Letters & Responses
We print a representative sampling of our mail both positive and negative. We do not include names unless we are fairly sure that the writer would not object. To avoid any difficulty, writers should specify how much of their name and address they would li like us to print. We include our response to each letter in this type-style. We have selected a title for each letter for easy reference. If writers supply their own title, we will be happy to use it.
Letter: Nov 1, 1995
Dear Norman,
I find meat in every issue of Servants' News. Your efforts are much appreciated! This past Feast I was able to visit with some small independent churches that avoid authoritarianism and hierarchal government. It was a refreshing change. Not only is there a more healthy relationship between members and ministers but the church seems more functional and flexible. There is a better way and with God's help we will find it.
Your friend,
L. W., Colorado
Response: We helped sponsor a similar Feast this year. The Feast is very different when you go to be a part of it, as opposed to just going to listen.
E-mail Letter: Oct 27, 1995
Thanks for the newsletter, Servants' News. I really enjoyed reading it and look forward to many more issues.
I am a little confused though. I need your assistance, please. What really is the difference between the UCG, CGI, and the GCG. Can you help me out. Right now I am a member of the WCOG, but I am in the process of leaving it, because I feel that heresy is invading it. I am looking for a new church home, (I am leaning heavily towards UCG based on my study up to now) but I want to be lead to the right one through the Holy Spirit. Can you tell me as clearly as possible the tenets of the three above and also whatever happened to the Church of God, 7th Day, that HWA broke away from? Do they now follow the Holy Days and other WCOG teachings from the pre-Tkach era?
I am looking for a church (and I realize no church with humans in it is perfect nor has 100% of the truth) that follows the Holy Days, the Ten Commandments, and of course, the Sabbath as a seal of God?s people. I believe in the New Covenant, but I feel that the WCOG is misinterpreting it to fit in with mainstream Protestantism. I was intrigued by your articles on church gov?t and I believe that Christ IS the ruler of His Church and that man made heirarchal gov?t only leads to bad things. Too much power gets concentrated and absolute power does corrupt absolutely! Is there a church out there that follows Christ?s teachings and the few examples of ?church gov?t?, i.e., collegiality amongst humans with the Holy Spirit from Christ leading IN EVERY WAY? Please help out if you can.
[request for five articles deleted]
I am looking for such an organization or one close to that in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area (Oakland preferably) in northern California. I appreciate your assistance in this matter. Thanks and God bless!
-Serapf@aol.com
Response: Your question is a fairly common one and very important. Many of the WCG splits would like you to believe that they are the primary group through which God is working. After all, if they believe in a hierarchical government, is not there only on one "man at the top"? They need to make these claims in order to establish their headquarters as the place where you should send tithes and to establish authority to set doctrine and to govern "their people." Yet most of these groups will acknowledge that there are converted people in other organizations. Is it your job to make sure that you join the one "right" (or at least "best") organization? How can you go about doing this?
If you try to pick the right organization on the basis of doctrine, you will find that most of the relatively young organizations have no writings at all on many important doctrines. Some organizations pretend that they understand everything but simply haven't had time to write it yet. Others will honestly admit that they need to do much more study before they feel they understand certain doctrines. Even if you study all that an organization has written about, you will also probably find some doctrines in every organization that you do not completely agree with. While we are not saying that all organizations? doctrines are about equal (some clearly have major errors), we are saying that it is difficult to prove one "right" organization.
If you try to pick an organization based on fruits-how they are preaching the Gospel, you have a fairly major statistical problem on your hands. The Church of God, Seventh Day is still split into several branches, but there are well over 100,000 members on the planet?more than all of the other WCG splits combined (most of these members are not in the United States). While most of these people do not keep the holy days, they allow their members to do it?their government is very tolerant. Without any massive media campaigns, they apparently have born a lot of fruit. CGI has baptized several thousand new people (no previous Church of God experience) over their 17 year existence and spawned many other groups which have also baptized people. The Global Church of God has baptized a few dozen new people in their two years of media efforts. The United Church of God has yet to launch an outreach effort. They plan to, but we have no way to know how effective it will be.
Obviously, it is unfair to compare the long- and short-lived organizations. It takes time to establish a teaching program and time for people to respond and grow to be ready for baptism. In addition, we must ask the question: what is their criteria for baptism? Do they baptize anyone that requests it so their numbers will "look good" or do they baptize only those that are serious about making a lifetime commitment? Further compounding the issue, the baptism practices may vary greatly in an organization-some Pastors may be pushing for growth, others may be serious about baptizing only people that are ready.
