Letter to the Congregations: 14th June 2025

Our Dear Brethren,

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

What a great reminder that we, a spiritual body of believers, have been called to be the dwelling place for our God! This passage also should remind us that we, as a body and as a spiritual temple, are being built up on a solid foundation. But if, while this building is being pieced together, we step off the foundation and try to build ourselves up on our own ideas, we lose the stability of the “chief cornerstone” and we will easily be washed away. If we lose the foundation then we cannot be part of the building and we cannot be the place where God dwells.

Are we firmly secured to the foundation of this building? Have we familiarized ourselves with, and based our lives on, the words revealed to the apostles and prophets? Do we know the word of God, the inspired scriptures “which are able to make [us] wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15)?

If we want to answer yes to these questions, we need to continually be studying the word of God and seeking to understand what is contained within its pages. God has given us an entire spiritual family who are also studying the same word and seeking to understand it as they are led by Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. “No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation” and neither is Scripture itself. God has given us iron to sharpen iron, teachers among brethren who have studied and learned and applied the word.

The United Church of God has many Bible study aids that have been written by many teachers based on the scriptures so we might better dig deeper and understand more about God’s plans for us. With this in mind it’s a good idea to periodically look back at our fundamental beliefs (and other study materials) to help supplement our personal Bible study, and help us better be able to explain why we do what we do. I encourage you to go back and read through some of these fundamentals. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask them.

Fundamental Beliefs of the United Church of God: https://www.ucg.org/learn/bible-study-aids/fundamental-beliefs-united-c…

Our love is with you,

Lewis VanAusdle

Pastor, United Church of God

NYC, NJ, CT, Malawi, Zimbabwe