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WPDN-Autumn-2021.Pdf Western Pacific District News Edition 36/1 - Autumn 2021 In this issue: 25th Jubilee in Hobart Getting to know our Apostles NACare update Confirmation 2021 From the desk of District Apostle Schulte Dear brothers and sisters Since the beginning of the COVID-19 restrictions, the western believers show their gratitude for Jesus’ acts of salvation. world has utilised the use of online divine services. These This also brings to expression their longing for God’s word online services have been very well supported and received. I and the sacrament. (CNAC 5.3.4.5) must also admit that the online services are convenient, but our concern now is that we don’t allow convenience to control It is no secret that personal contribution is the success of any our method of worship. organisation. If we give the gift of our personal contribution to our congregation, it will help us all to experience the feeling In John 4:20-24 we can read Jesus’ conversation with the the Psalmist expressed ” Lord I have loved the habitation of Samaritan woman where he said, ”true worshippers will your house and the place where your glory dwells” (Psalm worship the father in spirit and truth”. We could assume 26:8). from Jesus’ counsel to the Samaritan woman that it was not necessary to attend divine services in the temple! However, The online service is to complement our physical gathering in Jesus had actually drawn attention to the superficial manner our churches not replace the physical gathering. in which the Jews worshipped in the temple. He suggested that man should worship God in absolute sincerity. Therefore, Together with my fellow Apostles, I send you greetings for a the proper worship of God is not purely a formal act but blessed and peaceful Easter period, and hope that you can consists of a human being’s complete devotion to God. experience fellowship with your family and congregations - whether in the natural sense, or via online connection. As we understand it today, this is only completely possible with physical attendance in the divine service. Our Catechism With loving greetings describes the divine service in the following manner: Believers sanctify the Sunday by worshipping God in divine service, believingly accepting His word, receiving forgiveness of sins in a repentant attitude, and worthily partaking of Christ’s body and blood in the sacrament of Holy Communion. Peter Schulte In so doing, believers commemorate Christ’s sacrifice and act of redemption, celebrate the Lord’s resurrection, and direct their eyes to His return. By attending the divine service, 2 Australia District News 25th Jubilee in Hobart, Tasmania In 1951 Brother Gunter Karras arrived in Tasmania from Berlin, In 1978 Priest Roger Brooks and his family arrived in Hobart Germany and settled in a township about 250km from Hobart. from Adelaide, South Australia. Priest Brooks was given the Several years later, in 1955, Sister Helga Riewoldt and her son responsibility of rectorship for the congregation. Since that time arrived in Hobart from Berlin to join her husband. the congregation has been supported by a number of rectors: Priest William Williams, District Evangelist Ulrich Duenzl, District Contact between Brother Karras and Sister Riewoldt was Evangelist Trevor Hearns and Evangelist Ian Stopforth. Priest established, and arrangements were made to hold monthly Greg Selley is the current rector of the Hobart congregation. meetings in Sister Riewoldt’s home where a circular from Apostle De Lisen was read and the dispatched communion After attending services in a number of different locations for wafers were partaken of. On 5 December 1957 Apostle De Lisen over 30 years, District Apostle Rosentreter secured a church visited Hobart to conduct the first divine service and celebrate building from another denomination. Some work was necessary Holy Communion with the congregation. to make it suitable for the needs of the congregation, and on 2 December 1995 the building was dedicated by Apostle Schmidt. In 1958 Brother Karras and his family moved to Hobart. Eventually a meeting place was found in a community hall where services On the weekend of 5-6 December 2020, District Apostle Schulte were conducted both on Sunday morning and Sunday evening. was able to take advantage of the reopened interstate borders to travel to Hobart and celebrate the 25th anniversary of the In 1960 Brother Karras’ wife and daughter were sealed and he church dedication with the congregation. He used the bible text was placed into the deacon ministry. In 1963 the congregation out of Luke 18, a portion of the 8th verse: ”Nevertheless, when was boosted in number with the arrival of Priest Rudi Mattes the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” and his family from Perth, Western Australia. Several years later Brother Heinze Kunz and his family arrived in