International News at a Glance

• British Isles Ministers Meet to Discuss Feast, More
• Congregations in Zambia Receive MP3 Players
• News From Harare
• Canada Sends Millionth Item
• Group in Zambia Interested in Joining United

British Isles Ministers Meet to Discuss Feast, More

The ministry of the United Church of God in the British Isles met Nov. 12.

The five-hour meeting dealt with Feast of Tabernacles matters including a report from Gerhard Marx and Frank Jarvis on the running of the York Feast site this year, the possible sites for the 2007 Feast and the Stirling, Scotland, Feast site for 2008. David and Barbara Fenney had driven to Stirling two days earlier to meet the hall staff and gather information, which he reported on.

The ministers also discussed options to handle the increased workload of the ministry in certain areas, distributed copies of the Leadership Workshop on DVD for reference and looked at the option of an ABC Continuing Education Seminar in the United Kingdom.

—UCG–British Isles National Announcements, Nov. 18, 2006

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Congregations in Zambia Receive MP3 Players

The Good Works Program donated four MP3 players to the congregations in Zambia. Because the country is so large and the brethren are so scattered, most Sabbaths members listen to sermons sent from the home office.

—André van Belkum

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News From Harare

Harris Hlazo, a longtime member, submitted this report from Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe: "With the departure of Jill Heathcote to settle in New Zealand, only one member remained in Harare—me. On the Sabbath I would watch videotaped sermons. But sometime around June 2005 thieves broke into my flat and stole my VCR. From that time on I depended on audiotapes.

"Not long after this Andrew Ingwe phoned to say he had been reading our literature and was interested in joining us. Then Harare had a congregation of two.

"The following month two more young men, Innocent Mushunje and Patrick Chigodo, phoned and expressed interest in the Church and joined us. In 2006 we were joined by Fanuel Gorondo and his wife, Mathilda.

"All four have had their share of tribulation because of the Sabbath. Innocent ended up being transferred to a department that allows him to have the Sabbath off. Andrew got a promotion at work with a Sabbath string attached. He had to fight his way around that. Mr. and Mrs. Gorondo had to leave their rural home because of persecutions regarding Sabbath observance.

"We have now obtained a DVD player and can listen to messages on MP3s."

The regional pastor, André van Belkum, baptized two members Aug. 8. Besides Harare, there are several other groups that meet in Zimbabwe.

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Canada Sends Millionth Item

With the 11,607 copies of the January/February Good News, UCG–Canada has now distributed more than a million items since 1999. Through Dec. 21, 7,331 Internet and e-mail requests had been received in 2006 and over 900 Beyond Today responses.

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Group in Zambia Interested in Joining United

Clyde Kilough reported to the Council of Elders Dec. 8, 2006, that a group of Church members and their leaders in Zambia are interested in becoming part of United. They had been pressured by their church to change from Sabbath to Sunday observance and to discontinue observing the annual Holy Days.

"They resolved to do some homework before they affiliated themselves with another group," said Kambani Banda, the UCG elder in Zambia. "They checked out several Sabbath-keeping Churches of God and came to the conclusion that UCG was the place they wanted to be." The group claims attendance in excess of 200.

Victor Kubik visited with a portion of this group during the 2006 Feast (see November 2006 issue, page 16). Mr. Kubik said they are a remarkable group that has maintained their beliefs and practice of God's truth.

André van Belkum, chairman of UCG–Southern Africa, and Mr. Banda had a more extensive visit to most of their congregations and with their leadership in late November and were greatly encouraged by their decision to join United.

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