Not in your room …
Recognising and addressing the needs of others, praying together, and making music together to praise God—this is the weekly programme of many Christians. They are out and about to make a difference.
…, but at school
“The new classrooms are already being used,” re Charitable Ministry, the relief organization of the New Apostolic Church in the USA, reports on a joint project in Sambia led by the Swiss organization iChange. Although not all have desks and chairs yet. Now that the new classrooms of the Mackenzie Community School are finished, local businesses and individuals jumped in to help with some of the remaining work.
Not only were soccer balls and jerseys donated for the school’s sports programme, but also labour: a local company is building 50 new desks from leftover construction wood.
…, but with prayer and music
The Bundesgartenschau (BUGA) is a biennial federal horticulture show in Germany and takes place in different cities. It features horticulture, landscape architecture and, for quite a few years now, an extensive cultural programme. The exhibition is open in spring and summer for a period of several months.
On 29 September, a youth choir of the New Apostolic Church performed at the one of the events: “Evensong of the Confessions and Religions”. An audience of several hundred listened to the singing and enjoyed the fellowship offered by prayers and music.
…, but within the Council of Christian Churches in Germany, ACK
The New Apostolic Church Western Germany is an associate member of the CCCG in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia (Germany). This decision was taken by the Council’s Executive Committee at its meeting in July 2019. Following a study meeting that took place on 9 and 10 October, the New Apostolic Church now introduced itself to the delegates of the member churches as well as to the representatives of the local branch. In the evening, there was a joint divine service in which the New Apostolic Church was officially welcomed as an associate member.
In her welcome address, Pastor Annette Muhr-Nelson said, “With the apostolate, the New Apostolic Church brings a new facet into the ecumenical community.” She expressed her joy at the prospect of new impulses through the sisters and brothers of the New Apostolic Church.
The New Apostolic Church was awarded associate status in the CCCG in April already. In addition to this, there have been countless contacts and associate memberships on the local level over the years.
…, but within open churches
Many people all over the world are celebrating the feast of Thanksgiving these days and thanking and praising God, the Creator, who “assigned human beings their living environment and issued them the mandate to have dominion over the earth and to protect it (Genesis 1: 26–30; Psalm 8: 6). Human beings are thus accountable to God, the Creator, for their actions with regard to the creation. They have been instructed to treat all life and their habitat with esteem” (Catechism of the New Apostolic Church 3.3.1.2).
Many sisters and brothers across the world are sharing their gratitude on social media websites: in Democratic Republic Congo South-East , in South Africa, in Colombia, in India, in Japan, in Italy, and in Germany.
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Oliver Rütten
11.10.2019
Aid agencies,
Denominations,
Music,
Congregational life