Depression is an illness no one would ever wish to have, but it is one that many people have to battle nevertheless. Pastoral care cannot cure it, but can indeed help alleviate it. But how?

Ralf Pilgrim, an Evangelist, has been the rector of the Bad Harzburg congregation in Germany since the end of September 2021. He only moved there with his family in 2020, but he has known the congregation for longer…

If I had the chance to meet Jesus, then… This is what people sometimes say, especially when they are despairing over their faith. They want to meet the author of it all. And this is possible, even today.

Now that we’ve covered the question of what, it’s time to tackle the question of who: expanding on our understanding of the concept of ministry was also high on the Church’s list of things to do in 2021. And some initial answers have indeed been found since, along with a detailed roadmap for the rest of the journey.

In good years, the Chief Apostle travels to congregations all over the world. On account of the coronavirus pandemic, however, this was not possible in 2021. Most divine services therefore took place in Europe. Here is a chronology.

He led the New Apostolic Church out of a crisis and brought it forward. Chief Apostle Walter Schmidt would have celebrated his 130th birthday today. Lest we forget, here is a look once more at how he managed to deal with the situation.

Should one get vaccinated or not? There will be no official statement from the New Apostolic Church on this. Just as little as on eating meat or not, or driving combustion vehicles. The Chief Apostle explains why in his weekly circular.

God’s blessing, grace, and glory are so magnificent that humans have difficulty grasping it all. Thus for anyone who is willing to receive Christ, the following principle applies: “Widen your heart, widen your mind and your frame of mind.”

It happened in 1840/41: the apostle unity fell apart and so did the masterplan. The charismatic movement had to reinvent itself as a church. Here is the background to sealing in the Catholic Apostolic Church.

He was born in Wetzlar, Germany, and died in Riverleigh, Australia. A widely travelled and very interesting man would have celebrated his 150th birthday these days. As one of the pioneering Apostles of the New Apostolic Church in Australia, Jakob Dietz had a great impact.

What exactly is the mission of the Apostles? Not only did the District Apostle Meeting discuss this question, but the Chief Apostle devoted an entire service to it. For in the answer lies the principal commission given to all believers.

Future can mean the next minute, the next year, or even eternity. This is also true for the future in Christ. District Apostle Peter Schulte from Australia points out similarities and differences.

Recently, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider engaged as a “futurologist” and brought the kingdom of peace “down from its pedestal”, as one of the assisting ministers put it, and “back into our reality”.

Human beings can choose what to do and what not to do. We are not free to decide, however, whether we sin by our decision and thus incur a debt before God. Personal responsibility also means being willing to bear the consequences of our actions.

As parents wait for the birth of their child the excitement builds. It is a time of intensity: the child will change their life completely. It is similar with the weeks leading up to Christmas. It is an intense time of commemorating the birth of the Son of God and of expecting His return.

The Catholic practice of confirmation as a sacrament was only accorded a few quiet centuries. But then the reformers came along and sought to anchor the Christian rite of initiation in the act of baptism alone—and nevertheless instituted their own practice of confirmation in the process.

The fall session of the District Apostle Meeting has ended. Prominent topics were our concept of ministry, biblical authorship issues, and a new Guide for Ministers.

Zero tolerance. This is the stance taken by the New Apostolic Church towards sexual abuse and assault. And this is what Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider made clear at the conference of the District Apostles in Zurich, Switzerland.