Talking to one another, singing together, praying together: this does not need to be restricted to Christians alone. Following are just some of the ways the New Apostolic Church advocates for peace and unity with other denominations and religions.
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Prayers for unity
Photo: Peter Harder
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Prayers for unity
Photo: Peter Harder
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Prayers for unity
Photo: Peter Harder
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Gathering to come closer
Photo: Frank Schuldt
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Gathering to come closer
Photo: Frank Schuldt
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Gathering to come closer
Photo: Frank Schuldt
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Songs for peace
Photo: Matthias Geisbüsch
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Songs for peace
Photo: Matthias Geisbüsch
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Songs for peace
Photo: Matthias Geisbüsch
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Songs for peace
Photo: Matthias Geisbüsch
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Songs for peace
Photo: Matthias Geisbüsch
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Songs for peace
Photo: Matthias Geisbüsch
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Songs for peace
Photo: Matthias Geisbüsch
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Gathering together to share
Photo: NAK Schweiz
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Gathering together to share
Photo: NAK Schweiz
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Gathering together to share
Photo: NAK Schweiz
Prayers for unity
The central ecumenical celebration of the traditional week of prayer for Christian unity took place for the first time in Hannover. Celebrations were held worldwide from January 18-25, 2020. The Association of Christian Churches (ACC) in Germany had sent out invitations to the central event on Sunday, 19 January 2020. Also present was the New Apostolic Church, represented by District Evangelist Thomas Sperling.
The week of prayer was captioned by the theme: “And the natives showed us unusual kindness” (Acts 28: 2). The related Bible passage gives an account of the shipwreck of Apostle Paul and his companions of the coast of the island of Malta. An eye-catcher during the ecumenical celebration was a lifeboat placed in the church—as a reference to the current refugee crises in the Mediterranean region.
Gathering to come closer
The Lutheran Church of Westphalia and the New Apostolic Church of Western Germany invited participants to a day of joint study in March. Captioned by the motto “Coming together — Protestant and New Apostolic in Westphalia”, the event will incorporate presentations and discussions.
The day of study is intended to create interactions, look back on the historical development process, as well as provide an opportunity to discuss ecclesiastical and theological matters. President Annette Kurschus and District Apostle Rainer Storck will open the event together.
Songs for peace
On the evening of 23 January 2020, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, and Christians gathered together in the Lutheran Church of Leichlingen in Western Germany in order to sing collective songs of peace. Four New Apostolic congregations took part in this interfaith assembly.
More than 150 believers of various religions came together for the musical event—60 of them in a choir that had already practised some musical pieces ahead of time. The majority of the choir—which was led by Cantor Carsten Ehret and Imam Kaan Baki—was comprised of New Apostolic believers from the congregations of Burscheid-Hilgen, Leichlingen, Leverkusen, and Leverkusen-Opladen.
Gathering together to share
Ecumenical designates from all over Switzerland gathered together on Saturday 18 January in the New Apostolic Church in Aara. The focus of the conference was on the motivation for, and the objectives of, ecumenism, as well as to exchange experiences.
In his introductory presentation, retired Apostle Volker Kühnle talked about the development of the ecumenical movement in general, as well as the developments that have taken place within the New Apostolic Church in particular. He listed some of the motivations and goals, and made reference to the importance of both change and continuity in the Church.