One last point to throw into the puzzle. There are several hundred Sabbath-keeping groups out there. We are sending you Alan Ruth's paper which details the WCG splits. The Directory of Sabbath-Observing Groups lists more (send $10 to Bible Sabbath Association, RD 1 Box 222, Fairview, OK 73737). While some of these groups are way off doctrinally, others appear to do a better job of Biblically defending their doctrinal position than the major groups do. Also, there are little groups of 30 or so that baptize a few new people each year. Proportionally, they are growing much faster than the big groups!
So do we have the impossible task of evaluating all of these groups for doctrinal correctness and gospel-preaching effectiveness? If you are about ready to give up reading please do not!
What scriptures tell us that our salvation, reward, or happiness depends upon us being in the right group? Paul makes it clear that we should not try to align ourselves with certain teachers, but that every man s work will be made manifest (1Cor 3). Revelation two and three list seven congregations that were within a few days journey of each other, each having different doctrinal problems. Did the Messiah counsel the people to all move to Philadelphia? No! He says "To him who overcomes..." and then states a reward. He also says: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Other scriptures agree with this principle (Isa 66:2, Matt 16:25, 24:28, Luke 21:36). It is what the individual does that is important, not what organization he is a part of!
It is a lot easier to feel we are in the "right" organization than it is to feel we are living a righteous life. To satisfy an organization, all we have to do is attend regularly, contribute, and avoid offending the pastor. Living a righteous life extends from our hair to our toenails-a continual need to seek the power of the holy spirit to lead us in everything we do. Our Father in heaven sees everything, where the minister is often easily swayed or fooled. But if we are to serve in the Millennium, we must be thoroughly righteous, not just a person that speaks a "party line."
We suggest you visit which ever congregations are available to you, and try to determine where you can learn the most and also be of the greatest service. Our experience has been that local congregations vary greatly within the same organization. Some pastors loudly proclaim their organization to be the only right one and will not allow anyone to serve in any way unless they advocate the same view. They may send "spies" to listen to other's conversations before and after services to find out if anyone is disagreeing with the pastor or headquarters. Another pastor in the very same organization may take a completely different approach. I personally know of pastors in hierarchical organizations that believe the hierarchical system is wrong, but they continue to work within it because of the other truth that is taught.
After visiting the available congregations take some time to pray and possibly fast about your decision. Romans 14 shows that it is not necessary to agree on all points of doctrine, but that we can be tolerant. The main question: can the goals of learning, growth, and service be fulfilled in a given congregation? If it appears that there is no satisfactory congregation in your area, you may have to work with others to form a new congregation. The paper Assembling on the Sabbath will help in this matter.
I hope this has been a help to you, and I have prayed that you will find a place where you can grow and serve.
Norman S. Edwards
Letter: Sept 26, 1995
To: Dear Sir,
Please send your publication. I understand that you keep up with the various splinter groups that have come out of WCG. I began listening to the World Tomorrow broadcast and getting literature in 1962, began attending in 1975 and was baptized in 1976. I got out of WCG in Dec 1992 because of the doctrinal changes. Then I was with the church of the Great God until August 1994. After this I was with the Global Church of God and the Church of God, In Truth at the same time. Now it looks like I will be with the Church of God, In Truth alone.
They are teaching the truth about the [Hebrew calendar] postponements. Anyone who believes that the Holy Days should be kept should look into this. It seems that Judaism has added a lot of rules apart from the scriptures that cause many of the Holy Days to be delayed one or two days. Sometimes a 13th month is added one year too soon which causes all of the Holy Days to be one month late. This will occur in 1997. In 1996 all of the Holy Days are postponed except Pentecost. We have some interesting times ahead, don't we?
-E. G., South Carolina
Response: We commend your diligence in seeking truth and acting on your convictions. It is unfortunate that some congregations will shun or put out individuals that act on their sincerely held understanding of the scriptures.
It is possible to demonstrate that the Jewish calender we have has evolved over the years and that there is no direct scriptural command for the Rabbinical practice of delaying the start of the year so holy days will begin on certain days of the week. The main questions we hope to investigate and write about are: Have the sincere Jewish leaders been assigned the task of setting the calender? (See Lev 23:2,4,2, Matt 23:2-3, Rom 3:1-2, Phil 3:5-6.) Hundreds of pages, both pro and con, have been written on this point. If we conclude that the Jews do not have that responsibility, then we must ask, "Who should set the calendar?" We know of at least six different calendar systems in use by people that have studied the scriptures on the subject. Do we need a uniform system or should each group or individual determine it for themselves? We hope to write on this subject in the near future.
