General Conference of Elders

Cincinnati, Ohio

Sunday  May 6, 2001

The 2001 General Conference of Elders met in Cincinnati today with a full slate of topics on the dayâs docket. Ministerial Services operation manager Richard Pinelli reported to the assembled elders and their wives, followed by six international representatives. Media and Communications operation manager Peter Eddington addressed the group prior to the official balloting required at the annual meeting. The chairman, treasurer, and president spoke, after which General Conference members Joel Meeker, Jim Franks, and Melvin Rhodes brought news of continuing developments in Ghana with the Remnant Church of God.

New Council Member, 
Clyde Kilough from 
Sacramento, California

Chairman Roy Holladay updated the Conference on contact with the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship (CGCF). Ministerial Services team member and Council of Elders member Richard Thompson delivered the keynote address on this yearâs theme, "A Sense of Urgency," and Mr. Holladay announced the results of the balloting to close out the plenary sessions in a jam-packed first day. On both Saturday evening May 5, and Sunday evening May 6, Conference delegates could choose to meet with the Council of Elders (question and answer format) or attend a presentation by Church member Julie Zutz on connecting with the different generations in the Church and in our world.

Ministerial Services

Mr. Pinelli began by using a business cycle comparison ö noting that "forming, storming, norming, and performing" might well describe the experience of the United Church of God to date. Citing Haggai 2 and Zechariah 4, he stressed that the important focus should be a positive one, on the forward movement in the Church, accomplished by the power of Godâs Spirit. Godâs work often starts small, but Philippians 1:6 assures us that He intends to finish that work, no matter how miniscule its beginning.

He expressed gratitude to the ministers and wives for their efforts in the six years since the inception of the United Church of God. Many have had to learn to contribute in new ways, proving, in Mr. Pinelliâs words, that "you can teach an old dog new tricks!" Combining latent talents with spiritual gifts has produced some amazing results, in the salaried and unsalaried ministry together, standing shoulder to shoulder to get on with the job of the Church. Using a familiar phrase, he simply stated, "Well done, good and faithful servants."

Mr. Pinelli outlined some of the progress in continuing to implement the findings of the Ministerial Task Force on Workload and Remuneration, which reported to the president in February 2000. He spoke on progress in numerous areas, including:

• Resolution of the ministerial partial salary issue
• Restoring full-time service of all pastors
• Staffing from strength
• Institution of a ministerial candidate program
• Employee job assessment program and identification of those doing an outstanding job
• Development of a program to encourage and aid the wives of the ministers.

Mr. Pinelli passed on results from a ministerial job satisfaction survey recently sent to salaried elders, listing both positive sectors and areas for administrative improvement. But mostly, he stressed, he just wanted to say "thanks for a job well done."

International Reports

Canadian National Council President Rainer Salomaa gave a short history of the United Church of God in this area of the world. In December 1995, Gary Antion opened an office in the Toronto, Ontario metropolitan area. The first official meeting of the United Church of God Canada took place in Calgary, Alberta January 26-28, 1996 with a total of seven elders plus members in attendance. Today, managed by Tony Wasilkoff, the office in Etobicoke, Ontario administers the annual budget of $1.1 million (Canadian), distributes literature across the country, and coordinates the Churchâs efforts in this geographically vast country. The approximately 500 who are part of the United Church of God in Canada are served by 19 members of the National Council, three festival sites, one youth camp, 17 elders, a newsletter, and web site. Numerous promotions including a successful waiting room program are expanding the Good News mailing list.

Kingsley Mather spoke on the work being accomplished in the Caribbean, where efforts must encompass twelve nations, including two in South America (Guyana and Brazil). The circulation of the Good News has grown to over 5,500 in the region, spurred mostly by advertising in newspapers. Church attendance has leapt from 11 in 1995 to 230 today. Plans call for seven Feast sites in 2001 and expanding operations in Trinidad through establishing a local post office box and bank account. Increased contact with the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship will highlight this yearâs festival, and manpower training for the future needs of the United Church of God in the Caribbean is underway with Caribbean Leadership Training seminars.

Church members in Italy face unique challenges, according to Carmelo Anastasi, one of two United Church of God pastors in the country (along with Angelo DeVita). Non-ecumenical churches are not always well received in this heavily Roman Catholic country. Mr. Anastasi stressed the importance of the General Conference theme of a sense of urgency in doing the work of the Church, felt strongly by the 60 members in this country of 60 million. But hope for growth abounds ö five new members have been added in the last 14 months, and the Good News mailing list has increased to 4,000.

