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Interactive project: Depict the motto “Joy in Christ”!

January 17, 2015

Author: Andreas Rother

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“Joy in Christ”, the motto of the New Apostolic Church for 2015, is unfolding more and more from service to service. What does it mean for us, what do we connect with it? Join our interactive project and help us illustrate the 2015 motto!

There are many facets to the motto. Already in his New Year’s message, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider mentioned four points according to which “joy in Christ” includes

  • the joy over salvation through Christ,

  • the joy that is experienced in the fellowship of Christians,

  • the joy that is derived from serving according to the example set by Jesus, and

  • the joy that we derive out of the strength and the gifts we receive every day.

The Chief Apostle spoke in detail about two of these aspects in the New Year’s Day service he held in Herne-Wanne-Eickel in Germany. The joy over salvation through Christ arises on account of

  • the certainty that, in the end, the goodness of God will conquer evil;

  • the possibility to become like Christ;

  • the small and large victories which we can win by working with and in the Spirit of God.

The fellowship among Christians is another source of joy, the Chief Apostle said, provided

  • we understand the congregation as a team in which everyone wants to reach the same goal.

  • we see in the baptism or sealing of a soul or in the ordination of a brother the individual’s decision: “Yes, I want to become a Christian. I want to serve the Lord.”

  • we see our victory as a team victory, and that we have managed to preserve the unity despite all personal and cultural differences.

These are quite a few impulses that are waiting to be put into action. And sometimes it helps to actually visualize things to get a better picture. What do I see? How do I see it?

nac.today is calling on its readers to do exactly that. Help us depict the 2015 motto with the brothers and sisters around the world. Take pictures, make a short video clip, ask the children to draw a picture, or let your own creativity gush, inspired by the thought: “I feel joy in Christ because …” or “I feel joy in Christ when …”

Whatever you come up with, send it to us! Over the course of the year we will publish the best ideas here on nac.today. There are a few rules to consider.

  • By submitting something, you automatically consent to its being published. Give us your name, age, the name of the congregation you belong to, and the country you live in.

  • Make sure that all the persons shown on the photograph agree with the publication of the photo. Check with them to make sure they agree.

  • Please do not send any photos or works of art for which you do not have the express permission for publication. We will not be able to publish works by others, such as items from the Internet.

So, we hope you enjoy the activity. The editors can be reached at: [email protected]

January 17, 2015

Author: Andreas Rother

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