After the Divine Service today, our rector read a letter from our District Apostle. Via this email all members are intended to be informed who could not attend the the Divine Service. The letter by the District Apostle will additionally be hang out in the info board in church for a few days.
Open Air Divine Service 2016!
On Sunday, 22nd of May 2016 we again had our Open Air Divine Service in the last leper station of Europe, in Fontilles. Our Rector served with the text word out of John 17, verse 21 and 22: “That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one.”
The Rector mentioned that the Trinity of God can serve as an example for us how we can reach oneness. They are always in one accord! They share everything – what belongs to the one belongs also to the other. They testify of one another – the Son glorifies the Father, the Father testifies about the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Father and the Son. They work together for the salvation of mankind.
In order that we are also one with God and his Son we should be in one accord with his will, be like-minded, proclaim his works and serve him.
The Rector told us about one event in his life when he was a young man and went sailing on the sea together with three friends. At the beginning of the journey they were quarreling with one another. Later on during that day a storm came up. All of a sudden they were in one accord! They wanted to survive the storm and anything else was of less priority, their only thinking was the wish to survive.
Priest Marcellino Mukoko from Valencia served along in French and Spanish as well as two Priests from Germany, Priest Burkhardt and Priest Albrecht who were asked by the Rector beforehand if they were prepared to serve along. Besides them the Deacon also served in English so that it was a well rounded beautiful Divine Service in a wonderful atmosphere.
Altogether 154 people participated in the Divine Service amongst them 50 friends and guests.
After the Divine Service tapas were served, one could take part in a tour through the leper station and those who already participated in the tour last year could watch a film about the leper station. After that almost everybody went to the Italian restaurant of Marcello and enjoyed again the in the meantime famous pasta buffet.
Trip to the University of Alicante with a colourful sightseeing program!
The group 60PLUS of the NAC Denia made a trip to the University of Alicante on Tuesday, May 17 2016. The program contained a tour through the university and the different faculties as well as a visit to the large library and the museum which belongs to the university.
Everybody also took part in a lecture in the faculty of languages where after a short presentation of the professor different German dialects were presented and compared with one another. All participants could demonstrate their
dialect which was very entertaining not only for the students. One couple said at the end “The interview and the direct contact with young people we liked a lot, one could do that more often. These young people are all so nice and friendly, actually one should invite them sometime… – only with events like these can one promote the understanding amongst the different generations.”
After the lunch break when everybody was having lunch like a real student in the Mensa the scientific solar plant of the university was visited. Formerly this solar plant was on the island of Tabarca but in the meantime it is
placed on the ground of the university for scientific and educational purposes.
At the end of the day the almost 30 participants were enthusiastic about all the interesting impressions. Only one member said “now we have walked and walked and walked and are very tired” whereupon another answered jokingly “don’t say that too loud otherwise you won’t be able to come on a trip with the 60PLUS Group again!”.
Pentecost Divine Service from Frankfurt
Yesterday the announced Pentecost Divine Service was celebrated. It was a tremendous experience!
Here the report of the NAC platform “nac today”:
Pentecost Divine Service – Report
And here a video of the Divine Service itself:
Pentecost Divine Service – Video
Divine Service with a Spanish-speaking Adoption!
On Sunday 8th of May 2016, again another adoption took place. Originally it would have been two Spanish speaking guests who had wished to be adopted. Unfortunately one of them had to work. However, we still can be glad about that because in this case this adoption will take place at a later point.
Our District Evangelist Lujan served with the word out of John 14, verse 16: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever…”
He mentioned that the promise given by Jesus in this text word was fulfilled at Pentecost. After that you can always hear that the Holy Spirit accompanied the first Christians and helped them in many ways. He mentioned that although the Apostles were threatened while preaching the Gospel they were strengthened by the Holy Spirit to continue doing so. We also could experience to be socially cut off if we live according to the Gospel. However we do not bow down to this spirit of fear but open the way for the work of the Holy Spirit! The District Evangelist also talked about two forces which are active within us: The Holy Spirit but also the Spirit of below.
In regards to these words the Evangelist said in his serving that the so called “Zeitgeist” exist which was created by men often having special personal interests in the back of their minds. The Holy Spirit however, was given by God with the single interest which is to bring us closer to God. What a difference! In this spirit we can trust. The Rector said that it is us sitting in the bench at that very moment who decide which of these two spirits is active within us, in other words we, and only we alone, are the decision makers.
