Apostle H F Schlaphoffs blessed activity in the development of the New Apostolic Church in Southern Africa, and in Australia + North America + South America etc Dear Friends Assistant Chief Apostle H F Schlaphoff’s journeys appear to be as challenging and adventurous as Apostle Paul‘s ! Shipwrecks, having his own little aeroplane, ‘plane crashes and near-crashes, arrests, court cases, car breakdowns, luggage lost, breaking leg, his wife having about 10 operations as a result of his ‘plane crash, ruffians breaking up divine services, police intervening, ‘Circulars’ for future divine services being impounded and censored and sent back to him, some ‘Circulars’ slipping through the authorities to various countries, etc, etc. His activities were firstly in Southern Africa and later throughout the New Apostolic Church world of that time... 1892 New Apostolic Church (NAC) starts in Africa - i.e. in later South Africa in East London which at that time was in the Cape Colony. 1893 Apostle Klibbe ordained as Apostle - the one and only Apostle in the whole of Africa. He served until 1913. Thus Ap Klibbe was the first leader of the present New Apostolic Church South East Africa (NAC-SEA) from 1910 to 1913, along with leading the NAC Cape - it was all ‘one and the same’ area. 1910 NAC starts in Johannesburg. 1911 NAC starts in Pretoria. 1913 Apostle W Schlaphoff ordained as Apostle - the one and only Apostle in the whole of Africa. He passed away in La Rochelle (Johannesburg) in 1928. Thus Ap W Schlaphoff was the leader of the present NAC-SEA from 1913 to 1928, along with leading the present NAC Cape - it was all ‘one and the same’ area. 1928 Apostle H F Schlaphoff (Ap HFS) ordained as Apostle - the one and only Apostle in the whole of Africa. He served until 1954. Thus Ap H F Schlaphoff was the leader of the present NAC-SEA from 1928 to 1954, along with leading the present NAC Cape, and later also the present Zimbabwe/Zambia/Malawi Area - it was all ‘one and the same’ area. Let us look at some of the events, responsibilities, journeys, etc of Ap HFS during his time of serving as an Apostle. These come from listening to his divine services - in which he always told about his travels, reading old New Apostolic Review’s and Our Family’s, listening to the wonderful stories about her father told by Ruth (Punkie) the daughter of Ap HFS, and looking into La Rochelle congregation divine service registers of 1931 to 1942, and from 1947 to 1952 : 1928 Apostle W Schlaphoff (father of Ap HFS) dies in La Rochelle (Johannesburg). 1928 Apostle H F Schlaphoff (Ap HFS) ordained as Apostle by letter from Chief Apostle Niehaus. 1928 membership in Southern Africa is 7000 and by 1948 it is 45100. Thanksgiving is held on the first Sunday of August each year. 1929 Ap HFS makes his first visit to Europe and is ordained by Chief Apostle Niehaus. In subsequent years thereafter he makes many visits to various countries in Europe before and after the Second World War including to give considerable help in the difficulties which developed in Holland. Sept 1928 to 2.11.1929 the court case against former Apostle C G Klibbe who fell away around 1911, he having parallel ‘New Apostolic Church’ which he was forced by Court Order to re-name and he chose ‘Old Apostolic Church’. 1930 Ap HFS is commissioned to take over leadership of the NAC in South America. 1931 Departed Service on first Sunday of February each year until 1949, then becomes first Sunday of November from 1950, and then the first Sunday in November, March and July each year from 1954. 1932 Ap HFS makes his first visit to the Rhodesia‘s, today Zimbabwe and Zambia, meeting up with Priest Henwood the later first ‘Black’ Apostle. 1933 Ap HFS is placed into the Chief Apostle Helper ministry, later called Assistant Chief Apostle for the Southern Hemisphere. 1934 Four Deaconesses ordained that year and a few each year until 1941. 1934 Ordinations for Ministers were into the ministry steps of Under-Deacon, Deacon, Assistant Priest, Priest (sometimes Senior Priest), Community Elder, Evangelist, District Elder, Assistant Bishop (sometimes Adjutor Bishop), Bishop, Assistant Apostle, Apostle. 2 December 1934 Ap HFS inaugurates our church building in La Rochelle (Johannesburg). La Rochelle is known as the “Mother congregation” of the ‘north’ of South Africa, as Claremont is known as the “Mother congregation” of the ‘south’ of South Africa. 