At home around the world: “Yes” to faith and working in the congregation

Two weeks in South East Asia: Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider is presently travelling through the South East Asia-Pacific region. He began by visiting congregations in the Philippines. Last Sunday in Tilling, on the Island of Negros, he discharged Apostle Domingo Diagbel, who had served the Lord’s work for many years, into a well-deserved retirement. The latter was a pioneer of the New Apostolic work in this part of the world. For 36 years, he served as a minister of the Church, 31 of them alone as an Apostle. He was thus one of the longest-serving Apostles in the whole world. “Jesus was always Number 1 in your life”—it was with these words that the international Church leader paid tribute to the courageous endeavours of the retiring Apostle. “You were a wonderful teacher for your brethren in faith, not because you showed them what you could do, but because you loved them all.” To succeed him in ministry, the Chief Apostle ordained Joe An Beli-Ot to the Apostle ministry. The latter will primarily work on Negros and Iloilo.

Forty-five confirmands in a single congregation: In the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the New Apostolic Church has many members and large congregations, more young people are confirmed than anywhere else in the world. Alone in the congregation of Munama, one of the many city congregations in Lubumbashi, there were 45 young members who gave their vow. District Apostle Tshitshi Tshisekedi himself had come to celebrate this divine service with them. He preached to them on the basis of the Bible text from 1 Chronicles 28: 10: “Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it!” The essence of the sermon: God calls upon us to help along in His work, in the edification of the church. After the act of blessing, the District Apostle presented the confirmands with the Chief Apostle’s confirmation letter and the corresponding confirmation documents.

Over a hundred thousand visitors are expected: The 36th annual Protestant Church Convention is expecting to attract well over 100,000 attendees this year. The church convention will take place from 24 to 28 May 2017 in Berlin and is dedicated to the celebration of the 500-year anniversary of the Reformation. And once again, the New Apostolic Church will be represented with a booth of its own. It will offer discussions, information, exhibitions and displays, as well as special promotions to which discussion participants from other churches and ecumenical circles have been invited. The venue is known as the “Market of Possibilities”, Hall 1.1, Berlin Fairgrounds, and will be open between 10:30 Am to 6:30 PM.