At home worldwide

First national choral workshop in Indonesia

A group of 67 conductors from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines came together for their first national choral workshop in Surabaya in Indonesia. The two-day seminar was led by Tommyanto Kandisaputra, a choral maestro who has many international awards and much experience. Rehearsal technique and vocal training were only two of the subjects taught. On Sunday there was a concert with the choir of the local congregation, who were joined by the Eliata Choir, an interdenominational Christian choir. On the programme were the “Coronation Anthems” by George Frideric Handel and the “Hallelujah Chorus” from his Messiah. In Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines there are about 61,000 New Apostolic Christians.

Apostle Louis Mendy has retired

Apostle Mendy suffered a stroke in May 2013. His recovery has been slow. He is still not well so that District Apostle Bernd Koberstein decided to place the Apostle into retirement at the end of January.

Apostle Mendy served as a minister for 33 years. First he worked in Senegal. Following his ordination as an Apostle in 2007 he worked in the countries of Burkina Faso and Niger. Together with his family he moved from Senegal to Burkina Faso. Used to the more temperate climate in Senegal, he had to adjust. Day-time temperatures in Burkina Faso can reach more than 50 degrees Celsius. During the rainy season, the congregations cannot always be reached. In the beginning, the Apostle testified of the New Apostolic faith through an interpreter, as he did not speak the language. In the meantime, there are about 770 congregations with more than 30,000 members, who are looked after by three Bishops and 25 district leaders.

nac.today presentation in Mulhouse (France)

The members of the congregation in Mulhouse took the initiative and produced an eight-minute video to present and explain the various parts of the online news magazine nac.today. Evangelist Thierry Becker gave the presentation in mid January after a divine service.

The presentation was concluded with the video clip of Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider giving his new year’s message, in which he explains the 2015 motto “Joy in Christ”.

Anyone who would like to watch the Mulhouse video can do so here.

KonzertChor-Süd-Hessen gives concert

Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo celebrated his 80th birthday in January. For a number of years the Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church has shared a special friendship with the members of a New Apostolic choir from Germany. On his birthday this year, the choir travelled to Rome in Italy and gave a concert in his honour. Among the many dignitaries who had come to congratulate the cardinal was also Apostle Jürg Zbinden, who is responsible for the New Apostolic Christians in Italy. He extended the congratulations of the work group “Contacts to Churches and Religions”—of which Apostle Kühnle is the chairman.

In the morning, the choir attended the divine service in the congregation in Rome, which was conducted by Apostle Zbinden. Thanks to the choir’s trips to Rome—the first was in 2009—there have been encouraging developments in the congregation in Rome. The rector, Stefano Cacciatore, says that the congregation is more in the general public’s awareness now. The congregation also has good contacts to the Catholic church in the city quarter and participates in an interdenominational dialogue.

Day of the Youth in Korea

The youth in Korea have two Days of the Youth per year; one in summer and one in winter. The motto of the winter event was “I am a child of God”. The youth and their rectors came together for two days in January with Bishop Yang and District Evangelists Lee and Cha. They had group discussions about their faith and watched the sunset over Suncheon Bay.