New heading Accessibility

(30.9.2013) The new heading Accessibility has now been activated and contains information for persons with handicaps who wish to attend the Church Convention.

This heading currently includes information on Registration, Accommodation, and Mobility in Munich especially for handicapped persons. The information will be updated as necessary.

Interview with Apostle Jürgen Loy

Jürgen Loy (born in 1960) has been an apostle since 2007 and is responsible for the congregations in the apostle area Stuttgart. He is married and has four children. Furthermore he is a chairman of the working group „Soul care for handicapped brothers and sisters“, which has worked out a guideline of the same name for the District Church South Germany. Our editor Marcel Renz asked him questions concerning this task.

Marcel Renz: You have worried about the interests of the handicapped persons already for some time. How did it come to that? And what was your motivation for that?

Apostle Loy: The great example is Jesus Christ also here. He has turned to the ones in a special way who were failed to see, who were on the fringes of society, who had special need of help. In the circle of the apostles and bishops we have already dealt with the interests of the handicapped brothers and sisters for some time and we thought about what we can offer for this in the church.

Marcel Renz: Up till now which concrete plans has the church realized?

Apostle Loy: In the year 2010 District Apostle Michael Ehrich engaged me to form a working group who should deal with the topic „Soul care for handicapped brothers and sisters“. A guideline arose to this topic. In connection with this, District Apostle Ehrich has appointed two persons in charge for the District Church South Germany who have among others the task of advising persons affected in pastoral and organizational regard but also supporting ministers and teachers in their tasks, in connection with this. Furthermore the department Construction/Maintenance of the church administration in South Germany has developed a guideline for handicapped accessible equipment of churches which is put now step by step into practice.

Marcel Renz: Can you report of positive experiences at the pastoral care of handicapped New Apostolic Christians?

Apostle Loy: The conversations and meetings with persons affected and members were enrichment for me personally and also have given further impulses for the pastoral care work. Certainly there was sometimes consternation about the fate and the situation of life of many brothers and sisters. On the other hand I am again and again astonished about the will-power and the joy of faith, however, with which the persons affected encounter and overcome these situations.

Marcel Renz: Which measures were taken up till now so that the first Church Convention of the New Apostolic Church takes place as fully accessible as possible in the year 2014?

Apostle Loy: A „competence team“ and the persons in charge of handicapped people form a project subgroup in the organization team for the Church Convention. They think for example about how they can ask at the ticketing whether and how the handicapped brothers and sisters need help. Links to the ICC-websites are prepared (for example „fully accessible Munich“, information about the Olympic Park) and some services are prepared which shall make the participation of handicapped persons easier at the Church Convention. There will be interpreters for the sign language during the events. There will be checked whether events can also be offered in „easy language“.

Thank you very much for the conversation. I wish you furthermore good luck and God’s blessing with your tasks!

Online survey concerning the Church Convention - Music at the Church Convention

(20.9.2013) Music plays an important role in the New Apostolic congregations. Ideally, harmony and a sense of tact also characterize the fellowship in a metaphorical sense. The International Church Convention in Munich will of course also be a resounding experience for visitors. Evaluation of the theme "Music at the International Church Convention" in the online survey indicated the preferences and wishes.

In addition to the quantitatively measurable questions, the respondents could also express individual wishes. 389 suggestions were made concerning the open question "What type of music would you like to hear at the Church Convention?" A wide variety of wishes was expressed. Meditative spirituals competing with music characteristic for a country. Traditional hymns ranking before techno, and instrumental music is more popular than a cappella. The question "What type of music would you like to hear at the Church Convention?" demonstrates the almost infinite spectrum of possibilities in this field.

Astonishingly there was a great agreement throughout all generations regarding our own hymns. The characteristic sounds of the New Apostolic Church should be heard at the International Church Convention. Summarizing all selections, "NAC music" was ranked first with almost 74 percent. This desire belonged to the most strongly selected categories in every age group.

However, there were also other preferences. Gospels are particularly popular among the "younger midlifers". Sympathy for Afro-American spirituals was also expressed by the other respondents, although to different degrees. Gospels and spirituals therefore follow in second place with about 70 percent. Only the group of seniors with only 58 percent is not particularly enthusiastic – they are more in favour of classical music (64 percent).

Younger respondents are also receptive for pop and film music (52 percent and 54 percent respectively). True friends of jazz are mainly to be found in the older youth (38 percent), whereas this interest rapidly declines with increasing age.

The International Church Convention wants to celebrate a "Feast of faith" with all age groups – and what would a celebration be without music? It will therefore be a great challenge for the organizers to satisfy the wide range of tastes. But it will most definitely be worthwhile listening to. (a.r.)

Ticketing for the International Church Convention has started

(2.9.2013) It is now a question of applying for the tickets for the ICC 2014! So you can surely participate in Munich on Pentecost 2014. Where others once got medals and became world’s champions – in the Olympic Park! More than 50.000 believers from all countries worldwide are expected there on the three event days from June 6 – 8, 2014, and will experience community, live together Christian spirituality, celebrate and find out about and experience “their church” in the Bavarian provincial capital!

From September 2, 2013, the tickets for the ICC 2014 can be applied exclusively via a person responsible in the congregation as a group registration. For this purpose the rectors have received all necessary information. This kind of application is surely the fastest and simplest way for everybody who wants to secure his/her participation in the ICC 2014 in Munich for him-/herself. Because: The welcome package (which consists of a bracelet as an access pass for all events in the valid period (1- or 2-day ticket) and the permission to participate in the divine service in the Olympic Stadium as well as the program booklet and a welcome present) will be directly delivered via the congregation. A personal crediting is then no longer necessary. Nobody wants to travel to Munich „trusting on luck“ and stand in line on the spot without a ticket!

However, who absolutely wants to apply for his ticket online or by phone, can do this of course – as of February 1, 2014.

All further information concerning all kinds of tickets, ticket prices and many further notes can be found in the category registration. (h.z.)