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Gereja Kerasulan Baru Indonesia

Banten is a province of Indonesia located in the west of the island of Java. A special concert took place there on 11 April 2015. The motto was: “Be Thankful and Grateful”. There has been a very promising development in the New Apostolic congregations in this region over recent years. Bishop Samuel Handojo Tansahtikno, who acted as MC at the concert in our church in South Tangerang, opened the programme with a prayer. The Sunday School children sang songs, there was a poetry recital, and performances by an angklung orchestra. The retired District Evangelist Bambang Purwadi and his wife were presented with a bouquet of flowers as a token of thanks for the many years he dedicated to building up the congregations of the district. He himself, a pioneer of the Church in the region, called on the listeners to continue to pursue the way they had set out on. Today the district is comprised of five congregations and two missions. More than 700 members attend the divine services. They are cared for by 74 ministers.

NAC USA

The New Apostolic Church in Long Island, New York, was recently welcomed as a member of the Long Island Council of Churches (LICC). The LICC, an interdenominational non-profit organization, is the coordinating body for the ecumenical work of churches on Long Island. Some 300 worshippers from various denominations recently gathered for the annual Easter sunrise service at Jones Beach on Long Island. The youth from our Westbury congregation on Long Island helped distribute Easter baskets with food to needy people.

NAC Switzerland

Organists from Switzerland, Germany, and Austria came together for a three-day organ workshop in Toggenburg in Switzerland. Four lecturers gave courses on the theoretical and practical aspects of organ playing. Twenty organists had registered for the course. Jens Wiech, the organizer and one of the lecturers, welcomed the participants and introduced the three other lecturers: Angelika Ebner, Hauke Ehlers, and Patrick Renz. For the practical part of the course, the instructors and their students were able to use the pipe organs in some of the Catholic and Reformed churches in the area. The theoretical part of the course was combined with the art of organ playing in church services. Further items on the agenda were the technique of registration, a lecture on music history (with an emphasis on Mendelssohn-Bartholdy), and how to deal with stage fright. Improvisation as well as the playing technique for Baroque and Renaissance music were also part of the course. In a final concert, the four lecturers played pieces by Nicolaus Bruhns, Dietrich Buxtehude, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Christopher Tambling. Their performance was impressive and they were awarded with standing ovations.

NAC Zambia

The Mfuwe congregation in the Chipata area of Zambia, which is looked after by Apostle Kububa Soko, will host this year’s National Council Meeting (NCM). This is an annual conference for all active Apostles of the New Apostolic Church Zambia. Mfuwe, a tourist area in Mambwe District in Eastern Province, will host the meeting from 5 to 7 June 2015. The national Apostles’ conference formulates strategies on the operations of the New Apostolic Church in Zambia. The National Council reviews the requirements of all the Apostle areas and the activities taking place there. The meeting also reviews the financial position of the Church in terms of income and expenditure as well as fixed and current assets. District Apostle Charles Ndandula will also use the opportunity to brief the Apostles on doctrinal matters. The climax of this year’s NCM will be the festive divine service at Mfuwe Central church, which is scheduled to be dedicated on that occasion by the District Apostle. The church building is nearing completion. The Chipata Apostle area currently counts more than 66,000 New Apostolic Christians.