
New Apostolic Church
Southern Africa
From the moment you enter the grounds of the church you are struck by a sense of history flooding through the centuries to remind you that this is a sacred place.
The graveyard surrounding the church bears silent witness to the reverence and dignity of this place of worship. And it was precisely with this feeling that congregants started gathering early on Sunday morning 19 January 2014 in the church that from now on will be the home of the Somerset West 1819 congregation. Once inside the church surprised with a simple, yet elegant beauty. The fruit strewn in the windowsills as part of the decor creating a welcoming homeliness. And then there was the delightful crisp and bright acoustic of the hall, which made the preparation for the divine service by organ, orchestra, mixed choir, male choir and children’s choir all the more beautiful
Seating was limited, but there was no shortage of distinguished guests who had arrived for the dedication. In fact, all the apostles and bishops of the New Apostolic Church Cape were present. The events within the divine service followed seamlessly on each other with each aspect creating its own emotion. The viewing of the chronicle of the church and congregation – informative and striking; the dedication prayer – insightful and all-embracing; the semon based on Hebrews 13:16 – concise and clear in its expectation of us as Christians; the celebration of Holy Communion and Holy Communion for the departed – deeply moving; the viewing of details relating to the International Church Convention – interesting and exciting!
All too soon the dedication service was over and all that was left to do was for the apostles and bishops to pose on the entrance steps of the church for a photograph that will surely mark an event of spiritual note.