Clockmaker Van Bergen supplied the new clock. During World War II, the clock was taken by the occupying forces. In 1949, a new clock was bought with money raised by various actions. There are bell holes on each side of the tower. The weather vane on the tower is a rooster, as is the weather vane on the roof of the nave.   

In the Piterkerk is a one-manual organ from 1859, made by Van Dam and sons of Leeuwarden. The gentlemen's bench has coats of arms and three brass crowns. The pulpit is seventeenth-century, with stairs, backboard and soundboard, executed with carvings. It comes from the earlier church and was probably made around 1660. 

The chandeliers were purchased in 1866 for the purpose of evening worship services. They were made by one Adriani from Leeuwarden. In 1931 they were made suitable for electric light. The ceiling of the church contains plaster ornaments in a baroque pattern. In 1968, the interior of the church was refurbished. Under the floor were 9 tombstones, 5 of which appeared to be in good condition. These were placed on the chancel side in front of the permanent pews. There are signs in the church listing the names of the pastors. 

An extensive restoration was also carried out in 2015, made possible by support from the village through sponsorships. The organ was refurbished. A commitment was made to multifunctional use of the building. There came a toilet and kitchen as well as central heating system. A stage was also added. Today, the church is used as a multipurpose center and concerts are regularly held there. Also, since January 2021, the Protestant Congregation Lippenhuizen/Hemrik cooperates with the PKN congregation of Gorredijk. A church service is held monthly in the Piterkerk. The church is also open during the summer months as part of Tsjerkepaad.