Zurich. It was an extended trip that brought the spiritual leader of the New Apostolic Church, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider, to West Africa, where he visited the countries of Ghana, Benin, Niger, and Burkina Faso. In the divine services he conducted in Accra, Ghana and Porto Novo, Benin he gave Apostles Houdnjo Paul Yedenou and Johnson Moses Jantuah, along with Bishop Eric Yaw Ampadu, a well-deserved retirement.   

Chief Apostle Schneider thanked these tried and true men of God with all his heart for the long years in which they had served the Lord and the souls in their care in love, loyalty, and humbleness, and wished them a retirement filled with the rich blessings of the Lord. He went on to stress that he also intended to fill the voids that had now come into being, however. So it was that two Apostles and two Bishops were also ordained to their new ministries: for Ghana, he ordained George Nortey Anom (53) an Apostle and Charles Addo Asare (51) and Charles Kesse (40) as Bishops. For the country of Benin, Vincent Yedenou (27) was ordained to the Apostle ministry.

Coming, seeing, and staying

It was with the message: “Come, see, and stay!” that the Church leader greeted the members and guests in the divine service in Accra, where he based his sermon on a Bible text from John 1: 38-39. “In order to have fellowship with the Lord, we come to Him in faith and obedience,” said the Chief Apostle. “In the light of the Holy Spirit, we see His activity in our lives, in His church, and in our hearts. We remain steadfast until His return.”

The divine service in Porto Novo, Benin on Tuesday, 14 January also had to do with trusting the Lord. Here the Chief Apostle based the divine service on a passage from Matthew 14: 27-29. He pointed out that it is not easy to engage oneself in the cause of the Lord, to serve Him, and to bring sacrifices for Him. “But when it becomes clear to us that it is our Saviour, the bridegroom of our soul, who is calling upon us to do something, we draw the strength required to do it out of our love for Him,” the Chief Apostle called out to the assembled congregation.

A week of travelling

Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider travelled through West Africa for an entire week. After the divine service in Porto Novo, Benin, he continued his journey in the direction of Niger and Burkina Faso, where two new Bishops were ordained for the District Churches of Gambia and Niger.