1934 Around this time, in the Divine Service Registers found, being two hard-cover exercise books covering 4 January 1931 to 29 July 1942, and 31 August 1947 to 14 September 1952, Holy Communion is recorded as being celebrated every second Sunday. During a prayer towards the end of the services the Offering Box is brought from the back of the church and placed on the Altar. Textwords are often approx 20 verses long, usually covering the ‘whole story’ if from Jesus’ life and parables. The serving Minister and those called up all sign the Register after service, thus there are signatures of Assistant Chief Apostle H F Schlaphoff, and Apostles De Vries and Malan and Erasmus. Local pioneer Ministers of La Rochelle and surroundings appear regularly, in various Ministries as the years unfolded – Bishop J R Kreunen later District Apostle, Bishops Indan and Osborne, District Elder Charles Klibbe, and so many more. 1935 Ap HFS makes his first visit to Australia. 1935 Apostle REJ de Vries ordained as Apostle – thus Ap HFS was the one and only Apostle in Africa from 1928 to 1935 - then from 1935 there were two Apostles in the whole of Africa until 1947 when Apostle Wucherpfennig was ordained, whereupon there were three Apostles in the whole of Africa. 1937 Ap HFS goes to England and visits the Catholic Apostolic Church and speaks to their leaders. 1937 Assistant Chief Apostle H F Schlaphoff and Apostle Abicht hold a divine service together in La Rochelle, not knowing that 17 years later in 1954 Apostle Abicht would be sent to South Africa to take over the leadership of Southern Africa from Assistant Chief Apostle H F Schlaphoff. 25.2 to 15.5.1938 Evangelist Fritz Bischoff son of Chief Apostle visits South Africa and travels with Ap HFS. 20.3.1938 young Evangelist Fritz Bischoff holds service in La Rochelle, originator of the Our Family and of the Verlag, our Church publishing company, and later District Apostle, on a visit to South Africa on behalf of his father Chief Apostle Bischoff. 1.9.1939 to 8.5.1945 Second World War takes place. Chief Apostle Bischoff isolated in Germany during the War 1.9.1939 to 8.5.1945 communicates via Apostle Guttinger in Switzerland with Ap HFS : 1941 Ap HFS is commissioned to take over leadership of the NAC in Australia. 1942 Ap HFS is commissioned to take over leadership of the NAC in United States of America. 1943 At this time / before / after, Ap HFS posts the ‘Circulars’ to Australia and South America and United States of America. These were articles by him for every service for approximately the full year ahead. Some were written from on board ship on his long journeys. This was replaced decades later by ‘Word of Life’ from the Chief Apostle, and more recently by ‘Divine Service Guide’. 1944 Ap HFS makes his first visit to United States of America – during the War – changing services from German to English, and also introducing New Apostolic Thanksgiving service, and teaching that With a Bible and an Offering Box and a Doorkeeper we can start a congregation anywhere ! and A Doorkeeper has his heart in his hand !. 1946 to 1948 Relief (welfare) of food and clothes etc help for Germany from South Africa after the Second World War. 1947 Apostle Wucherpfennig ordained as Apostle, whereupon there are three Apostles in the whole of Africa, but he passes away after approx one year as Apostle. 1947 Ap HFS goes to England to hold the first Holy Sealing of the New Apostolic Church there but is too ill and Apostle Fendt does this in his stead. 1947 Through the considerable help of Ap HFS the New Apostolic Church is declared an International Body. 1947 In this year Ap HFS travels approx 50,000 miles, or 80,000 km. Some years he is away from home for 9 months and even up to 10½ months. 1948 The local South African magazine Our Family in English and Afrikaans is prepared for its first printing in August 1948. 1949 Assistant Chief Apostle H F Schlaphoff arranges the first visit ever by Apostles from overseas to South Africa, four years after the end of the Second World War, including an extraordinary divine service in La Rochelle on 16 Oct 1949, with all the visiting Apostles from overseas signing the Service Register - Assistant Chief Apostle H F Schlaphoff and Apostle De Vries the only two Apostles in Africa, Apostle J P Fendt – USA, Apostles Toplisek and Rufenacht – South America, Apostle Otto Güttinger – Switzerland, Apostles Gerke and Abicht – Australia. 1954 District Apostle Abicht is commissioned to take over leadership of the NAC in Southern Africa from Assistant Chief Apostle H F Schlaphoff. 1954 Apostles Kreunen and Gut and H Fernandes ordained as Apostles. Ap Kreunen was ordained Apostle at 74 years of age and retired at 85 years of age. Ap Gut held his first divine service ever only when he was an Apostle – never before until then. 1955 Apostles Kreunen and H Fernandes ordained as District Apostles. In 1957 DAp Abicht died and Ap Gut was ordained as District Apostle. 1955 The one vast District Apostle Area of Southern Africa is divided into three parts = South East Africa led by DAp Kreunen + Cape/Namibia led by DAp Abicht + Zimbabwe/Zambia/Malawi led by DAp H Fernandes. At that time the names of those countries/areas were different to now.
Posted on: Tue, 06 May 2014 07:07:09 +0000
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