Geneva. Apostle Bernhard Meier (65) was given a festive retirement during a divine service in his hometown of Geneva on 21 December 2008. Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber, international Church leader, thanked him for his 41 years of self-sacrificing work as a minister of the New Apostolic Church.

Bernhard Meier served as an Apostle in the New Apostolic Church Switzerland for 23 years. In Switzerland his working areas included the two French-speaking districts of Romandy-North and Romandy-South, as well as the districts of Basle, Bern-North, Bern-South, Thun, and Zofingen. For a considerable period of time he was also responsible for the congregations in Ticino, Italy, Spain, and in the African countries of Gabon and (then) Zaire. To succeed him in the Apostle ministry, Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber ordained the hitherto Bishop Philipp Burren (53). The New Apostolic Church Switzerland has published the new division of its Apostle districts on its website.

In the same divine service, Chief Apostle Leber also ordained a new Bishop, namely Jürgen Müller (57) from Vienna, Austria, who will now travel through the regions of Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, and the Church district of Graz to care for the congregations there.

Please read our report on the website of the NAC Switzerland. The website of NAC Austria has also published some personal information about the new Bishop.