Departed Service, held by the Chief Apostle in Olten

01.11.2009 / Stadthalle Olten

On Sunday the 1st of November, Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber held a departed service in the city hall of Olten. Within the 98 year history of the district of Zofingen, it was the first time, that all brethren of the whole district, gathered together.

Accompanying the Chief Apostle were the District Apostles Theodoor de Bruijn (Netherlands) and Markus Fehlbaum (Switzerland), the Apostles Herbert Bansbach (Southern Germany), Philipp Burren (Switzerland), Semion Cazacu (Moldova), Vasile Cone (Romania), Rudolf Kainz (Austria), Heinz Lang (Switzerland), Jens Lindemann (Hessen, Germany), Orando Mutti (Italy) und Erhard Suter (Spain).

The Chief Apostle and his companions were welcomed by children from the Sunday and pre-Sunday school with a song. Then the children took the Apostles by the hand and led them, while still singing, into the sacristy.

The Chief Apostle served the more than 1700 present with a word out of Mark 2.5: “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Son, your sins are forgiven”

A special accent was set by the altar, especially designed for this occasion. The eleven congregations that comprise the district were symbolically portrayed by an “S” made out of wood which signified “elevated, with blessing”