-Norman S. Edwards
Letter: Sept 30, 1995
I came out of Worldwide Church of God the Spring of 1995 wanting to cling to truth. WIth all the changes I was trying to make sense of, I could have given up and said, What is truth anymore? Well, I know God s word is truth. After months of studying the basics again, using Strong's Concordance, works of Josephus, quotes from Jewish historians, Bacchiocchi's "From Sabbath to Sunday," etc., I realize that there is much more to understand. Change can be good, the right kind of change. I feel more humility and love because of what I have been through. God's Spirit does work with our own weak human spirit so we can submit to his guidance. In humility I have come to see a few biblical principles in a different light. I tried to study with an open mind and without bias, asking God, "If this is true, help me to understand and not be deceived." I know many are searching the scriptures daily to show themselves approved.
I respectfully request that the ministry look into the Passover and Pentecost issue. Through study I feel that the Lord's supper was not a Passover service; especially since I found the Hebrew [probably "Greek" was intended here -SN Editor] for bread in Luke 22:19, Mark 14:22, 1Cor 10:16, 1Cor 11:23,28 and other scriptures in the New Testament referring to Christ's body as artos, meaning loaf or leavened bread. Christ broke and shared leavened bread with his disciples. I understand it was against Jewish law to eat unleavened bread before the feast of the Passover which starts the first day of unleavened bread on the 15th. Christ did desire to eat the Passover with his disciples but knew he would die before he could. Could his last meal be a special fellowship meal, a love feast (Jude 12) that was a continued practice with the early church? (1Cor 10:16, 11:18-29). It looks as though in verse 18 of 1Cor 11 the brethren were coming together as a church but in an unworthy manner (v 29) to remember Christ's broken body. See Adam Clarke's Commentary regarding "feasts of charity" which shows the Council of Laodicea prohibiting the early churches? love feasts. Also see Jamieson, Faussett and Brown Commentary, and Jewish New testament Commentary on the Last Supper.
Paul does say in 1Cor 5:7-8 that Christ was our Passover sacrifice (sacrificed late afternoon on the 14th) therefore, let us keep the feast. What feast? The feast of the Passover which begins the first day of unleavened bread on the 15th. This is the feast that God tells us to keep in all our generations. It all fascinates me spiritually, especially learning Christ was breaking regular loaf bread with his disciples during the Last Supper. Also see Samuel Bacchiocchi's book From Sabbath to Sunday pp 81, 162. There are other references, but too numerous for a letter.
Christ told us to follow the Pharisees in Matt 23:2-3. Paul was a Pharisee perfect in the law (Acts 22:3, 26:4, Phil 3:4-6). Both followed the Holy Days handed down through the Jews to whom were committed the oracles of God (Rom 3:2).
Correct observance of the Passover season also brings us to Pentecost which we may have been keeping on the wrong day. Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday is the Catholic Chaldean observance of Floralia (see the Age of Faith by Will Durant p 75). I've read that the Catholic "Pentecost" corresponds to the Sadducean and Samaritan "Pentecost" in ancient times, and these Samaritans carried their false beliefs from Babylon (2Kngs 17:23-34). I understand the official Jewish practice during Christ's time has always been to count the fifty days beginning with the day after the first high holy day of unleavened bread (see Josephus Antiquities of the Jews Bk 3, X, 5-6). Josephus was a Pharisee, Paul was a Pharisee, and Christ told us to observe and do what the Pharisees did. The wave sheaf offering, compose of individual grains, offered together, made possible by the sacrifice of Christ, seems to represent true Christians?those called of God as his firstfruits. We are the firstfruits offered to God by Christ our high priest (see "The Temple" by Alfred Edersheim, pp 257-259). If the date of the Holy Days were changed by Christ or the early church, it seems the Bible would mention this great controversy just as it did with the controversy over circumcision.
In closing, I ask the ministry to please look into these two holy days, as I have definite questions. I am a homemaker wanting to humble myself before God and grow in grace and knowledge. If you think this is in error, please send me more information to study. There are more brethren, I am finding, who are discovering this information also. To me, it gives more in-depth meaning and closeness to God to learn more wonderful understanding about his holy days.
