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2020: Christ makes free

Freedom — this is a sublime and precious commodity! There is only one who can provide true freedom: Jesus Christ! "Christ makes free"—this is the motto for the year 2020. The Chief Apostle explains its content in his address for the New Year.

31 12 2020

Annual motto Chief Apostle

+2

• District Apostle
• New Year

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Freedom in Christ: more than a ray of hope

Freedom. Where? When? How? The Chief Apostle and the District Apostles have explored the annual motto from all sides. Here are a few highlights from our Spotlight series to usher out the old year.

30 12 2020

Africa

+13

• America
• Annual motto
• Apostolate
• Asia
• Australia / Pacific
• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Doctrine 
• Easter
• Holy Communion
• Ministry
• Sacraments

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Using the power of faith: the people of 2020

Witten, Rohmer, Simon—three different names, three different stories. All of them revolve around what can be accomplished with the power of faith—and how it can help the members to move forward: the people of 2020.

29 12 2020

Asia

+7

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Easter
• Pentecost
• Profile

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A church without borders or walls

Locked church doors, divine services on YouTube, mouth and nose protection at the altar: the pandemic really shook up church life in 2020. It was the year of COVID-19. Following is a chronicle of the year’s events.

28 12 2020

Africa

+13

• America
• Asia
• Australia / Pacific
• Buildings
• Charity work
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Local news
• Organisation
• Sacraments

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The last divine service of the old year

At the end of the year, New Apostolic congregations come together for a joint closing service—in their churches where possible and online. The topic of the sermons is: “God strengthens our faith in trials.”

26 12 2020

Chief Apostle

+2

• Congregation
• Divine service

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Christmas joy without fear

When the shepherds in the field heard the good tidings of Christ’s birth, they perceived two calls: they were to have great joy and no fear! The birth of the Son of God was to bring joy to all people and make the fear of the individual recede into the background. Do we hear this too?

25 12 2020

Asia Chief Apostle

+1

• Christmas

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Bethlehem, the barricaded city

There is a great barrier that separates Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Although it is indeed possible to pass through its gates, visitors require a passport, and must submit to customs control. For many, however, it has become a wall of death. Bethlehem today has become a symbol of political unrest and human error.

24 12 2020

Chief Apostle

+6

• Christmas
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• History 
• Organisation

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Celebrating Christmas!

Christmas has not been cancelled. The birth of Jesus has not been forgotten, even though many things are different this year. There is still gratitude and joy over the birth of Jesus, and this is the true celebration of Christmas.

23 12 2020

Chief Apostle

+4

• Christmas
• Congregation
• Divine service
• History 

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Spotlight 19/2020: Freedom is also an emotion

How do you define freedom? The determining factors are not always verifiable and objective. Freedom is often just the feeling of being free. Even the man Jesus was torn back and forth in His feelings. District Apostle Peter Schulte, who lives in Australia and looks after the Western Pacific district, explores the subject.

22 12 2020

Annual motto

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• Australia / Pacific
• District Apostle

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Rejoice!

Joy is a state that is not dependent on health or illness. It is a sense of well-being and satisfaction that overlooks everything else and focuses on one thing only! The divine services give such a special impetus—even in the midst of the pandemic.

18 12 2020

Advent

+3

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• Divine service

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An engineer of the Church in tune with the times

Whenever innovations were in the offing, he was front and centre—and he was never shy to apply his international perspective. In retrospect, this allowed him a special view of God’s work: District Apostle Helper John Sobottka from Canada is retiring this Sunday.

17 12 2020

Africa

+9

• Asia
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Doctrine 
• Europe
• History 
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Organisation

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Giving up what is harmful

Staying away from things that are unhealthy and tucking in when it is good for us … What has been proven to work in daily life also seems to make sense spiritually. Here are some thoughts from Chief Apostle Schneider on the topic.

16 12 2020

Chief Apostle

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• Divine service
• Doctrine 

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Church continues a course of consolidation

The New Apostolic Church is continuing its process of consolidation: in the year 2022, the District Apostle district of Northern and Eastern Germany will merge with the District Apostle district of Berlin-Brandenburg. Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider made the announcement yesterday.

14 12 2020

Africa

+11

• America
• Asia
• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Easter
• Europe
• Ministry
• Organisation

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Nine months of virtual worship

The New Apostolic Church has known divine service transmissions for years, usually for special occasions. Since March 2020 though, the churches worldwide have been broadcasting on a weekly basis, in some cases even several times a week.

