The term may seem unfamiliar. But the concept is well-known: the Holy Spirit is at work in the church. How, when, and where—this is the focus of a recent pastoral letter.
The latest special edition of the Divine Service Guide, a publication for ministers of the New Apostolic Church, explores the concept of epiclesis. The term comes from ancient Greek, meaning “to call upon” or “invoke”, and refers to the Holy Spirit.
According to New Apostolic teaching, everything that constitutes church is directly related to the Holy Spirit. However, the “presence of God the Holy Spirit” may not be “presupposed as a matter of course”, but must always be “requested anew”, it says in the special edition 2/2026.
The power behind the sacraments
“It is not the Church or the ministry that dispense the sacraments that is the origin of the sacraments, but God alone,” the pastoral letter emphasises. It goes on to describe the Holy Spirit as the active power in Holy Baptism, Holy Communion, and Holy Sealing. Within the liturgy— that is, the prescribed sequence of the divine service—the invocation of the Holy Spirit’s presence, the explicit epiclesis, occurs at different points.
In Holy Communion, the invocation of the Holy Spirit is spoken at the conclusion of the Eucharistic prayer, following the absolution, but preceding the consecration of the Communion elements. For some time now, a specific recommendation has been in place regarding this, consisting of two distinct parts. Firstly, that the congregation is allowed to receive the body and blood of Christ in bread and wine. And secondly, that the members may partake worthily of Holy Communion.
In Holy Baptism, the epiclesis takes place during the baptismal blessing, which is dispensed immediately after the act of baptism. According to our current liturgy, the minister addresses the Holy Spirit as the Maker of the new human being—who develops in accordance with the nature of Christ—and asks the Holy Spirit to grant the baptised His guidance and protection.
In Holy Sealing, the invocation of the Holy Spirit takes place in the prayer between the person’s yes to the act of sealing and the laying on of hands. The prayer contains the plea for God’s blessing, that God bestow the gift of the Holy Spirit, and that this gift may become active.
The power behind ministerial acts
The liturgy also provides for an epiclesis during ministerial acts. The invocation of the Spirit takes place before the actual act, namely within the prayer following the vow of the person involved.
In case of an ordination—where the authority to speak and act in God’s name is conferred—the focus is on the plea to God the Holy Spirit to grant blessing, sanctification and authority. During an appointment—a service associated with a
spiritual ministry, which involves a leadership function—blessing and sanctification are sought. And in the case of an assignment, that is, the allocation of a function to support a leading minister, the officiant asks God the Holy Spirit to help the assigned minister in fulfilling their role.
The important point here is: it is not the apostolate, but God alone, who is the subject of the ordination. “The actions of the minister do not result from the power at the disposal of that individual, but rather from the power of the Holy Spirit,” the pastoral letter states. “The minister can only work for the benefit of the congregation or the individual in this power.”
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