-P.M., Washington
Response: We commend you for your study into these Scriptures. We hope to write on Passover and Pentecost some time next year. Now, we are working to build an environment where questions like these can be openly discussed without fear of disfellow disfellowshipment.
-Norman S. Edwards
Letter: October 19.1995
Upon reading your very opinionated article on the GCG, I feel I must answer you in the spirit of Proverbs 26:5 [Answer a fool] according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
I read a book recently that I would like to recommend to you, the book is entitled The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck, M.D. I would like to direct your attention to Page 46, Subtitled Transference: "The outdated Map"
It begins: "This process of active clinging to an outmoded view of reality is the basis for much mental illness."
Dr. Peck's definition of transference is that set of ways of perceiving and responding to the World which is developed in childhood and which is usually entirely appropriate to the childhood environment (indeed, often life-saving) but which is inappropr inappropriately transferred into the adult environment.
In a case history of one of his patients, he related a story that I personally believe applies to you!!
This particular patient had frequent changes in employment, his life since adolescence had been markedly unstable, and he dropped out of college, because he said My teachers were a bunch of hypocrites, hardly different from the police . Because of his br brilliance and creativeness in the field of computer technology, his services were in high demand by industry. But he had never been able to advance or keep a job, because, he quit jobs after disputes with his supervisors, whom he described as ?Liars and cheats interested only in protecting themselves.? His most frequently used expression was: "You can't trust a soul"!!!!
He arrived at this conclusion because his Parents did the following: they promised him a bike for his birthday, but they forgot about it and gave him something else. Once they forgot his birthday entirely, but he saw nothing drastically wrong with this since "they were very busy". They would promise to do things with him on weekends, but then were usually "too busy." Numerous times they forgot to pick him up from meetings or parties because "they had a lot on their minds." As a child he suffered painful disappointment after painful disappointment through his parents lack of caring. At some time he came to the agonizing realization that he could not trust his parents!!!! This belief extended to everyone in authority, Hence; The Outdated Map, it seems to me, that you are suffering the same "transference," the same outdated map, and cannot stand the possibility that there may be someone in authority over you!!!!!!
You use scripture to prove what you already believe, because you don't want anyone in authority over you!!!!
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. (Eph 4:10))
HE is Jesus Christ!!!!
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (Eph 4:11).
[Original letter contained Strongos definitions of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.]
All of the above positions of authority, were given by Christ for the [perfecting of the saints], for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Eph 4:12).
No group of believers, choosing, presenting the ones they believe are qualified, or those who appoint themselves as teachers, such as yourself, But, Jesus Christ is the only one doing the choosing!!!!!
Remember Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ [the same] yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Your ranting about Mr. Meredith prompted me to write this letter to you. He (Mr. Meredith) is a dedicated, humble, man who was trained at the feet of the apostle Armstrong, and his efforts are bearing fruit in the work of the Living God!!! That's the only thing that counts! Giving everyone a forum for disagreement is not doing God's work!!!!
Sincerely
-Massachusetts
Response: Thank you for your letter. It was the only one we recived with more than a sentence in opposition to this article. I think you have made some mistakes.
I was not a deprived child growing up. My parents put their lives into raising their three boys. One of the main reasons I moved from San Diego to Arkansas was to be nearer to my parents. My wife, children and I are going to visit them and pluck turkeys as soon as I finish this letter. I feel that my father was outstanding in keeping the promises that he made. You could call or write my parents or brothers if you want to know these things.
As far as stability of employment, I have had only three employers during my 21 years of work. I left my first two jobs by my own choice-my supervisors were sad to see me go. You could talk to them if you would like to.
For many years I believed what I had been taught: God worked through a hierarchical government and He would correct the men at the top if they got out of line. When it became obvious that Mr. Tkach was not being corrected, I wondered if God had failed or if my beliefs were wrong. I studied government in the Bible-going back to the Greek in many cases to find the truth. It took several years to study, understand and accept all of what I found.
I agree completely with your quotes from Ephesians. It is our Father that places men in his service, not a human hierarchy. A spiritual teacher is a spiritual teacher only if the Eternal grants him that gift: not if he appoints himself, is appointed by a hierarchy, or elected by a group. Whether or not I claim to have the gift of teaching is unimportant. You must compare what any teacher says with the scriptures and decide whether that teacher is helping you learn truth or misleading you.
You said a lot of good things about Mr. Meredith. I worked with the man for two years and he certainly has a lot of powerful strengths-and like all of us-some weaknesses. If you see that the Scriptures back up what he teaches, then learn from him. I do hope your impression of his character is based on more accurate information than your impression of me!
