United News: January 2007

A very positive financial position with 9 to 10 percent income growth will allow UCG to advertise in Reader's Digest, fund more ministerial training and pay off the mortgage on the home office building.

Dec. 11, David Register, chairman of the GCE Planning Task Force, presented a schedule and theme proposal for the 2007 annual meeting of the General Conference of Elders.

In addition to YouTube mentioned last issue (page 16), the popular online search tool Google offers a video search feature where registered users can upload videos to the Google video Web site.

On Tuesday morning, Nov. 27, the first Bible study was held in the new church hall in the Kasumpa region of Zambia.

The Sabbath of Dec. 2, 2006, found the Auckland, New Zealand, Sabbath school in the Domain, an extensive park that borders the church hall.

The General Conference of Elders selected two new members for the UCGIA Council of Elders and returned two men to the Council May 6.

A winning weekend!

On Jan. 6 and 7, the Cincinnati East congregation and the home office staff welcomed the eighth class of Ambassador Bible Center, and classes began Jan. 8.

The four Canadian Festival coordinators and director of operations Tony Wasilkoff will join the U.S. Festival coordinators for their annual meeting Feb. 7 and 8 in Dallas, Texas.

The United Church of God–Canada recently had a series of meetings in Toronto, Ontario, that were extremely profitable.

On Nov. 18, 2006, the Watertown and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, congregations had the pleasure of giving special recognition to Harlan and Janice Spieker for their 30 years of dedicated service in the ministry of Jesus Christ.

Robert Dick was born in 1943 in Caldwell, Idaho.

The Education Advisory task force met at the home office in Cincinnati, Ohio, over the weekend of Dec. 16 and 17, 2006.

In 2006, at least 335 new members were baptized around the world.

The Council of Elders approved a new electronic publication dealing in specialized education issues for members with addictions, addictive behavior, anti-social behavior, emotional and mental problems.

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

Alix Kubik, a member in Indiana, was interviewed by a reporter from USA Today about the service project she is involved with—coordinating a wheelchair distribution project for LifeNets.

During the last fiscal year an intensive effort was made to reach first-time mothers with the gospel message through American Baby magazine's “Especially for Mothers” co-op mailer program.

The Church's base of U.S. coworkers and donors continues to rise at a nice pace.

The Salt Lake City, Utah, congregation will be hosting its annual Presidents' Day Ski Weekend, Feb. 16 to 19.

The Good Works Program donated four MP3 players to the congregations in Zambia.

In July 2006, Tim and Mallory Ribera, members who attend the El Paso, Texas, congregation, were featured on the front page of the Alamogordo [ New Mexico ] Daily News.

Richard C. Thompson was reselected by the General Conference of Elders to serve another three-year term on the Council of Elders in May 2006.

Good News print advertising continues to serve as an important ingredient in the Church's endeavor to publish the gospel message.

Estimated prices for the April 4 to 11 seven-day/six-night tour of Egypt announced last issue (page 1) have been posted on the travelgallery.com Web site.

Harris Hlazo, a longtime member, submitted this report from Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe:

Isabelle Nicol, a member in Ottawa, Ontario, regularly walks around her suburban neighborhood for exercise.

More than once, we have commented that the last 10 years or so have been a "wild ride" for the people of God.

In an executive session Dec. 12, the Council of Elders engaged in a final discussion and decision to appoint a corporate secretary.

As of Jan. 23, 2007, all persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air to Canada, Central and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean will be required to present a valid passport to reenter the United States.

With the 11,607 copies of the January/February Good News, UCG–Canada has now distributed more than a million items since 1999.

Stuart Segall, pastor of the Eureka and Crescent City, California, congregations, submitted a guest editorial titled "Halloween Revisited" to the local newspaper.

For the third consecutive year, the Dominican Republic received a visit from Ralph Levy, a minister who works in the home office and speaks fluent Spanish.

ed On Dec. 10, the Council of Elders approved the credentialing of Donald Mathie as an elder.

The 11th annual Great Lakes Region Teen Prom will be hosted on Saturday, April 28, by the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, congregation at the DoubleTree Hotel–Pittsburgh Airport (8402 University Blvd., Coraopolis, PA 15108—the same location as last year).

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.

What's New on the Web?

Dec. 10, after presenting additional ways to invest funds in the work of the Church this year (see page 1), UCGIA President Clyde Kilough then led the Council into a consideration of larger and long-term issues.

Steve Nutzman has been appointed as camp director for the United Youth Camp in the Northwest Region.

Calendar of Events

Ladies from the Oakland and San Jose, California, congregations gathered for the Women's Friendship Circle annual tea and gift exchange Nov. 19.

May 6 the General Conference of Elders approved "relocating the home office of the United Church of God, an International Association, to the greater Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, Metroplex area."