Greetings everyone,
This has been a very busy and productive week here at Headquarters. Plans for the Feast of Tabernacles are moving right along and preparations for the Passover season are coming together here and throughout the Church. Never a dull moment in the Work of the living God!
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
Mr. Roderick C. Meredith has approved the following ministerial changes and transfers:
- Mr. Rand Millich, Regional Pastor, sends the following ministerial retirement announcement from his region: After 40 years of working in the ministry, Mr. Karl Beyersdorfer will be retiring in June. Karl and his wife Gaylon have served congregations from Minnesota to Louisiana—and several states in between—since 1965. Mr. Beyersdorfer currently pastors the Joplin, Missouri area churches and plans to continue to serve the brethren as an elder.
- Mr. and Mrs. Larry Solomon will transfer from Tulsa to Joplin and he will become the Area Pastor there, and continue pastoring Tulsa and Oklahoma City. The Amarillo video group will then be pastored from Mr. John Ogwyn's area. This changeover will take place on June 1, 2005.
- Mr. and Mrs. Keith Walden will transfer to St. Louis, Missouri, and he will be the Area Pastor for St. Louis, Rolla and Columbia, Missouri and Terre Haute, Indiana. This move will take place in November 2005.
- Mr. Val Burgett will transfer to Kansas City, Missouri, to be the Associate Pastor helping out Mr. Rand Millich with his workload. We anticipate rotating Mr. Burgett back out into a pastorate in the future, as the need arises. This move will also take place in November 2005.
We plan to announce three new hires into the full-time ministry and Pastoral Training Program next week. We greatly appreciate the service, sacrifice and willing attitude of all the ministers and families involved in these decisions and moves. One of the ministers expressed his feelings about his new assignment this way, "My wife and I are happy to serve God's people wherever there is a real need. If we can effectively serve the Work of God there, then that is where we want to be." That comment reflects the cooperation and serving attitude of everyone involved in these moves this year. And we know that God is well pleased.
Living Youth Camp
It's hard to believe, but it is already time to start making plans to attend the Living Youth Camp in Michigan, or the pre-teen camps in Missouri and Texas. This year we have made registering even easier: starting Sunday February 13, 2005, you will be able to register online for any of the three camps.
The Web address is www.youth-web.org. Once you are on the main Web site, select from the menu "Living Youth Camp" or "Pre-Teen Camp." Further instructions for registering will be under each of these links. If you do not have Web access, don't worry; you can still register by obtaining forms from the addresses listed on the back of the Jan-Feb 2005 Living Church News.
MEDIA
Everything looks like a green light for the Inspirational Channel's INI network. The first program is scheduled to air in greater London on Monday, April 4, at 1:30 am local time, then on Tuesday through Friday mornings at the same time the rest of the week. Then, on Sunday, April 10, the Tomorrow's World program will air at 6:30 am, then again at 10:00 am, and every Sunday thereafter, or until we (or they!) change the schedule.
COMMENTS
Remember when Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong use to say, "Knowledge is of no value unless applied." We are very thankful for the new people God is calling into His Church. They all come hungry for knowledge and understanding. But what about those of us who have been in the Church for many years? Are we still hungry for God's precious Truth? If we think we know everything, then that's all we are ever going to know! Do we cry out for knowledge and understanding as Proverbs 2:2-6 says, "So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."
Also, Christians must never stop striving diligently to apply this wonderful knowledge! These are questions to carefully consider as we continue to examine ourselves prior to the Passover.
Have a delightful Sabbath,
Charles E. Bryce