District Apostle Michael Ehrich, who has been leading the District Apostle Area Southern Germany since 2006, will retire next year. In preparation for the leadership change, Apostle Martin Rheinberger will be assigned District Apostle Helper in June 2025. The 57-year-old is married, has two sons, and lives with his family near Heilbronn.

Apostle Rheinberger has been responsible for several church districts in Baden-Württemberg since 2020, including Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Mannheim/Weinheim, and Pforzheim. He has also been responsible for the New Apostolic congregations in six countries in the Persian Gulf since 2019. In his new role, he will also support the District Apostle in strategic, administrative, and pastoral care matters and familiarise himself with the international working area, which covers around thirty countries.

In addition to his work as an Apostle, Rheinberger is involved in various Church committees, including Pastoral Care in Practice, the international project group Children’s Teaching Materials, and a Day of the Youth working group. He is also part of the team of authors who write for the monthly Divine Service Guide. 

To ensure a smooth handover, the appointment as District Apostle is planned for 2026.