The international Church leader, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider, appointed the new District Apostle on Sunday, 20 July 2025, in the Limete Central congregation in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa. He had previously retired District Apostle Deppner.

Acknowledgement and mission

“You are a role model for us, for me in trusting in God,” the Chief Apostle said as he thanked and paid tribute to the retiring District Apostle Deppner. “God has blessed your work,” he said, referring to the development of the Church in his working area.

“You have a mission to fulfil. You have a teaching to impart. And you have rules to apply,” the president of the international Church told the new District Apostle Mukinda. “Do it with love, but do it firmly.”

District Apostle Élie Taty Mukinda

The new District Apostle is 49 years old and has been a minister in the New Apostolic Church since 2006. In July 2021, the then district rector in Kinshasa was ordained an Apostle and was put in charge of one of ten Apostle districts in the city. In September 2024, Élie Mukinda was assigned as District Apostle Helper to support Michael Deppner and familiarise himself with the work of a District Apostle.

District Apostle Michael Deppner

Born in Canada and trained as a medical doctor, he was active as a minister for almost 49 years, more than 23 of these as an Apostle. In 2003 he was commissioned as a District Apostle Helper for the working area, which he led into independence as District Apostle from 2010 forward.