At the end the guest was adopted and a beautiful Divine Service which touched our hearts came to an end.
Open Air Divine Service in Lepra Retreat on the 22. of May!
As every year this year as well, we will have our popular Open Air Divine Service on Sunday, 22nd of May, 2015 in Fontilles- as an exception starting only at 11.00 AM in the morning. The service will be held in German and simultaneously translated into Spanish and English, with contributions in Spanish and English. In addition to the congregational choir other artists in different languages will adorn the service with music. After the service there are tapas and a 1-hour professional guided tour of the leprosy station and its various facilities (there are still existing 35 buildings) and at around 2.00 PM we will drive somewhere to have lunch. However, in order not to become too hungry, immediately after service some “Tapas” will be offered. This tour will be a special experience which normally never is offered to individual visitors! Afterwards we go to the nearby Italian restaurant where in the last years we always had had our Open Air Divine Service and we will once again enjoy “dolce vita Italiana”. For those of you who already know the tour there will be a alternative program on offer: a video about Fontilles and a presentation about the leper-clinic.
Important note: In the leper station there are still living people sick with leprosy, but all are healed, so that there is no need to worry about any infection etc.
Here is a link to more information about this unique station: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanatorio_San_Francisco_de_Borja
Prices and registration:
The tapas (salad, biscuits, chips, olives, Spanish ham and cheese, as well as beverages like water, beer and wine etc.) will be provided by Fontilles and costs are EUR 4.00 per person.
At about 14.00 PM we will arrive at Marcello´s Italian restaurant, which is very close to Fontilles. The famous pastas prepared by Marcello by now nobody wants to miss at our Open Air Divine Service! The menu consists of a salad buffet, a pasta buffet, a dessert buffet with cakes, at the price of EUR 12.00 for adults and EUR 6.00 for children.
It is strongly recommended to pre-register, because seats are very limited:
By email: info@nac-denia.com Please register the exact number of people, including how many adults and how many children, due to the different rates at Marcello.
By telephone: 0034-966 474 012 or 0034-649714840 (both Spanish, English and German speaking).
Look forward to a beautiful divine service which will be particularly musically framed and to a great subsequent program! Everyone is cordially welcome!
Directions:
Drive to Orba (about 20 minutes from Denia). From the entrance sign of the village the route is signposted with signs saying NAK.
NOTICE: There is the possibility of changing clothes after the Divine Service, in the on ground facilities, if someone so wishes.
Here is the report of last years Open Air´Divine Service…
-> Click here for the directions from Denia to Fontilles…
-> Click here for the directions from Fontilles to the pizzeria…
Fascinating Kenia!
On Friday 29th of April 2016 the FORUM events about Kenya took place in the small auditorium of our church. With this event we continued our series with the title “Members of our congregation present their home country”.
Kenya, a country in East Africa awakens longings: Great wide National Parks with unique animals, 400 km of breathtaking beaches along the Indian Ocean, Lake Victoria, the largest fresh water lake of Africa. Having experienced quite a different culture by watching video clips about Kenya a native Kenyan lady, Mercy told us first hand how reality looks like in Kenya today. Of course we finished the evening which left very unique impressions with an African homemade meal.
Divine Service with Adoption in Denia!
On Sunday 1st of May, 2016 we experienced a cheerful Divine Service. Guests were adopted into our congregation. Our Evangelist served with the word out of Romans 5, verse 5: “And hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”.
He explained that this hope cannot be compared to a hope which we sometimes express saying we “hope” we will get a good job or “hope” to ge a good examination result at an exam. With those hopes you have no guarantee that they will come true. The hope however, mentioned in the text word is based on the promise of God or on the promise of Jesus “… I will come again and take you with me so that you are where I am…”
The Evangelist said that through the Holy Spirit we received Divine life which was poured into our heart which is “the centre of our being where decisions are made”. And what is God? God is love! How does the love of God manifest itself? God always is the one who gives! He gives without condition, without hoping to get something in return. Now if this love of God is poured out into our decision making centre of us as human beings then our decisions and our behaviour are driven by love. If we love him indeed then we should be the giving ones as well. We should give without calculation, without waiting for what we will get in return.
At the end of the Divine Service six guests were adopted into the congregation. Actually it would have been seven but one man who is very old was hospitalised only few days before this Divine Service where he would have been adopted. There he mentioned his desire to be adopted to our Rector because he would not know if ever would get out of the hospital alive again. Therefore the Rector performed the adoption in the hospital. In the meantime however, he is on his way to recovery. Thus altogether seven souls could be adopted into the congregation which caused great joy with all people present. At this Divine Service 68 persons participated of whom 19 were guests.
Confirmation in Denia!
On Sunday, 24th of April 2016 this year’s confirmation Divine Service took place. Evelyn was confirmed! District Evangelist Julio Lujan of Valencia held the Divine Service in Spanish which was simultaneously translated into German and English. The text word of the Divine Service was out of Luke 9, verses 10 and 11: “When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.”
The District Evangelist mentioned that again and again anew we have to decide for life with or without God. Those people at that time decided to follow the Son of God. Thus also do our confirmants on their day of confirmation, they decide for God and for his Son. This way they show that they want to follow his law, take him as an example and want to enter into his kingdom.
Our Rector and Evangelist was still called to serve along talking about a station where many trains arrive and leave. Before you enter any train you ask where the train is heading for! You do not just board any train. This way not only our confirmants but also all of us decide each day where our spiritual journey goes to. Some, however, remain sitting in the train station. They simply like the station but they will never arrive anywhere…
At this Divine Service a total of 81 participants where present amongst them 33 friends and guests.
After the Divine Service, our Evelyn invited the whole congregation to different salads, tapas, sushi and desserts. All of the guests remained a long time, enjoying the nice weather and celebrating this special Day for Evelyn.
A Bus Trip to Valencia with three options!
On Tuesday, 19th of April 2016 our group 60PLUS went again on an excursion. This time to Valencia. It was the first time that participants of the Dutch Club NTV also participated.
After having arrived in Valencia the first stop was directly at the sea water aquarium Oceanografico. Another group left the bus in the city centre and either explored the city on their own or visited a pottery museum. There they could briefly listen and admire very nice pottery of different styles. After that is was time for lunch in a restaurant close to the cathedral. Many still wanted to remain in this part of the city or have a look at the cathedral.
At 4 pm all participants arrived at the bus in time in order to experience a City Tour together. Our tourist guide, the head person of the Dutch Club, Mrs. Akkermans, explained everything very nicely and showed them the interesting buildings of the town.
After one hour the slightly more than 40 participants were on their way back to Denia, where they had a toast on the nice excursion with some sparkling wine or a glass of beer.
Click here to view all the photos…
Easter 2016 or 2017?
The shoe box ambassador Patricia Jonas (here you can find the link to an earlier report) announced before Easter that a parcel from Sindelfingen would arrive. We were all very excited! Unfortunately the parcel could not be picked up before Easter because the post office in Spain was closed for several days because of the festive days. But finally it worked out after Easter. Surprise, surprise: Our sister congregation of Sindelfingen had a great surprise in store for us! The following Sunday the parcel was opened in front of the altar by our “Ambassador” Bettiana (unfortunately the “Ambassador” Peter was ill and could not help) and the eyes of the congregation members were radiating. The only question that remained was: Should the content be used for Easter 2016 or Easter 2017? The Spanish postal system did not make it easy for us!
However we decided with on the spot that the contents was meant for 2016 and everybody was happy about that surprise after the Divine Service.
Again: Sindelfingen we thank you very much!
Here below you can have a look at the photos…
A Bus Trip to Valencia with three options!
Date: Tuesday, 19th of April 2016
Valencia, a liberal modern city which still suffers of the consequences of the old economical and political corruption despite a breathtaking development. The historical old town, the modern museums and the nice beaches are three important attractions of the town of Valencia. You can find more information about this interesting city clicking at the link http://www.visitvalencia.com/en/home.
Details: We will leave from our church at 9 AM. We will be back at about 7 PM. As there are many different interest groups we will have several options. You can choose from 3 different activity groups. Group 1: You discover the city on your own. Afterwards there will be a bus trip through the city. Group 2: Visit of “City of arts and sciences”. Afterwards there will be a bus trip through the city. Group 3: Guided tour through the city. Afterwards there will be a bus trip through the city. The costs of the bus trip including the guided tour are 12,50 Euros. Everyone pays their own food and drinks as well as possible entrance fees for special sites. For more detailed informations and registration please contact Paul Voorhorst the latest by Monday 11th of April, email: paul.voorhorst@nak-denia.com or by telephone +34 674 951 092.
Gaining victories — over evil (6/6)
On the webpage www.nac.today there is a very interesting series about this years annual motto of our church. Click on the image above to go to the full report and the video.