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- District Apostle Bernd Koberstein will now also lead the District Church of France
Zurich. Jean-Luc Schneider has led the District Church of France since September 2004 as District Apostle. Now he is to be relieved of this task in order to dedicate more of his time to the tasks of a Chief Apostle Helper. Succeeding him as District Apostle in France is District Apostle Bernd Koberstein. A corresponding letter was read out this morning after the divine services in the congregations of France and the European congregations of District Apostle Koberstein’s working area.
The letter states that Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber, the international Church leader, will relieve the Chief Apostle Helper of his commission as District Apostle for the District Church of France in a divine service on 23 December 2012 in Mulhouse, France. “As of that point in time, District Apostle Bernd Koberstein will also be responsible for the District Church of France (not including the area of the Democratic Republic of Congo South-East).”
Chief Apostle Helper for international leadership tasks
District Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider (53) took over the leadership of the District Church from his predecessor René Higelin in September 2004. As of Pentecost of this year, he has also been assigned the task of Chief Apostle Helper. The related increase in work primarily entails greater involvement in all international leadership tasks. Thus the Chief Apostle Helper will also take on some of the Chief Apostle’s divine service program.
“A spiritual embrace”
In addition to the German District Church of Hesse/Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland, District Apostle Bernd Koberstein also leads the regional churches of Belgium, Burkina Faso, Cypress, Egypt, Gambia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey from the Church headquarters in Frankfurt. Now the District Church of France will also be added to his working area. The District Apostle—who was ordained to his current ministry in January 2009—frankly admits: “My feelings are mixed when I think about this new task. There may be some disappointment about the fact that France will receive a German District Apostle instead of a new French District Apostle. Nevertheless, I intend to serve my brethren in France in great humbleness of heart and embrace them all in my arms in spirit.” He went on to mention that, particularly after his experiences with the youth groups from France at the European Youth Day, he has been looking forward to becoming acquainted with the brothers and sisters of France.
Please read our reports on the websites of the New Apostolic Church France and Hesse/Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland.