AKD English News

10/04/2026

In der Osterwoche;
Easter Week continues!

Ausgabe Nr. 12 – Ostern      +      Web: Kirchenzeitung der Anglikanischen Kirche in Deutschland (AKD) Ostern – Vom stillsten zum lautesten Jubel „…

04/04/2026

Sermon:
“From the Quietest to the Loudest Jubilation—Christ Lives!”
Theme:
“Christ is truly risen from the dead…” (Article 4 of the Articles of Faith)
1. From the Quietest to the Loudest Day—Without Christ, There Is No Hope
Dear congregation,
Easter begins in silence. A tomb. A stone. Tears. Despair.
If Christ had not risen, then our life—we must be honest about this—would be a life without ultimate hope. Death would have the final word. God’s judgment would be inevitable and final.
But this is precisely where the Easter message begins.
The quietest moment in history becomes the loudest cry of joy in the Church:
“The Lord has truly risen!” (Luke 24:34)

The 4th Article of Faith states: Christ is truly risen. Not symbolically, not inwardly, but really, historically, in the flesh. The apostles testify to this; over five hundred witnesses saw him (1 Cor. 15).
This means: Our faith is not based on ideas, but on an event.
👉
Where hope is lacking—in sickness, in guilt, in fear of the future—that is where Easter begins. For God has acted. And what He has begun, He will complete.
2. Victory through Christ—the Seal of Salvation
Easter is not just a beautiful festival—it is God’s victory.
“Death has been swallowed up in victory! Death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:55)

Jesus Christ bore our sin on the cross. He was mocked, beaten, and crucified—not for Himself, but for us. Yet if He had remained in the tomb, everything would have remained uncertain.
The resurrection is therefore the divine seal:
God publicly affirms: The sacrifice of My Son is valid!
Scripture affirms this, and the 4th Article of Faith makes it clear:
Christ rose with a real body—with flesh and bones, with a beating heart and warm, pulsing blood in His veins—and yet transformed into a new dimension, glorified. Not merely a return to the old, merely earthly life, but the beginning of a multidimensional new creation.
Here lies the great turning point of history:
From the state of humiliation (the cross, death) to the state of exaltation (resurrection, ascension, reign).
👉
What does this mean for us who believe in His Word, His work, and the purpose of His coming to this earth?
· Our guilt before God is truly forgiven.
· Our relationship with God is truly restored.
· Our faith is not in vain.
The crucial question remains:
Does this victory apply to you and me personally?
Do you believe in this risen Lord—or do you remain a spectator at the empty tomb?

3. The Hope of Believers—Life Beyond Death
For all who believe in Christ, Easter changes everything.
Death is no longer the end, but a transition.
It loses its sting because Christ has overcome it.
The 4th Article of Faith further states:
The risen Christ has ascended into heaven and will return to judge. This means: Our future is not uncertain, but secured in union with Christ.
And even more:
Just as Christ was raised, so shall we also be raised.
A natural body is sown—a spiritual body will rise (1 Cor. 15).
Our life is hidden in God. Our future is glory.
👉
This gives us a new perspective on everyday life:
· We no longer live out of fear, but out of hope.
· We serve not out of duty, but out of gratitude.
· We do not suffer in vain, but with an eye toward the coming glory.
Especially in a world full of crises, chaos, and wars, this holds true:
Christ lives—and therefore hope has the last word

Encouragement for Life and the Church
Dear Brothers and Sisters.

Easter is not just a memory—it is the present and the future.
• Christ lives—therefore we may stand firm in faith today.
• Christ reigns—therefore we may walk our path with confidence.
• Christ is coming again—therefore we may look to the future with hope.

Therefore, let us:
· hold fast to the faith in the resurrection
· thank God for His grace
· and live a life that reflects His glory
Especially as a church, we are called to make this victory visible:
through faith, through love, through witness.

👉
If your faith is weak—Christ still lives.
If your hope wavers—Christ is risen.
If your life is under attack—Christ has triumphed.

Therefore, this holds true anew today:
“In Christ we have the victory—now and forever.”
Amen.

29/03/2026

Nach dem Gottesdienst am Palmsonntag die schriftliche Predigt...
After church service, printed Sermon in German.

Palmsonntag – Heute die Frage nach dem echten rettenden GlaubenEvangelium: Johannes 12,12–26 Begeisterung – aber welcher Glaube trägt? Liebe Zuhörer und Leser nah und fern, Palmsonntag ist ein Tag …

20/03/2026

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05/03/2026

On February 15, 1948 the first scholarly eyes saw and verified what we know today as the "Dead Sea Scrolls," the greatest archeological discovery of the 20th century. American John Trever was filling in for Millar Burrows, the director at the American Schools of Oriental Research in Jerusalem, when a priest from St. Mark's Assyrian Orthodox Monastary brought him several samples of ancient manuscripts found in one of 11 caves in the mountains and hills beside the Dead Sea. These were initially discovered by Bedouin sheep herders who found them near the ruins of the first century village of Qumran. Trever requested permission to photograph them and the photographs were sent to famed archaeologist William Albright, who confirmed Trever's judgment. Over 950 manuscripts (from 15,000 fragments) eventually surfaced from the caves, including copies, and sometimes multiple copies, of every book in the Old Testament canon (except for the book of Esther, the only book that doesn't include mention of God). There were approximately 20 Isaiah scrolls, making it the most copied biblical scroll found in the Dead Sea Library.

The biblical importance of this discovery cannot be overestimated. With this discovery we now have Old Testament manuscripts that are literally 1,000 years older than the manuscripts that were previously used to translate the Bible: the Masoretic Text (that was codified by Jewish scholars between the 6th and 10th centuries AD). One would think, as scribes wrote and rewrote the Old Testament books over all those hundreds of years that they would change them to suit their particular theologies. This was not the case! The greatest discovery of all is that the Dead Sea manuscripts are virtually the same as the Bible Christians and Jews have read for centuries, proving that scribes who copied the Bible did so carefully and meticulously so as to preserve the integrity of God's word written. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide us with the opportunity to read the Bible much closer to the original autographs. The Director of the American Schools for Oriental Research whom John Trever was sitting in for that fateful day, Millar Burrows, wrote: "It is a matter of wonder that through something like one thousand years the text underwent so little alteration. As I said in my first article on the scroll, ‘Herein lies its chief importance, supporting the fidelity of the Masoretic tradition.’”

"My word that goes out from my mouth, it shall not return to me empty, but it will accomplish that which I purpose, and it shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55)

05/03/2026

A Council to Lead the Future ….

AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING THE FUTURE LEADERSHIP OF THE GLOBAL ANGLICAN COMMUNION.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As we develop new structures for the Global Anglican Communion, the Gafcon Primates have dissolved the Gafcon Primates Council, which has faithfully led and served the Gafcon movement since 2008.

In a world where most organizations and individuals are concerned about keeping power and authority, the Gafcon Primates Council has made an unprecedented decision to share its stewardship of the Global Anglican Communion by creating the Global Anglican Council which includes primates, advisors, and guarantors, which will include bishops, clergy, and lay members each with full voting privileges.

This expanded Council reflects the willingness of the Primates to share their authority with a wider group of global Anglican leaders, both lay and clergy. While the Chairman of the Council will be a Primate, he will not be primus inter pares (first amongst equals).
Believing that the current Instruments of Communion no longer meet the needs of the majority of Anglicans around the world, the Global Anglican Communion is to be led by a conciliar structure. The Global Anglican Council has discerned that if we are to move past old structures, we must leave behind old titles as well.

I am also pleased to announce that Archbishop Laurent Mbanda was unanimously elected as Chairman of the Global Anglican Council, likewise Archbishop Miguel Uchoa was unanimously elected as Vice- Chairman and myself, Bishop Paul Donison, as General Secretary. Our terms will conclude at the end of GAFCON V in Athens in 2028.

Furthermore, the Council determined that Primates who retire from their Provincial office between GAFCON Assemblies may remain on the Council until the conclusion of the next GAFCON Assembly.
Today is a historic day for the Global Anglican Communion.
Indeed, the future has arrived!
Yours in Christ,

The Rt Revd Paul Donison
Gafcon General Secretary

Thursday, March 5, 2026

19/02/2026

We give thanks for the installation of Bishop Jerome R. Cayangyang as the second Bishop of the Special Jurisdiction for the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). Elected by the College of Bishops, he now provides episcopal oversight and pastoral care for more than 150 military and civilian chaplains serving across the Province.

With over 35 years of active and reserve military service, including combat deployments, Bishop Jay has faithfully ministered to service members and their families in seasons of deployment and crisis. His leadership reflects a deep commitment to preaching Christ and standing firm in the historic faith.

The Rt Revd Julian Dobbs, Dean of the Province of ACNA and an interim member of the Gafcon Primates’ Council, rejoiced at this new chapter. We pray that this vital missionary ministry will flourish under courageous and godly oversight, to the glory of God.

17/02/2026

This is the last "Das Allgemeine Gebetbuch" (The General Prayer Book) or "allgemeine Gebete" (general prayers) for everyone - in German, which is being sent out today.

The first edition has been sold with this order.

We need a new edition, and we are also looking for donors to support a second edition of this biblical and liturgical prayer book.
See our homepage last page: Bank account. If you would like to support this, please mention AGB.

For charitable donations, you will receive a donation receipt for the past year at the beginning of the new year.

Incidentally, the AGB is recommended by one of the largest German evangelical theological colleges for practical theology.

However, you can still download this edition of the AGB as a PDF or other editions from our church homepage free of charge.

https://rekd.de/

17/02/2026

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14/02/2026

Love goes to the end
– and opens our eyes –
Matthew 18,31-43
Last Sunday before LENT

Dear brothers and sisters,
The last Sunday before Lent is like an archway: we are still standing in the light of Epiphany, and at the same time the journey to Jerusalem is already beginning. God's love does not remain general, it is not just “a beautiful feeling,” not just a thought up in heaven.

