History
The young evangelist Heinrich Friedrich Niemeyer, commonly referred to as H.F. Niemeyer, was sent to mission in Australia by the former new apostolic chief apostle Friedrich Krebs in 1883. He settled in Hatton Vale and started his mission among German immigrants. After a short period he gathered 80 people. In 1886, he was ordained as Apostle during a visit in Germany. After the death of Friedrich Krebs the new chief apostle Hermann Niehaus tried to strengthen his position in comparison to the other apostles and introduced reforms whereof a conflict occurred. After a general apostles' meeting in 1911 Niemeyer was expelled from his office and the church. All Australian church members followed him. Therefore the new apostolic church history only starts in 1911.
During the World War I Niemeyer was imprisoned because of his German origin. His health weakened therefore and shortly after his release he died in 1920. His son Wilhelm Niemeyer took over the church's leadership. He was ordained as apostle already in 1912. From 1918 on the language in which divine services were held was changed from German to English. At this time there probably still existed a prophet's office which calls the other offices. It obviously was abolished afterwards as than visions and dreams revealed new talents for church ministries.
Wilhelm Niemeyer's successor was Emil Zielke who ordained two apostles, Arnold Edward Zielke (1905-1988) and Arnan Niemeyer (1908-1995) in 1961. The church was divided into a Northern and Southern district. In 1977 Meryn Zischke (1927-1988) succeeded Arnan Niemeyer. In 1988 suddenly both apostles died and is was up to the European apostles of the federation to look for new leaders. At that time differences between Europe and Australia became evident as on the 5th continent dreams and visions were very important for choosing new ministries. Only on 23 September 1990 the Elder Kenneth Dargusch(South-Queensland) and the Priest Clifford Flor (North-Queensland] were ordained in the Hatton Vale central church with 2.000 members attending the service.
The Southern district comprises 11 congregations that are administered from Hatton Vale by Apostle Kenneth L. Dargusch. The Northern district consists of 16 congregations that are led by Apostle Clifford Flor from Mackay.
From 1990 on the Australian congregations started a mission on the Philippines and founded the United Apostolic Church of the Philippines with actually 19 congregations in three districts.
Read more about this topic: Apostolic Church Of Queensland
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