11 12 2020

Chief Apostle

+2

• Congregation
• Divine service

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At home worldwide: learning, giving, rethinking

Things never stay the same for long. This applies to many areas of life, also when it comes to church. Here are three stories on learning, giving, and rethinking.

09 12 2020

Africa

+11

• Chief Apostle
• Christmas
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Event
• Ministry
• Music
• Pastoral care
• Youth

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Making the love of God perceptible

Making the invisible visible is every Christian’s mission. And Jesus showed us how we can do that. The whole idea of what we do is to show what the nature of God is like: pure love.

08 12 2020

Chief Apostle

+1

• Divine service

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A surplus in donations put to immediate use

More donations, more funding for projects: this is the formula that sums up the year 2019 for the charity nak-karitativ. The recently published annual report makes it clear how necessary this was and is.

07 12 2020

Africa Charity work

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• Chief Apostle
• Easter

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Bonus broadcasts in December

There will be more online offers during Advent and Christmas: the YouTube channels of the District Churches have the one or other treat in the pipeline.

04 12 2020

Advent

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• Africa
• Chief Apostle
• Christmas
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Music

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Equally created in the image of God, and equal in commission too

Both in terms of organisation and content, the most recent District Apostle Meeting was dominated by the coronavirus crisis. Yet not even the pandemic was able to stop the work that needed to be done on the future-oriented topics on the agenda of this conference.

02 12 2020

America

+10

• Australia / Pacific
• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Organisation
• Pentecost
• Sacraments

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Take heart!

“What is God like?” children sometimes ask. A justified question. Finding an answer is easier than it seems at first. Let’s ask Jesus Christ. He knows what God is like. This will be the topic in our divine services on the second Sunday of Advent.

01 12 2020

Advent

+7

• Chief Apostle
• Christmas
• Concept of salvation for the departed
• Congregation
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Society

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A man who said yes and stayed true

A faithful servant of the Church, that sounds like the perfect caption for the life of Johann Rissik Kitching, who was responsible for the fate of the New Apostolic Church in Southern Africa for many years. Who was this man? Let us take a look back in honour of his 100th birthday.

30 11 2020

Africa

+14

• Apostolate
• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Grieving
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Pastoral care
• Profile
• Retirement
• Thanksgiving Day
• Youth

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Starting the new church year together

On Sunday Christians around the world will celebrate the first Sunday of Advent. A time of special lights, being together, and extraordinary emotions.

27 11 2020

Advent Chief Apostle

+5

• Christmas
• Congregation
• Divine service
• Europe
• Music

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At home worldwide: Sharing joy and sorrow

Life is varied. Misery and elation alternate, and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is making it difficult not to feel overwhelmed. But there are always hopeful little stories that encourage and point to a better future. Here is a small glimpse.

25 11 2020

Australia / Pacific

+11

• Christmas
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Easter
• History 
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Music
• Pastoral care

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Jesus dries our tears

The sermon was about weeping, but the situation was anything but sad! On the contrary, those who weep are to be consoled. This was the message of the Chief Apostle during a divine service in Strasbourg (France) on 15 November 2020.

24 11 2020

America

+6

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• Divine service
• Easter
• Grieving
• Pastoral care

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Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in turmoil

For years there has been a conflict in the region, with armed hostilities flaring up periodically. Despite a cease-fire agreement, there is no end to the turmoil engulfing Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the embattled region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

23 11 2020

Asia

+6

• Charity work
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Europe
• History 

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Weekly update

Changed access details, new streaming offers… Here is this week’s update on our online church services across the globe.

20 11 2020

Chief Apostle

+2

• Congregation
• Divine service

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don't miss

A leader with an open heart and mind

His faith, his foresight, and his humility made him a formative figure in New Apostolic history: Chief Apostle Hans Urwyler would have turned 100 on 20 February. Today and tomorrow, we will pay tribute to this man as a way of saying thank you.

19 02 2025

Profile Chief Apostle

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• History 
• Anniversary

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Faith. Fellowship. Future.

A feast that will stay: Pentecost 2025 has left deep impressions and provided an outlook for the future. Here is an overview of everything there is to know.

11 06 2025

Pentecost Investiture

+7

• Chief Apostle
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Organisation
• Local news
• Buildings
• Music

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“Step by step, courageously forward” 

Twenty years ago today, Chief Apostle Richard Fehr handed over the ministry to his successor. In a video interview later, Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber revealed how this came about.

15 05 2025

Investiture Chief Apostle

+2

• Anniversary
• History

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