Wiesbaden. In a special divine service for all ministers of the New Apostolic Church throughout Europe, Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber addressed the following words to his brothers: “Let us fight for each individual soul!” This was the task that the international leader of the Church assigned to the ministers in his care.

The New Apostolic Church in the European District Churches numbers some 30,000 ministers. On Sunday, 12 March 2006, their highest church leader, Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber, conducted a special divine service for them. The ministers’ wives were also invited.

The divine service was transmitted by satellite from the congregation of Wiesbaden to 534 European congregations. Receiving stations in Albania, Kosovo, Finland, and even Lebanon were just as “tuned in” as congregations in the more traditional regions of Europe, from England to Spain, from the Czech Republic to France. Chief Apostle Leber based his sermon on a Bible passage from Colossians 2: 1, 2: “For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ."

The leader of the Church derived three goals for the work of the ministers from this passage: the hearts of God’s children are to be strengthened and united, and certainty and understanding are to grow. He then also called upon his fellow brothers to fight for each individual soul in the congregation, be it the youth, the critics, the complicated individuals, or those burdened with problems.

District Apostles Armin Brinkmann (North Rhine-Westphalia), Jean-Luc Schneider (France), Wolfgang Nadolny (Berlin-Brandenburg), and Karlheinz Schumacher (Northern Germany) also served along.

After the divine service the international Church leader read his position on the subject of “Marriage.” Among other things, he said that the care of a marriage requires a high degree of responsibility. At times it may also be necessary to concede that a marriage has come to an end, said Chief Apostle Leber. In such cases, both partners are to continue receiving pastoral care.

Read the Position of the chief apostle on marriage here.