“Let us celebrate Easter together,” Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider called to the faithful in the central divine service that was broadcast worldwide, and went on to explain why we have every reason to celebrate even in the middle of the coronavirus crisis.

Easter is the most important holy day on the church calendar. And Easter without a divine service is simply inconceivable.

Easter is the feast of the resurrection of the Lord. It is the principal feast in the liturgical calendar of Christian churches. Easter is both commemoration and expectation, for Christ resurrected so that we too can resurrect.

Normally, 60,000 New Apostolic congregations come together for divine service on Sundays—but that was before the Corona crisis. Over the past few weeks, this offer has been reduced to two dozen central video services across the globe. On Easter there will only be one divine service: with the Chief Apostle.

Additional online offers are constantly being added: more and more countries are making central divine services available so that the members can join the celebration from home. Here is an up-to-date overview.

When people do renovations, they are usually planning something special. And that is precisely what is happening right now in the middle of Germany. After all, Pentecost will already come on Easter this year. And the Chief Apostle will visit every interested party at home—online.

Passion means suffering—enduring suffering. These days, more than ever, it seems that people have a sense of what it means to suffer. Grief and sorrow and a yearning for better times has taken hold of us. Join us for a look forward.

Seven, three, or two: how many sacraments are there actually? Not even all the Christian denominations are in agreement with themselves when it comes to that question. But there is one point of intersection which all of them do acknowledge—almost all of them, that is.

Easter is the “feast of consolation and hope”. Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider really means it. To underline this he wants to send out a strong signal—with a worldwide divine service.

For four young men from Bavaria in Germany the past weekend was not exactly relaxing. And the coming weekend will not be any different either. But they are not the only ones who are making a huge effort to create some semblance of a congregational life after the coronavirus crisis upended it.

A congregation without walls and borders—this is how hundreds of thousands of New Apostolic families experienced the past Sunday. Even though the doors to our churches were locked, the Church itself was more open than ever before.

According to the liturgical calendar, Christians are currently observing Lent, a period of fasting and penitence that ends shortly before Easter. Soon we will be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, reason enough to reflect on all that God means to us and does for us.

In the past, a cross of ashes on the forehead indicated the beginning of Lent. It heralded a look inside, a moment of self-criticism, and conscious action in Christian faith. Not a bad idea.

A roof over one’s head, something to eat—in many parts of the world, personal wish lists are very short. Here are some stories about people who help other people survive—and who try to conjure up a smile on their faces in the process.

What does he want to become when he is older? “A soldier,” replies the six-year-old boy. Why on earth would you say that? “Because then I will be able to kill people!” The young lad is deadly serious. Today’s commemoration of “Red Hand Day” serves as a reminder about this reality.

In both faith and life, everyone must find his or her own way: an elaborate film by young people from Eastern Germany—which missed its premier, not once, but three times—tells of precisely this experience.

Looking back and taking stock — all on our own or in a larger circle instead? “Let us do this together in the congregation,” said Chief Apostle Schneider. An invitation to take thought and give thanks.

From a human perspective, limitless freedom is unachievable. The only limitless freedom that exists is through Jesus Christ. Following are some thoughts on the annual motto for 2020 from District Apostle Rüdiger Krause (Northern and Eastern Germany):