Hobart from Berlin, The congregation enjoyed fellowship lunch after the divine and he was entrusted with organ and choir responsibilities. service and many memories of the past were shared. Australia District News 3 District Apostle visit to Melbourne, Victoria On the weekend of 6-7 March District Apostle Schulte had the opportunity to travel to Melbourne, Victoria. Upon arriving on Saturday, he conducted a ministers and wives service in Box Hill, which was followed by a COVID-safe fellowship. On Sunday morning the Croydon and Springvale congregations combined and the District Apostle held the service of intercession for the departed. The opportunity to have fellowship - in line with COVID restrictions - was a great blessing for those gathered. Following this, the District Apostle travelled to Maidstone where he conducted an afternoon service for the members of that region. The service also included Holy Sealing. At the conclusion of this service, the members gathered for the opening of a time capsule which was sealed in 2010 as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the congregation, which was known at that time as Braybrook. Celebrations for the 60th anniversary, which took place in 2020, were put on hold until now as a result of COVID restrictions. 4 Australia District News Youth service in Auckland, NZ The Auckland youth, together with those connected in congregations across New Zealand, celebrated their closing youth event on Sunday, 6 December 2020 at Generator, an event space in the Auckland CBD. Apostle Williams conducted this divine service via audio visual transmission from Australia and used Acts 2:36 as the bible text: ”Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” The youth were encouraged to keep their faith strong despite all circumstances. Jesus remains Lord and Christ no matter what. District Elder Ernst Graf, as well as Priest Sebastian Eckardt, assisted during the divine service. Musical items were rendered from Auckland, Christchurch and Kingston congregations. The divine service was followed by a Christmas brunch fellowship. This was followed by a short presentation from Sister Teresa Nagel of the Wellington congregation on the topic of mental wellbeing, with tips for our young people on how to deal with anxiety. It was a great conclusion to the day, and the year. Australia District News 5 Insight: Getting to know our newest Apostles During the divine service conducted by our Chief Apostle in Christchurch in 2019, the ordination of two new Apostles took place. Apostle Patrick Silabe and Apostle Lucas Supok work together with Apostles Allan Pouru and Aimol Wasimbai in Papua New Guinea. Visiting the brothers and sisters in this region can be very difficult due to the remoteness of many congregations. Some congregations are only accessible by sea or air transport, and others have no access via roads and therefore involve a 5-6 hour trek walking up mountains and following streams in order to visit our loving brothers and sisters. Most of the church building are makeshift buildings. However, it is encouraging to see that the brothers and sisters are willing to put in hours of hard labour to help build semi-permanent church buildings. The local congregation of Apostle Silabe has already taken the lead in this initiative, and the building was dedicated by District Apostle Andersen (ir) in 2017. A second church building was dedicated by Apostle Pouru for the congregation in Sililim congregation in Boana district, Morobe province. Three more will be dedicated later this year or early in 2022. We welcome the opportunity to get to know our new Apostles a little better. Apostle Patrick Silabe Ordination into the Apostle ministry Apostle Silabe comes from Sadau village, Boana district in Lae, Morobe province. He grew up in Lae’s Busu settlement where his parents had resettled for employment opportunities. His father is a priest and serves the Busu congregation. His parents were baptised and sealed in 1982 when the New Apostolic Church missionary first arrived in Lae. Two years later they married and had six children. Apostle Silabe is the eldest in his family and was born on 16 June 1985. He was baptised in 1985, and sealed in 1986 by (then) Apostle Bert Woll, from Canada. He completed grade six in 1999 and became a Sunday School teacher in 2001. While teaching Sunday School he also attended confirmation classes and received the confirmation blessing in 2003. He was ordained as deacon by Apostle Allan Pouru on 25 September 2005. In 2006 he married his wife and they had three children and also adopted another son. Sadly, their youngest child has passed away. During that time, the Apostle received the following ministries: 2005 - Deacon 2016 - District Evangelist 2007 - Priest 2018 - District Elder 2009 - Evangelist There are many challenges in the working area of the Apostle.
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