A new Bishop in Italy

Welcome, Bishop De Lazzari!

As of last Sunday, the Italian-speaking congregations of Europe have been given a Bishop once again. “Welcome, Bishop De Lazzari!” says the website of the New Apostolic Church Italy. District Apostle Jürg Zbinden ordained him on 20 January 2019 in a divine service in Lugano. The divine service was transmitted throughout the country via Internet.

Historian wanted

The New Apostolic Work Group History is looking for a new historian who would be prepared to do research for the Church in a voluntary capacity. Under the direction of its chairman, Priest Karl-Peter Krauss, the work group is currently working on the history of the New Apostolic Church in the former German Democratic Republic. This requires intensive source study, which demands significant resources of time.

Christian week of prayer

“Righteousness—let us pursue it!” So reads the motto of the traditional “Week of prayer for Christian unity”, for which believers of many different Christian denominations assemble once each year to pray together—even in Weiler-la-Tour (Luxembourg)! On this occasion, the New Apostolic delegate, District Elder Dietmar Gehring, performed a Bible reading for the group. The New Apostolic Church has been a member of the ecumenical council of churches in Luxembourg since 2017.

Study day in Fribourg

Participants in a day of study that will take place on 14 February 2019 in the aula magna (great hall) of the University of Fribourg (Switzerland), are planning to exchange thoughts on the subject of “prayer in daily life”. This event marks the start of a three-part series under the main theme “Pray without ceasing”. The significance of prayer as a source of Christian living and a foundation for theological contemplation is only one of several elements on the agenda. Brief presentations and smaller discussion groups encourage participants to deepen their understanding. Participation is open to anyone interested in ecumenical discourse who lives or works in the ecclesiastical field. Registration is available online at www.4else.com/4ghwd1oct.

Refugee aid for Angola

A total of 75,000 euros for refugees in Angola—over the last few years, New Apostolic Christians from Berlin and Brandenburg have been donating funds for refugee aid from the proceeds of their annual Thanksgiving offerings. It was on their behalf that District Apostle Wolfgang Nadolny was able to make a total of 75,000 euros available to the New Apostolic Church of Western Germany—which is active in Angola—for the purposes of aiding dispersed individuals living in Angola.

Many refugee camps have been set up in the north of Angola, and these have since become a temporary home for people from the Congo in particular. One such camp is located near the city of Lóvua in the province of Lunda Norte. The 15,000 refugees also include some 3,000 New Apostolic Christians. The Church looks after ten congregations in the camp. These are cared for by one District Elder, two District Evangelists, and a number of other ministers—most of them refugees themselves.

On 24 November 2018, the funds were presented to the government in the presence of District Apostle Helper João Uanuque Misselo and Lino Dos Santos, the deputy governor responsible for infrastructure in the region. Also present were other delegates of the provincial government of Lunda Norte, as well as representatives from the media. “I would like to express my gratitude to the New Apostolic Christians of Berlin-Brandenburg, who have made this support possible through their contributions,” said District Apostle Rainer Storck. The funds—and the opportunities they open up—have created a great deal of joy in the region.