The visit of the District Apostle, a special meeting, 50 years of fellowship—there are so many reasons to celebrate. And it is not only at Christmas that brothers and sisters in faith on every continent come together to rejoice with one another.
Spreading the light into the world
All of the participants in the youth service in the run-up to Christmas on 29 November 2024 brought along a light of their very own. The church in Bad Schwartau, Germany was lit exclusively by these small light sources and the lights of the Christmas tree. The theme of the youth service, which, as an exception took place on a Friday evening, was: “Be confident and do it.” Afterwards, the youth group visited the Christmas market, where they enjoyed traditional carnival pastries known as Mutzen, punch, live music, and fellowship.
The unity of the church of Christ
A variety of clergy gathered together on 19 October 2024 in the New Apostolic Church in Batu, Equatorial Guinea. These included retired Apostle Gonzalo Esono Aló of the New Apostolic Church, Priest José Luis Mangue of the Roman Catholic Church, Bishop Bienvenido Francisco Nze Ndong of the Orthodox Church, Pastor Alberto Motogo Nfono of the Presbyterian Church, and Pastor Ernesto Micha Ndong Aheng of the Evangelical Reformed Church discussed such topics as the church of Christ, how to recognise the people of God, what it means for Christians to be united, and the return of Christ. The exchange was moderated by Apostle Salvador Mitogo Obiang.
“Our differences are not to divide us,” said Bishop Bienvenido Francisco Nze Ndong. “Ecumenical dialogue brings us together, even if we have different liturgies. If we are one and if there is love within us, then the church can grow deep roots and our society can be more harmonious.” Priest José Luis Mangue emphasised: “This meeting can mark a before and after in the history of the church of Christ in our country. It is proof that we can indeed create space for dialogue, so that we can see what we have in common and avoid confrontation. The Christian faith must take on greater significance.” And towards the end, Pastor Alberto Motogo Nfono stated: “We may be different in form, but we must be one in love.”
Congregation celebrates a golden anniversary
The brothers and sisters of the Los Hornos No. 1 congregation in Buenos Aires, Argentina were recently permitted to look back on 50 years of congregational life. Everything was decorated for this special celebration on 20 October 2024, and the decorations reflected the many preparations that the congregation had made. For example, there was a large “50” made up of photos featuring scenes of active congregational life as well as a welcome poster bearing the handprints of the congregation’s children. Apostle Pedro Ramis celebrated the special celebration with the believers, together with other active and retired ministers who had worked in the congregation over the years. A total of 235 people attended the service. The congregation’s choir and an instrumental ensemble provided the musical backdrop for the festive service. The celebrations concluded with a video looking back on the life of the congregation over the years and a rousing chorus of “Feliz cumpleaños” (Happy Birthday) sung by all those present. Afterwards there was cake for everyone.
Rays of hope in Suriname
The Dutch aid organisation known as the Stichting Corantijn, which works mainly on the other side of the Atlantic, in Suriname, brought great joy to the country this past October. The volunteer aid workers were able to support three families in Paramaribo and Dankbaarkondre with food packages, hygiene products, and baby clothes. The three families reflected the circle of life: the first family had just welcomed a newborn baby into their midst, the second family was in the middle of their lives, and the members of the last family were already moving toward the sunset of their lives.
Joy over the visit of the District Apostle
In mid-October, eight congregations in South Cotobato, Philippines welcomed District Apostle Edy Isnugroho for the first time. Accompanied by Apostles Samuel Tansahtikno and Medie Sabal, the Southeast Asian Church President visited the congregations of Lamkanidang, Lalawan, Lamtlosong, Upper-Linan, Datal-Ngisi, Datal-Bukay, Estorninos, and Almatac from 12-20 October. In so doing, the District Apostle faced all kinds of challenges: he travelled to the congregations by car, by motorcycle, and even on foot, sometimes on unpaved roads. Wherever he went, he was received with joy—and also brought many blessings with him in return. For example, District Apostle Isnugroho appointed five district leaders during this trip.