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The Catechism of the New Apostolic Church
- Contents
- 12.1.1 General remarks concerning divine service
- 12.1.2 Divine service in the Old Testament
- 12.1.3 Divine service in the New Testament
- 12.1.4 Further development of Christian divine service
- 12.1.5 Divine service as an encounter with God
- 12.1.6 Proclamation of the word
- 12.1.7 The Lord's Prayer
- 12.1.8 Forgiveness of sins in the divine service
- 12.1.9 Dispensation of the sacraments in the divine service
- 12.1.10 The closing benediction
- 12.1.11 Acts of blessing in the sequence of the divine service
- 12.1.12 Ordinations, appointments, reinstatements, retirements
- 12.1.13 Divine services for the departed
- 12.1.14 Music in the divine service
12.1.11 Acts of blessing in the sequence of the divine service
As a rule, the acts of blessing–with the exception of the prenatal blessing–take place within the divine service. Confirmation is directly linked to the sacraments of Holy Baptism with water and Holy Sealing. It is performed directly before the celebration of Holy Communion. All other acts of blessing take place after the celebration of Holy Communion.
The act of adopting guests–who have received a properly administered baptism with water in another church–into the congregation is to be understood as an act of blessing. In it, the individuals being adopted profess the New Apostolic faith, and they are granted admittance to regular participation in Holy Communion. The adoption is performed prior to the celebration of Holy Communion and in the name of the triune God.
In a broader sense, the dedication of a church building or other meeting place for the congregation is also to be counted as an act of blessing. It takes place before the actual sermon portion of the first divine service.