God's love takes shape – in Jesus Christ – and goes to the end: up to Jerusalem, to the cross. That is why we hear today the hymn of love from 1 Corinthians 13: not as a romantic poem or a wedding sermon, but as a spiritual form of how God himself acts – and how Christ leads his disciples into this sacrificial love.
But this is precisely where the tension of the Gospel lies: Jesus clearly announces his path of suffering – but the disciples do not understand him. Immediately after this event, a blind man stands by the roadside and receives his sight. Some have eyes and do not see. Others are blind and recognize the Messiah. This is not just a story from the past. It is a mirror for us today, especially for Christians.

1. The path of love: Jesus consciously goes to Jerusalem
Jesus takes his Twelve aside and says it for the third time: He will be betrayed, mocked, mistreated, killed—and on the third day he will rise again. None of this happens by chance. It is not the tragic end of a good man. It is God's plan of salvation, clearly laid out in the Old Testament.
Later, Jesus himself explains: “What is written about me must be fulfilled” (cf. Luke 22:37). And after Easter, it becomes even clearer: he shows his disciples from the Scriptures that the Messiah had to suffer and rise again (cf. Luke 24:26-27, 44). In doing so, Jesus is saying: The Holy Scriptures are not just a pretty decoration—they are God's eternal guide. And Jesus is not just a theme of Scripture—he is its center.
This is crucial for our faith: Christian faith does not rest on mood, not on tradition alone, not on “my religious experience, nor on stories of experiences or spiritual musical gatherings.” It rests on the fact that God has spoken through his prophets—and that Jesus interprets this word and fulfills it through his own life. That is why true piety is not primarily, “How do I feel?” but rather, “What has God said, and how does Christ lead me into this word?”

2. Blind disciples: when our own ideas obscure the gospel
Why don't the disciples understand Jesus? Our reading says: It remained hidden from them. But in practical terms, we see that they have a different image of the Messiah in their minds. A strong king, a victor, a quick solution. Suffering does not fit in with their expectations of his followers.
And this is where it becomes very relevant today. We, too, would like to have a Lord who orders everything, blesses me, heals me quickly, carries me—and he does do that. But we run the risk of reducing Jesus to “help for my life.” Then the cross becomes a marginal issue. Then discipleship becomes comfortable. Then our faith, like that of his disciples, becomes a religious add-on.
The disciples' spiritual blindness is even evident in the fact that shortly afterwards they argue about greatness (cf. Luke 22:24ff). Those who do not understand the cross will inevitably revolve only around themselves: around recognition, influence, being right, hurt feelings. For without the cross, my ego remains the center of attention.
1 Corinthians 13 holds up a mirror to us:
Love does not seek its own, it does not puff itself up, it does not take evil into account, it endures, it hopes, it remains. This is not just an ideal. This is the handwriting of Christ, his life in everyday life. And this love leads him – not away from difficulties – but right into the middle of them, to the cross.

3. The blind man sees: how true faith arises and leads to discipleship
And then: a blind beggar by the roadside. He hears Jesus passing by and cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” That is faith. He knows his misery. He cries out for help. He calls Jesus by his messianic title. He clings to Jesus as his savior, even though others want to silence him.
Jesus stops and asks a question that seems almost tender: “What do you want me to do for you?” The man answers simply: “Lord, that I may see.” And Jesus says: “Your faith has saved you.”
More than eye surgery is happening here. A principle of faith is at work:
Ø He recognizes his need and does not gloss over it.
Ø He does not seek help in himself, but in Christ.
Ø He does not allow himself to be distracted or intimidated.
Ø And when he sees, he follows Jesus.
This is precisely the experience that is later fulfilled in Luke 24: When the risen Lord opens the Scriptures to them, their eyes are opened – and their hearts burn within them. (cf. Luke 24:45–48) True faith arises where Jesus himself becomes present through his word and opens our eyes.
This is still the norm and method today:
We do not “create” faith ourselves. Christ gives us insight. He does so primarily through his written and spoken word and his present Spirit.
He continues to do so in listening, in prayer, in obedience, in the community of his true Church, in preaching and in the sacraments. And often in a very personal way: by meeting us as he met the disciples on the road to Emmaus, correcting us, opening the Scriptures to us and bringing them to life for us.
Encouragement and invitation
Dear fellow Christian, Estomihi means “Be my strong rock” – a cry for support. And God does not respond first with relief, but with Christ. He gives us the one who loves to the end.

That is why I would like to invite you today to renew your faith on this foundation:
1. Ask Jesus sincerely: “Lord, open my eyes – to recognize you, your cross, your way of love.”
2. Stay close to Scripture: Read the Gospels in the coming weeks of Lent as people who want to be guided.
3. Consciously follow Jesus: Don't just “believe in Jesus,” but walk with Jesus – even when his path leads through renunciation, patience, truth, and the cross.
And if you feel, “I am more like the disciples – I don't understand so many things,” that is no reason to give up. It is a reason to pray. For the Lord who made the blind man see is the same Lord who opened the disciples' understanding after Easter. He can also lead you out of spiritual blindness into sight.

So today we can respond like the blind man on the road:
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
And then, with open eyes, follow him—step by step—to the place where the cross is not the end, but the passage to glory. Amen.