Pentecost is over — but the highlight of the month of May is not to obscure the fact that there have also been other great initiatives unfolding in New Apostolic congregations around the world outside of these festive holy days. In the following we report on some of them:

Pentecost 2015 was a very encouraging divine service … Have confidence and trust in the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the way that leads to God. This was the key message of Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider. To conclude our Pentecost coverage we will take another look at the divine service.

It nearly happened. For a little bit everyone involved held their breath, because the transmission of the Pentecost service from Lusaka was actually in jeopardy. While the broadcasting trucks were on their way from South Africa to Lusaka in Zambia, an important piece of equipment was damaged.

“It would be great to have Pentecost in Zambia every year!” is what a sister said after the concert in our central church in Lusaka on Saturday. The church offers room for about 3,000 people, but nearly 4,000 were in the church. The audience was thrilled. At the end of the concert there was no stopping the choir and instrumentalists. They just kept on singing and dancing.

“Pentecost is a feast of joy celebrating the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit in the church of Christ.” This was the message that Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider conveyed during the central Pentecost service in Lusaka in Zambia. He called on the faithful to, “Trust in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

“This was a typical Zambian concert – filled with joy and filled with the Holy Spirit! What can I say? Great!” It was with these words that Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider expressed his thanks to the many choir members and instrumentalists – and there were several hundred of them!

An Apostle Meeting such as this has never occurred before in the New Apostolic Church. This is not only due to the fact that nearly all the Apostles of Africa have assembled in one place. On this occasion, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider also set some goals for the development of the Church on this continent.

The preparations for the central Pentecost service that will take place in Zambia are in full swing. Hundreds of helpers in Zambia have their hands full to get everything ready for the coming weekend.

Pentecost occupies a special place in the cycle of religious holidays. Why do we refer to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit as the “birthday of the church of Christ”? The answer follows in the second part of our reflections on Pentecost.

We have started into an exciting week. This coming weekend we will be celebrating the highlight of our Church year. What happened at Pentecost? What significance does the feast have for us as Christians? A reflection in two parts.

When millions of brothers and sisters in faith around the globe are once again united for this year's Pentecost divine service, the New Apostolic Church will be celebrating a special anniversary: for the last 25 years, the Great Transmission has also been sent out to all the nations, namely by satellite. Following are some insights into what is not exactly every-day infrastructure:

The Ascension of Christ is a Christian holy day about which few people know very much. Somewhat underrepresented, it lies concealed between Easter and Pentecost. And yet, this day is immensely significant for salvation.

The Pentecost transmission is set and ready to go. Millions of New Apostolic Christians around the world will be able to participate in this holy day of their Church either over satellite, the Internet, television, or radio.

The "Spotlight" series is intended to shed light on all aspects of our "Joy in Christ". This time it is District Apostle Markus Fehlbaum's turn to take a closer look at our annual motto for 2015. He starts off by asking, "What happens when we share joy with others?"

After 34 years in ministry, the longest serving Apostle currently in ministry will take his retirement: Rudolf Kainz—a man of humbleness as well as clear words, filled with vision and initiative, but above all, well-practised in the love of Jesus—will be discharged from active ministry on 15 March in Schaffhausen.

Starting tomorrow, the New Apostolic Church in Spain will turn over a new leaf, so to speak. As of 1 March, the brothers and sisters there will be singing from a new hymnal. The new Spanish hymnal originated from a kind of big sister in a different part of the world.

To radiate joy in Christ, that is the goal of our 2015 motto. Today District Apostle Leonard Kolb (USA) throws light on this multifaceted theme. He asks: How can we be joyful if we only think of ourselves?

Soft yet firm, someone who blazed the trail and someone who guided others on it, that was Chief Apostle Hans Urwyler. Today he would have turned 90 years of age.