When it is time for each of us to "stand before the judgement seat of Christ" (Rom 14:10, 2Cor 5:10), I doubt He will ask us about the character of other teachers. He will ask us about what we learned from the Bible and how we obeyed it. We should concentrate our study on the scriptures and not on each other. If there are errors in our understanding of the scriptures, then please write and let all our readers know.
I understand how difficult it is when someone shows you from the scriptures that you have misunderstood a doctrine for many years. It has happened to me. I felt somehow cheated and like my life had been wasted. It is easy to feel angry at the person that showed you the truth. We must also realize that our Savior allowed us to believe the false doctrine all those years?He could have used His power to show us the truth at any time. We cannot "undo" all of the years of wrong understanding. What is important is that we thoroughly understand new truth and put it into practice.
May the Eternal grant all of us wisdom.
Norman S. Edwards
Letter: November 1.1995
Dear Friends of the Brethren,
Thank you so much for the service you have been providing which to us has been the very best spiritual food we all need. It s the kind of spiritual food necessary to grow.
The WCG did have and teach God?s truth, but became as a "Noisy gong or a clanging cymbal" (I Cor 13:1-3) to use Paul's words; mainly because that main ingredient "Love" wasn't being displayed from that top-down government. I also thank God for delivering us from that form of unjust governance.
I would like to relate one bit of humor out of all this.
When we wrote our minister to let him know we were leaving WCG because of the confusion entering our teaching, his reply to us put the blame on people like us who were leaving their sick mother when she needed us the most. So a couple of years. later when he left WCG to go with United we wanted (but did not) to send our former minister a sympathy card letting him know how sorry we were to hear that his mother had finally died.
What does that say about top-down government?
We hope your work, (with checks like we have enclosed) will continue. Thanks again.
Would you please send to us:
1. How Does the Eternal Govern Through Humans
2. The Worldwide Church of God Split's
Thank you,
-J.L.F., Texas
Response: Thank you for your encouragement. It is amazing how many unordained brethren had the spiritual discernment to realize they were being taught error, and how many ministers continued to accept or even teach the error. And these same ministers "ministers" expect to again be completely trusted and given control over the same people that they misled?
It has been during my past few years of study that I realize I know a lot less Bible truth than I formerly thought I knew-so much of my understanding has been based on a verse here and there but mostly some "headquarter's teaching. There is a lot of learning left for all of us to do.
-Norman S. Edwards
Letter: October,1995
Mr. Edwards, Having received your last copy of SN, and reading how you corrected everyone plus the letter of William Washington disgusted me. H.W.A. was one of the greatest ministers of God that ever lived.
Mr. Washington needs to read the Bible and apply what he reads instead of cutting those who do God's work.
Please don't send me any more of your SN.
Thanks,
Response: We are sorry that you are unhappy with our publication. We tried to think of another way of discussing these important government articles other than inserting comments every few paragraphs, but could not find any other good way that was effective and easy to follow.
We did not agree with Mr. Washington's letter 100% but neither do we agree with yours. We print a diversity of opinions and hope that all of us can learn from each other and be more like our Elder Brother.
We believe that Herbert Armstrong was a great servant of God, but we also believe he had human faults and weaknesses. We should imitate the good and not the bad.
We will not send any more SN.
-Norman S. Edwards
Letter: July 27, 1995
I just finished reading Eric V. Snow's paper on Does the New Covenant Do Away With the Letter of the Law? and I must say is an excellent paper on convincing almost anyone who wants to prove if the Sabbath is binding that it is!
Thank you for all the literature you have sent & continue on your labor of love to get God?s truths out to His people as the Holy Spirit guides you in that direction.
I am now reading The Worldwide Church of God Splits: Their Triumphs & Troubles by Alan Ruth and it?s an excellent description of what has happened, is happening & can happen with any organization who claims to be God?s Church. It is also a warning to all baptized Christians to beware of the wolves among the sheep & how much damage can occur if we are not deeply rooted to God?s truth & have not placed our total faith in God rather than men.
Thank you,
Angel Gonzalez
60 Surrey Lane, Colonia, NJ 07067
Response: Thank you for your many letters of encouragement and the sound scriptural points that you make.
-Norman S. Edwards
Letter: Servant's News is more interesting and instructive with each issue. Thanks so much for sending it. I'm enclosing a widow s mite in the hope it will cover the cost of postage. I'm living on very small income and moving is expensive as yo you know. My family is helping me with that.