Edmond Macaraeg outlined the opportunities facing the Church in the Philippines, a nation of 7,100 islands populated by 70 million people. Total church attendance in the country is about 350, with 250 of those concentrated on the southern island of Mindanao. The remaining 100 live on the northern island of Luzon or in the central island group, the Visayans. The main source of growth in the Philippines has come about through contact with Church literature, news of which is often spread by word of mouth or cell phone messaging! Two Feast sites will serve the needs of Godâs people here in 2001, as development of manpower resources continues to be a high priority.

Glen and Connie White from Calgary, Alberta

Peter Hawkins articulated South Africaâs search for its future. The ongoing cultural shift occurring within the country clearly impacts our efforts in this beautiful land, with land issues and a growing African renaissance forcing changes in the nationâs outlook. One hundred fifty-eight members of the United Church of God work here to serve a Good News list of 5,600. Feast attendance is anticipated at 183 in the Republic of South Africa, with another 90 in neighboring nations served church-wise from the RSA base of operations. Four congregations in South Africa and one in Lusaka, Zambia feed the spiritual needs of the brethren in this area of the globe. Goals include becoming financially self-sufficient (within10 years), expanding the Good News list to 50,000 and an anticipated membership of 400 (five years), and increasing the percentage of donors on file to 5% of the mailing list and coworkers to 3% (within next year).

Council member John Jewell spoke for the United Kingdom area of operations. Growth here has been nothing short of miraculous, according to Mr. Jewell. While not all promotional efforts to increase the Good News mailing list have been entirely successful, "we now know what not to do!" stated Mr. Jewell. The list stands at 7,700 and includes subscribers in numerous countries outside the UK. Ads in national newspapers such as The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph have helped build subscriptions. Applying a local touch to the Bible study course (by using test cards) and the Good News (through including an 8-page UK insert) have helped create internal interest. Seventy-nine baptized members among a total church attendance of 118, served by four elders, do an increasingly effective work from this island nation base.

Media and Communications

Peter Eddington brought news of snowballing results in both print and electronic media in the distribution of the Churchâs "product" ö the gospel of the Kingdom:

• Good News print run for May/June 2001 was 362,871 (31% increase over May/June 2000)
• Bible study course students now number 4,850, with another 4,100 having completed the 12-lesson course
• A total of 1.4 million booklets have now been printed
• Mail processed in April 2001 was 123% higher than April 2000
• 53 U.S. congregations participate in the Brochure Display program
• 22,000 responses have been received to the last Subscriber Development letter
• 30% of Good News subscribers are renewing their subscriptions; reminders are attached to each of the last three issues in current subscriptions
• Upwards of 80 new coworkers and 175 new donors are added to the file each month
• 278,000 households were offered the Good News in direct mail promotions in the last year
• "Card deck" programs offered the magazine to another 150,000 in the same period
• Internet activity on the Church web site continues to increase: 21,000 "hits" in April 2001
• Over 1,400 calls in response to the Good News Radio program and 1,700 to TV spot ads have added to the magazine subscription lists
• Local congregational involvement is growing in a number of programs (some to be featured later in the Conference)
• Good News print run should be 425,000 by June 2002
• Only two or three new booklets are envisioned for the next year; our efforts must focus on reprinting stocks of existing titles due to heavy demand in recent months (over 700,000 booklets have been printed or reprinted in the last 16 months ö thatâs half the total printed since the United Church of God began in May 1995).

Official Business

Elders balloted on four Council seats in 2001. Members chosen, in alphabetical order, were: Clyde Kilough, Victor Kubik, Les McCullough, and Leon Walker. Mr. Walker is an international representative, while Messrs. Kilough, Kubik, and McCullough serve from the United States.

By large margins, the General Conference approved the Strategic Plan (284 in favor, 5 opposed), the Operations Plan (271-13), the budget for 2001-2002 (267-19), a provisional manner of approving official relationships with other religious organizations (252-27), amendment to Section 8.2.1 of the Bylaws regarding the office of the chairman (241-30), and an amendment to Section 8.7.5 of the Bylaws regarding definition of a quorum for official business (256-17). A proposed amendment to the Mission Statement of the Church failed to pass (148 in favor, 130 opposed ö 2/3 majority of ballots cast required for passage). A proposed amendment to Fundamental Belief 18 (Tithing) also failed to pass (226 in favor, 61 opposed ö ² majority of entire General Conference ö or 304 out of 405 elders ö required for passage).

