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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The pandemic forces people to keep a distance from one another. This also applies to the regularly occurring conference of the international Church leaders. In some respects, a digital conference of the District Apostles is uncharted territory, and the preparations for it were quite complex and involving.

The Council of Christian Churches (CCC) in Luxembourg is the official name of the round table at which the ecumenical churches of the Grand Duchy gather together to discuss Christian issues in the country. The CCC has recently appointed a new chairman: Clément Haeck, a retired Apostle.

Expert skills are not imparted by ordination or appointment—these are things that must first be learned. Nevertheless, the Church strives to support and guide its ministers and teachers in their endeavours. In some ways, the various District Churches pursue this task in similar ways, but sometimes they take quite a different approach

Who or what is the New Apostolic Church? In any case, it is more than just one individual church. In fact, legally speaking, it is an association of independent churches. What makes it a global entity?

Acknowledging the baptisms of other denominations is not as simple as it sounds, and the journey there has had its ups and downs in church history. A number of things had to be set into motion before the New Apostolic Church was in a position to acknowledge the baptisms of other Christian denominations.

Water is life. And baptism is new life. But how much water does baptism require? And how is one supposed to perform the act anyway? Theologians have arrived at three answers—and archaeologists are offering a fourth. Is there a single right answer?

Sermons, pastoral care, leadership functions—all of these follow the standard of the Bible. But its precepts are not always clear. What Scripture says and what it does not say: a guide intended not just for ministers…

Immersion is not necessarily the same as immersion. And baptism is not necessarily baptism. Sometimes even the smallest details can serve to hint at great innovations. Here is what can be discerned about the most fundamental of all the sacraments—just from looking at some spelling adaptations in key words of the Bible.

Baptism is as old as the New Testament. It is both a bone of contention as well as a binding element among Christians. Some see it as a rite of entry into Christian life, others regard it as merely a private celebration. In fact, it is more than people think!

Online is not everything. How can we resume divine services and congregational life during the coronavirus crisis? Locally and very slowly and cautiously, is the answer of the European Church leaders.

Seven, three, or two: how many sacraments are there actually? Not even all the Christian denominations are in agreement with themselves when it comes to that question. But there is one point of intersection which all of them do acknowledge—almost all of them, that is.

A novel type of virus that can cause respiratory disease is spreading and making people everywhere anxious. It has made us take a whole new look at hygiene measures such as washing our hands. However, we must also keep our spiritual health in mind.

“We must be careful to ensure that this does not happen to us,” appealed Chief Apostle Schneider. A sermon about pitfalls that is nevertheless encouraging — and not only for ministers.