Locked church doors, divine services on YouTube, mouth and nose protection at the altar: the pandemic really shook up church life in 2020. It was the year of COVID-19. Following is a chronicle of the year’s events.

When the shepherds in the field heard the good tidings of Christ’s birth, they perceived two calls: they were to have great joy and no fear! The birth of the Son of God was to bring joy to all people and make the fear of the individual recede into the background. Do we hear this too?

Whenever innovations were in the offing, he was front and centre—and he was never shy to apply his international perspective. In retrospect, this allowed him a special view of God’s work: District Apostle Helper John Sobottka from Canada is retiring this Sunday.

The New Apostolic Church is continuing its process of consolidation: in the year 2022, the District Apostle district of Northern and Eastern Germany will merge with the District Apostle district of Berlin-Brandenburg. Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider made the announcement yesterday.

For years there has been a conflict in the region, with armed hostilities flaring up periodically. Despite a cease-fire agreement, there is no end to the turmoil engulfing Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the embattled region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

From “lockdown since March” to “divine services almost everywhere” it’s all there. This is how differently Covid-19 is affecting the church life of New Apostolic Christians around the globe. And the solutions are just as varied.

Thousands of pictures, GPS coordinates, addresses, phone numbers. Bishop Alvin Witten and his wife, Jean, are gathering enormous amounts of data. What is going to happen with all the data and who will have access to it?

Esther Kompare is the new president of the New Apostolic Church Slovenia. This is the first time that a woman has taken on this responsibility in this country.

Expert skills are not imparted by ordination or appointment—these are things that must first be learned. Nevertheless, the Church strives to support and guide its ministers and teachers in their endeavours. In some ways, the various District Churches pursue this task in similar ways, but sometimes they take quite a different approach

Who or what is the New Apostolic Church? In any case, it is more than just one individual church. In fact, legally speaking, it is an association of independent churches. What makes it a global entity?

For months at a time, aid workers toil in remote regions, only to find that they cannot even return home to their families owing to recent lockdowns. It is a crisis that stops people in their tracks, and yet still allows them to grow…

Aid organisations fight against need and suffering in the world. The coronavirus pandemic has made this battle significantly more difficult for them, however. Following are some insights into the lives of helpers who have learned to master entirely new challenges.

Last year in late autumn, the Chief Apostle visited New Apostolic congregations in Malaysia and Myanmar. His travel itinerary included two ministers’ meetings, a meeting with the Apostles of South-East Asia, two concerts, and three divine services.

Chief Apostle Schneider ordained three Apostles in the first half of the year. Two Apostles went into retirement and one died while still active.

Freedom is a free gift of God. But He does not impose this freedom upon us. He only liberates those who want it. This is the experience of District Apostle Edy Isnugroho (Indonesia).

For many people Covid-19 is just one more emergency they have to cope with. For them it has long been a question of survival! Here is what New Apostolic organisations are doing to alleviate the worst.

The first in-person services after the lockdown have taken place. And although everything is a little different than before, there was joy all around at being reunited in the congregations and being able to celebrate Holy Communion again. Also the Chief Apostle experienced this.

In some regions, the first in-person services will resume this Sunday. Central online services on YouTube, television, or telephone will, however, continue to be offered.