Dr. Don and Wanda Ward

Chairman Roy Holladay next addressed the Conference. He expressed appreciation for the job done by his predecessor, Robert Dick, who served for over five years as chairman of the Council and General Conference. Comparing Godâs creation of the human body and its various systems, Mr. Holladay read from Romans:12:4-5, which stresses our mutual dependence on each other. This was how we were organized in the United Church of God from the start. We are mutually dependent on each other and mutually accountable to each other, with overlapping supervisory capacities. Ultimately, Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. In the past year, the Council of Elders has increasingly turned to the General Conference and church members to help forward the work of the Church, laboring together. Administration and Council work together. National Councils from nations outside the U.S. cooperate with each other and with the Council and Administration in the United States. Servant leadership is a principle we all want to see used ever more effectively. The ministry is itself dependent on the membership of the Church as a whole. While the Council of Elders may have responsibility for guidance and direction within the Church, it fully recognizes the interdependent nature of how we all must relate to one another.

Treasurer Tom Kirkpatrick gave a brief overview of the United Church of Godâs financial standing. The budget for the twelve months ending June 30, 2001 was set at $15.7 million; income is expected to actually be $16.6 million. Allowing for a more modest growth in the coming year (4% instead of 7% from ordinary income, excluding special offerings in 2000), the budget submitted to the General Conference (which it passed) was pegged at $17 million. Our auditorâs opinion on the Church finances appeared in the November 2000 United News. Salary ranges remain unchanged from last yearâs report (all General Conference members had a copy of the minutes from the 2000 Conference).

President Les McCullough spoke of the needs of the international areas of the Churchâs work, and the urgency in many of those regions. Needed all around the world are more laborers for the harvest ö especially younger ones. "Preaching the gospel; preparing a people" is not just our logo, it is always our responsibility. "Will I be ready," he asked each to ponder, "when Jesus Christ knocks?" If we are "so doing" when He does, the answer will be "blessed is that servant..." We must preach, prepare· and be blessed. God has blessed the work of the United Church of God in the past year. We have tried to be "so doing." Three years ago, 80,000 people were receiving the Good News. The last print run was over 360,000. Over 4,000 have already completed the Bible study course, and many are going on to accept the offer of a 12-month audio tape mailing that follows that completion. The Ambassador Bible Center continues to grow, from 24 students in the initial year to 40 this year, with 46 applications already received for 2002. Contacts with the Remnant Church of God and the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship highlight mutual efforts to bring the Body of Christ closer. New donors and coworkers are joining this effort to preach the message. Ground should be broken late this month for a new home office facility· to serve more effectively. "Weâve had a pretty good year for a company our size!" Mr. McCullough quipped, paraphrasing a current ad slogan. And most importantly, citing the parable of the good Samaritan, he concluded "Go thou and do likewise!"

Contacts With Other Fellowships

Joel Meeker, Jim Franks, and Melvin Rhodes addressed the General Conference in turn, filling in numerous details regarding contact with the Remnant Church of God (RCG) in Ghana. Mr. Meeker referred to the countryâs promotional efforts, and agreed that it is "the jewel of West Africa." Seven UCG pastors have now visited RCG elders and members over the past four years: Mike Blackwell, Arnold Hampton, Doug Horchak, and Fred Kellers in addition to the dayâs three presenters. All are in agreement that these people are our spiritual brothers and sisters ö brethren in the faith.

Bruce Dean, Kingsley Mather and 
Robert Berendt

The history of their contact with the truth provides as fascinating a tale as any other. They consider Herbert W. Armstrong to be their "father in the faith," with four of their current pastors having first received literature from the Worldwide Church of God in 1974, when Mr. Armstrong was pastor general. Their first ministers were ordained by elders of the Church of God, Seventh Day, in 1979. They initiated contact with the United Church of God in 1996; Mr. Kellers visited the area in 1997, and Mr. Meeker in 1998. Contact since 1999 has been regular and frequent. At their request, UCG pastors have held numerous training seminars with RCG elders, and have spent Holy Day seasons in Ghana. Some areas of difference in understanding have surfaced, and Mr. Rhodes noted that their history developed from seed planted by Mr. Armstrong, but that seed "grew" separately from the parent body of the United Church of God. But all the pastors who have visited have stressed the humble desire to be taught evidenced by the pastors and membership they have encountered. Mr. Meeker spoke of their current desire to dissolve the Remnant Church of God association in June 2001, during an upcoming ministerial visit by Messrs. Franks, Meeker, and Rhodes. Their plan is to immediately reform as the United Church of God Ghana, and organize a National Council with oversight provided by the United Church of God, an International Association. The challenges these nearly 1500 devoted people face are daunting, by our standards (per capita income is about $30 U.S. per month), but their faith is forward-looking.

