This issue of The New Age comes out during June. For the worldwide organised New Church and for many people in that and for many people not in that but in connection with the Heavenly Doctrines, it is a time in the year when we specifically think about the revelation of new teaching given by the Lord to the world. We generally mark this on or around June 19th.

So this issue will contain several things to do with that particular gift. It’s also a good time for us to think about our own personal reasons for being part of the New Church or for being a reader of Swedenborg’s Writings. Here are some questions that you might like to ask yourself, and they have no right or wrong answer! The answer is whatever you say, for you.

The first question is “Why do you feel that you belong to the New Church?” (organised or just personally connected). I would imagine that every answer to that could be different; there are a host of reasons why you carry that feeling.

The second question is “What is it about the teachings of the New Church or of the Heavenly Doctrines that strikes you as important, helpful or new?

The third question is “Which particular teachings – and let’s say you can choose up to five – do you consider to be the most important of them all? You may appreciate knowing them or you may think that people generally would be helped by knowing them.

The fourth question is “Which teaching or teachings has become something that influences or shapes your life in the way in which you live it? Hopefully there are some that have been as helpful to you as that.

Now, read on, and enjoy this issue of The New Age.