Greetings Everyone:
Mr. and Mrs. Meredith returned safely Monday night from their trip to England, Northern Ireland, Germany and Italy. He has been working in the office in spite of the "jet-lag."
Mr. Meredith was very pleased to meet and spend time with brethren in London, and later in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In Berlin, Germany, Mr. Paul Kieffer (a minister with the United Church of God) was very helpful in arranging for a professional Video crew to take footage in Berlin. Our special thanks go to Mr. Kieffer for his kind assistance in Berlin!
Having mentioned Mr. Kieffer and our appreciation for his service, I want to say to all of you that Mr. Meredith and we in the administration of the Living Church of God appreciate your service to God's people. We are committed to serving you and God's people who are joined with us in this Work of God. Following the death of Mr. Armstrong, we have been divided into different corporate bodies by Satan's devices. Meanwhile, we appreciate those in other fellowships that befriend you and our brethren in whatever way.
While we feel that we are the continuation of the Philadelphia Church of God based upon five foundational truths identifying the true Church of God, we recognize our imperfections. We want to grow in those areas. As Mr. Meredith has stated, "We are grateful that God has given us the opportunity to continue the Work of the Philadelphia Church of God and to have the identifying signs of the living branch of God's Church today." Doing the Work of God is our personal and Corporate Vision.
Many years ago while working in Tennessee, I met a minister of the Church of God Seventh Day who knew and "worked with" Mr. Armstrong personally. I told Mr. Armstrong hello from this minister, and of our conversation. Mr. Armstrong remembered him and spoke well of him. Though Mr. Armstrong has written about administrative and doctrinal errors of the leaders in the Church (Seventh Day), he always accepted that they were part of the Church of God.
Some people have taken Mr. Armstrong's statements about the "One True Church" way beyond what he believed and what he meant. He frequently stated that the Church of God Seventh Day was God's Church, though in his opinion they were the Sardis era of the Church of God. He understood Christ's statement, "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead" (Revelation 3:1) to mean that as to doing the Work of God they were spiritually dead, though individuals in Sardis were spiritually alive.
To illustrate how important this is to us, I should tell you that we have a number of good pastors serving in Living who were baptized members of the Church of God Seventh Day. They are faithfully serving God's people in some very difficult Church areas! They are proving themselves more steadfast and faithful than many ministers who went through Ambassador College and were ordained under Mr. Armstrong. So, as Mr. Armstrong did, let's love and respect ministers in other Church of God fellowships—and realize that thousands of true Christians are now scattered because of Satan's machinations.
Mr. Dattolo reports that the income for the month of May has been somewhat disappointing.
We seldom do this, but Mr. Meredith and I both ask you to please encourage the brethren to give generously to God's Work at this time—especially in the Pentecost offering. I'm sure Mr. Meredith will be writing you about his trip and about the overall Work very soon.
Speaking of Pentecost, we are all looking forward to Pentecost June 11. As I reported earlier, there will be guest speakers going out from headquarters. Dr. Winnail will be going to Alaska. Mr. Shane Franke, our Host in Soldotna, is in the hospital recovering from a ruptured appendix. The latest report I have received stated that he is doing well.
Mr. Apartian is in Arkansas visiting family this week. He will speak in Alexandria, Louisiana this Sabbath. I sure hope the folks there can understand his unique "Texas" accent! He will conduct Pentecost services in San Diego this year.
This is the last update before I leave for Pentecost weekend. I am looking forward to being in Springfield, Missouri on June 10. It will be forty-two years ago next month since I served as an usher and counselor in the Springfield evangelistic campaign conducted by Mr. Ted Armstrong. It was during this campaign that Mr. Dick Armstrong was injured (fatally) in a car accident in California. Following the campaign, the Springfield Church began with about fifty in attendance.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:
A cousin of mine once said to my father, "I look out for number one. Let the devil take the hindmost." As he rode away on his fine Arabian gelding my father turned to me and said, "Son, that man has a great fall ahead coming." He was right—within seven years, my cousin was bankrupt. He gambled heavily on a project which failed and lost everything he had to the bank. Within fifteen years his eldest son was in prison, his eldest daughter was in trouble and his wife divorced him for another man. So much for looking out for the self!
Jim Rohn wrote a similar message; "Somebody says, 'Well, I can't be concerned about other people. About the best I can do is to take care of myself.' Well, then you will always be poor."
The Treasury of Quotes, by Jim Rohn