Mr. Holladay spoke next in his capacity as chairman of the three-man task force which has met with the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship (CGCF). Much material on the developing relationship has already appeared in the United News, so his report was brief. Mr. Holladay stressed the openness of contacts to date, with direct questions being asked and answered on both sides. The core issue, articulated by many brethren in both fellowships, is "if we believe and teach the same things, is there any biblical justification for us to remain separate?" The ministry of CGCF has given its Executive Council (comparable the Council of Elders in UCG) authority to move ahead in exploring closer contact, and are drawing up a list of any doctrinal concerns they or their brethren may yet have. Most explored to date have turned out to be largely a matter of wording, not doctrinal differences. While some concerns may remain among the elders of the CGCF, most wish to move forward, desiring to clarify and remove obstacles to closer fellowship. Recent joint worship services in Alaska, Massachusetts, and Texas have been cause for encouragement in both fellowships.

Keynote Address ö "A Sense of Urgency"

Richard Thompson began his message by recalling the atmosphere and camaraderie of the initial meetings April 29-May 2, 1995 at Indianapolis, IN. There was uncertainty, but faith that God would honor the determination of hundreds of His ministers and thousands of His people to be obedient to His calling. The realization was strong that in one way, nothing new was being started. This was an attempt to provide continuity in the faith.

Mr. Thompson stressed the importance of establishing a connection with our past. That past goes back much further than Indianapolis, pivotal development that it was for the United Church of God. That past goes back to the book of Acts and the establishment of the New Testament Church of God ö our heritage. There has always been a job for Godâs servants to do. And there have always been threats to their existence and their efforts to do Godâs work. Examples from the history of ancient Israel prove that people will do almost anything to survive physically, but Mr. Thompson asked all to realize deeply our responsibility before God to survive spiritually in order to serve Him and those He calls. We are connected to a group of people from the past who have preserved the truth of God. We are not "doing our own thing."

But what about that "doing?" How urgent is God about it? How urgent is Jesus Christ? How urgent were Peter, John, Paul and so many others in that long list of our spiritual examples? And how urgent are we? Is that urgency mainly tied to the idea that Christ will return very soon?

If it is, the New Testament record must guide us to deeper understanding, Mr. Thompson emphasized. There came a time when those early pioneers of the faith realized that Jesus Christ was not going to return in their lifetimes. While He may well yet come back in ours, "no one knows the day or the hour." What drove those servants on when the sense of urgency was not due to momentarily expecting Christâs return? What compelled them then?

"Being urgent is as much about eternal character as it is about time."

With those words, Mr. Thompson forged on to show that the actual timing of Christâs return, in one sense, has nothing to do with the urgency of our efforts to do Godâs work. Should our urgency be greater when that return is truly imminent? More to the point, should it be less urgent if the Second Coming is not immediately visible on the prophetic horizon? "Time and eternity donât have anything to do with each other. Eternity just is. Time has to do with the measurement of events by what God created," he elaborated. Some people give up when Christ doesnât come back in their lifetime. But Godâs gift to us is eternity ö whenever Christ actually returns to this earth. Near the end of his life, Paul told Timothy to continue in the job of the ministry, no matter what time might do (see 2 Timothy, especially chapter 4).

The areas of urgency in our lives and ministry must be there no matter what the timing of Christâs return may be. The gospel needs to be preached, and a people need to be prepared. Those imperatives have not changed since the days of Peter and Paul. Referring to the book "Slouching Towards Gomorrah" by one-time Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork, Mr. Thompson urged the assembled ministry, with their wives, to not let society lead us into "defining deviancy down," as Mr. Bork characterizes the western worldâs decline in morals. We have the prophecies of Godâs Word to warn us about what is happening, and must not assume these events are unconnected to those prophecies, or that they are happening in ordinary times.

The bride of Christ must be prepared. That means that God wants no one to "drop from His Hands." As Mr. Thompson so clearly stated, "doing the work" may mean reaching the masses, but it also means helping one person to change his or her life. While Godâs archenemy Satan may be destroying this world in so many ways, we have been called to an eternal life, and it will be dedicated to serving God. It has nothing to do with time, with all its implied limits. God is limitless. But noting Luke:21:34, Mr. Thompson stressed once again that the character God is building in His people is what guards against "that day" coming upon us "unawares." There have always been, and always will be, people who do not discern the times in which they live. But Godâs servants must not be among their number.

Mr. Thompson concluded his message with these words: "We have the truth of God. We are not mighty. But we started with a little. And we have a great job to do." 

Doug Johnson

© 2001 United Church of God, an International Association