world.today

Zurich. At today’s meeting, the International District Apostle Meeting came to a final decision on the German text of the Catechism. This final consultation meeting was also attended by members from the project group The New Apostolic Faith (PG TNF). It was unanimously decided that the current version of the text would be used as the basis for further translations.

Zurich / Johannesburg. Only five weeks after his festive retirement, District Apostle Johann R. Kitching from Johannesburg, South Africa has died. He lost his life yesterday afternoon in a tragic accident. Chief Apostle Leber’s initial reaction: “We are very, very sad.”

Dresden. “Let us walk in the light of the Holy Spirit” – it was with this message that the international leader of the New Apostolic Church, Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber, addressed the congregations around the world in the Pentecost service 2011. Traditionally, the feast of Pentecost is celebrated in a big way in the New Apostolic Church, and on this occasion all 53 European Apostles gathered in Dresden. Many thousands of congregations on all continents were connected by satellite transmission.

Zurich. The liturgy is what orders and governs the sequence of music, prayers, Bible readings, the sermon, and the dispensation of the sacraments within the divine service. With the start of the new church year, a reform will come into effect (we reported) in the New Apostolic Church. The celebration of Holy Communion in particular is to be structured in even more dignified fashion through the enriched liturgical elements. Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber, the international Church leader, explained that the new liturgy is intended to bring greater solemnity to the sequence of the divine service.

Zurich. “I stand before you with a pounding heart” – it was with these words that Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber began his address to the anniversary couple, Sonja and Richard Fehr, as they celebrated their golden wedding. The large festive congregation was thankful and happy that the retired Chief Apostle Fehr had indeed been able to attend this special divine service despite the health impediments that had resulted from his recent stroke.

Zurich. An extended liturgy will be introduced in the international New Apostolic Church with the start of the new Church year. In a letter to all the Church’s ministers the international Church leader, Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber, designated the first Sunday of Advent as the starting point of this new development. In the letter he states that it is his wish to notify the ministers of this change already at this early point in time.

Zurich. As of today the ten Articles of Faith of the New Apostolic Church will appear in revised format. By commission of Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber, a Work Group has revised the New Apostolic creed. Concerning this, the international Church leader states: “On account of changes to some doctrinal statements, such as, for example, our understanding of Holy Baptism, a revision had become necessary.” The Chief Apostle goes on to mention that a more specific formulation had become necessary in many of these statements. The basic structure of the Articles of Faith remains unchanged however.

Zurich/London. During the afternoon of their first session at the European District Apostle Meeting, Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber and the European District Apostles made an excursion to Albury. This small town in the county of Surrey, some 50 kilometres outside of London, was the hub of the Catholic Apostolic movement at the start of the nineteenth century. The Church leaders gathered for an emotional prayer at the grave of Apostle Carlyle.

Berlin. For three days over the Pentecost weekend of 2008, Berlin served as the “capital” of the New Apostolic world. Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber had invited all European Apostles to the German capital for the occasion. In the Pentecost service, which was translated into English at the altar - and into 20 other languages via mixing board - he appealed to the over one million divine service participants to recognise the “signature of God” in the present. “Recognising the Lord personally is an important task for each and every individual,” said the Chief Apostle.

Hamburg. The festive concert in the Hamburg Congress Centre celebrating the visit of Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber and all European Apostles on the Saturday before Pentecost offered a very interesting musical program. The performers were the symphony orchestra of the New Apostolic Church Hamburg and the project choir of the New Apostolic Church of Northern Germany, under the direction of Jörg Michael Paul and Björn Leber, respectively.

Zurich/Hamburg. Pentecost 2007 is already in the past, but the Pentecost divine service in Hamburg, which was transmitted by satellite to some 8,000 New Apostolic congregations in over 70 countries throughout the world, is to have a lasting echo.

Cape Town. Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber conducted this year’s Pentecost service in Cape Town, South Africa. He preached about being filled with the Holy Spirit: “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”