National Organization of the New Apostolic Church of North America Erwin Wagner November 23rd, 1998 My dear Brothers & Sisters: In our lives we often experience the condition of “looking forward to something”, moments usually related to happy events. These are the feelings awakened in our hearts as we look to the Christmas and New Year’s Days in the very near future. This is a festive, thankful time of celebration: festive, not only because of the many fellowships which take place in the circle of loved ones, those out of God’s family and our own, but also the atmosphere of the Divine Services, Christmas Children’s and Youth programs, and gatherings in love and oneness. We share these with those, through whom so much has come about in the House of our Heavenly Father, at the Altar of the Lord Jesus to which our many heartfelt prayers were directed and our thank offerings were placed, wherein we experienced the Psalmist’s words in Psalm 20:2, “Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion”. In keeping with this, the late Chief Apostle Bischoff said, “Thankfulness and wheat grow only in good soil”. The soil of our believing souls is the nurturing effect for this fact in things timely and eternal, daily and everlasting. The work of our Heavenly Father began with the birth of His Son. For us, it began on the day of our rebirth in which the resurrection life was laid into our soul. The retired District Apostle Kraus often used the words, “That which has life has a tendency to grow”. This means growth in: ~ * our faith and its works, * our love and its sacrifices, + our longing for Christ’s Return and our striving for worthiness, + our daily family prayer life and its intense crying, + our esteem for God’s work in its leadership under our Chief Apostle Fehr and all our blessing bearers, + our compassion for our fellow Brothers and Sisters according to Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:40, “... inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”. Administration Office Incorporated in iinois 83753 North Troy Street, Chicago, linois 60618 United States of America ‘Telephone (773) 539-3652 Telefax (773) 478-6691Here, I would like to pause and extend heartfelt thanks for your great support so that we could take care of the many situations and needs among the Brethren here at home and overseas, where you rallied overwhelmingly to provide food, medicine and clothing especially in the Central American crisis. The ongoing thank offerings made it possible to uphold the teaching of the Gospel of Christ in so many different ways in the countries entrusted to our District under the stewardship of our Chief Apostle, the Apostles, and over 80,000 Administration Brothers. To this also belongs my personal thanks for your many prayers. We feel this love and heavenly response, day in and day out, in the many matters in which comfort, counsel and guidance is so essential in order to: + “Gather those whom God longs for”, 2 Esdras 2:41; + Strive to keep them according to John 17; « Make them ready under the unending care and teaching of God’s servants for the fulfillment of the words in Revelation 19:7, “... his wife hath made herself ready”. For the numerous concerns of our little children, the Sunday School scholars, Confirmands, Youth, young couples, families, widows, widowers, singles, and the many stages of life too uncountable to mention, be assured of our daily prayers, including those of the Apostles and the many fellow servants, foremost those of our Chief Apostle. When you are together with near and dear ones, may you feel the presence, blessing and happiness of these prayers over the Christmas and New Year's festivities. In the last Service of the old year we have a unique opportunity to celebrate. In Psalm 55:22 it reads, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved”. Leave the spiritual burden of the soul behind in repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation, and step into the New Year with the assurance of Christ’s own words in Matthew 28:20, “lo, Iam with you alway ...” In order to keep you informed of special events already prepared for in 1999, they are as follows: Sunday, January 10th - Administration Brothers and Wives Service Transmission at 5:00 p.m. EST from Cooper City, Florida U.S.A. to North and South America.Sunday, May 23rd - Pentecost Service by our Chief Apostle with all the Apostles of the world, Transmission at 11:00 a.m. EDT from Toronto, Canada to North America, South America and Europe. More details on this Service will be sent in the New Year. With sincerest love and greetings for the festive days ahead, from our dear Chief Apostle, the Apostles and myself, EW/bmp