You mentioned, Norman, that you have a letter you send to those on your list when someone else on your list wants to contact them. This does seem to be a perfect way for people to get in touch without you having to give out addresses of those who might not want to be contacted. I hope you found the time to give my name and address to these three. However I?ve not heard from any of them.
Thank you for printing the letter to all WCG churches by Angel Gonzalez. I'm sure there are many, many who were saying "Amen" to that. I read the letter to our group a couple of Sabbaths ago and at several places they started clapping their hands or saying "right on."
[Literature request and Personal section deleted.]
I think often of the huge amount of work you have undertaken with Servants News, etc. You are doing an horrendous job!
Agape,
Response: [Response was largely personal.]
-Marleen Edwards
Letter: Sept 16, 1995
Dear Mr. Edwards,
A good friend of ours, Robert Bodkin gave us a copy of How Does the Eternal Govern Thru Humans? in Seattle last Sabbath. Today he suggested that we might be able to be on your mailing list.
We are very much impressed with what we read in this article. We left WCG last spring, and are now attending United Church of God. We, like so many are acutely concerned about our newly forming Church, and how it will be governed. Your article is very timely.
Please accept our offering to help you with your work.
In God's Love,
-P. & B. C, Washington
Response: Thank you for your help and your letter. It is important that leaders realize that there are many normal people that are interested in the form of government of their congregation. It is only a minority of people that are raising the governme "government issue" to cause strife or to gain a following for themselves.
How can a parent today teach their child "you must follow the church government no matter what?" I have met plenty of parents that taught that for years in the past. They have since left the WCG, but their grown children are still in what they "know" is the "one true church."
-Norman S. Edwards
Letter: Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for all the reading material you sent to us, dating back to April 95.
We are just another example, among so many, who came out of the WCG after many years and are now attending the UCG in Seattle.
Although it is so wonderful to be nourished once again by the real Meat of God s Word, we are all changed people, paying close attention to what is being said...thinking about, discussing, evaluating all announced decisions.
We are so grateful to be receiving The Servant's News. Thank you.
In brotherly love,
Response: This is a good point! We realize that we should never again sit in a congregation and say because it is coming from headquarters, it must be truth. Our Father has shown us the error of that way and we must continue to look to the Scriptures fo for all that we believe and do.
-Norman S. Edwards
Letter: Nov 2, 1995
Just a note to keep telling you how much I appreciate Servant's News
I believe the Lord is leading me to the United Church of God, An International Association, but I am waiting to hear what their Dec. conference will bring forth. I only hope and pray you will not put any misleading material into your "Servant's News". Misleading material is as bad to me as an outright lie, and I am so glad Jim Franks sent a response back to Alan Ruth. Alan Ruth's material had misleading remarks, and I am so glad U.C.G. had sent me Brian Orchard's wonderful message "Government of God". As for the trinity doctrine, I don't know where he got that. U.C.G. has sent me some wonderful tapes as I am not able to get to services as the nearest meeting place to me is in Wellesley, Mass. I have never heard even an inkling about the U.C.G. embracing the trinity doctrine. There isn?t a church in the world that is perfect and undoubtedly there will be a heavy handed approach by some ministers. The poor guys have come from a heavy handed ministry in W.C.G. so they will have to learn about humility. Hopefully they will learn God's way. A good start would be if they listened to Gerald Seelig's message "Humility," something we all need more of. I am thrilled to pieces to have these tapes and I listen to them over & over. I am praying that the U.C.G. will soon be able to get their wonderful messages out to the world. I don't ever want to become part of a church organization with a pope at the top again.
My Messiah is the Head and Chief Cornerstone of the UCG and others, I pray.
I have a friend who would like to get Servant's News. Her address [deleted]
-R. M., Maine
Response: Thank you for your comments about the United Church of God. It has been a blessing to many people that had no other place where they felt they could keep the Sabbath. We print primarily articles that differ from the official UCG opinions becau because we feel they have important points and we want to help work for positive, Biblical change.
Regarding the Trinity doctrine, there are some ministers that are currently in the UCG that did teach this doctrine in the past. Some did talk about whether or not it should be taught in the future. As far as I know, there was never any "official" UCG teaching on the Trinity, but the discussions about it could have led some to believe that some UCG ministers might have desired to teach it. That problem seems to be over now, let us get on with the task at hand.
-Norman S. E