Theological training, pastoral care in a prison, and innovations in the administrative sector … Brothers and sisters around the world engage themselves for the New Apostolic Church. This week’s news bulletin shows some of the activities.
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Theological training for everyone: Seminar in North Rhine-Westphalia
Photo: NAK NRW
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The speakers Carmen Jäger and Reinhard Kiefer
Photo: NAK NRW
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Advisers of the NAC Cape: the newly established committees for financial strategy, financial investment, and property management
Photo: NAC Cape
Theological training
“The Effects of the Holy Spirit in the Church” is the topic of a seminar being offered by the New Apostolic Church North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Not only ministers are invited to participate, but teachers and any one else who is interested. This seminar is part of a series of courses being offered by the District Church on theological topics that began in the year 2011.
Speakers are Carmen Jäger and Reinhard Kiefer. Carmen Jäger (24) is studying Protestant theology at Ruhr University in Bochum in Germany. In the New Apostolic Church she is involved with youth activities and is a member of the youth panel. Reinhard Kiefer (59) is the theological adviser of Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider and the responsible editor of the Divine Service Guide, the monthly publication for ministers of the New Apostolic Church. He studied theology and has a doctorate in literature. Brother Kiefer is an Evangelist in the Aachen district.
Visit to a prison
“I was in prison and you came to Me.” These words in Matthew 25: 36 inspired a group of brothers and sisters from Hong Kong to visit a prison after the Palm Sunday service. The idea was initiated by a group of sisters when they were discussing the potential activities for the congregation in 2015. The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention (SRCP) supported the application procedures and arranged a meeting with female prisoners at Lo Wu Correctional Institution. A team prepared songs with guitar, a Bible story, and a biblical game.
The atmosphere inside the prison made the brothers and sisters nervous at first, the website of the New Apostolic Church Hong Kong reports, but this subsided with the opening prayer. After the visit the brothers and sisters said that they were impressed by the reaction of the prisoners, “We experienced not only the joy of giving, but also of receiving.” A representative of SRCP commented that he was touched by the commitment and joy of the participants.
Experts advise governing body of the Church
The New Apostolic Church Cape is following the move of the New Apostolic Church International in establishing specialized committees to assist with the overall administrative governance of the Church. The New Apostolic Church Cape called into being three new committees to advise the Church’s governing body in the fields of financial strategy, financial investment, and property management, the District Church reports on its website.
At the inaugural meeting, the District Apostle sketched a timeline of the Church from its humble beginnings up until the present day and how it has grown over time. The Church, he said, is now at a point where it needs to unbundle the various roles that had before been tasked to a few employees at the administrative office. The committees are comprised of members who work at the administrative office of the Church as well as New Apostolic members who have special skills and qualifications in the various disciplines.