Home Office Weekly Update

From Ministerial and Member Services . . .

Recent Ordination

We’re happy to announce that on the First Day of Unleavened Bread, April 23, 2024 Wiley Greene was ordained into the ministry. He and his wife, Debra, serve the congregation in Kingsport, Tennessee.

Fire Destroys Meeting Hall in Fulton, Missouri

Not long after sunset after the Last Day of Unleavened Bread, the building where the United Church of God congregation meets in Fulton, Missouri suffered a devastating fire. The congregation has met at the healthcare clinic owned and operated by an elder in the congregation, Dr. Brian Hoselton, since 2010.

The flames and smoke rising from the building were visible from Brian and Carole Hoselton’s home five miles away. It took 26 firefighters over three hours to put out the fire. The fire ravaged the entire 8,000 square foot clinic, which was declared a total loss. The official cause of the fire is undetermined.

Brian writes: “We are certainly feeling the heaviness of it all with no building and no job. But we are focusing on the future, as we attempt to rise from the ashes. We know God is with us and will not abandon us. And we are appreciative of our family, friends, and Church members who have reached out to lighten our burden and lift our spirits. Thank you for your continued prayers throughout the weeks and months ahead.”

Last year, the members of the Fulton congregation spent almost five months helping to remodel the building to create a bigger space for church services, and they had truly been enjoying the fruit of their labor after it was completed last November.

The Fulton congregation and the Hoseltons are raising funds to assist in rebuilding a new meeting hall where the congregation can meet once again. A short video showing before-and-after photos of the meeting hall is available here, and donations to their fundraiser may be made by visiting gofund.me/74af7458.

This Sabbath—GCE Sabbath Service Webcast

This Sabbath’s services from the General Conference of Elders weekend will be webcast live at 2 p.m. EDT. Go to ucg.org/webcast to connect.

Phone Instructions (for those without Internet access)

For those members who don’t have access to the Internet and want to listen live to the Sabbath service in Cincinnati on May 4 at 2 p.m. Eastern, these phone options are available:

Normal Calling Directions:

For those who can pay for long distance calls or have an unlimited phone calling plan.

Call: 508-924-1634

NO access code needed.

Toll Free Call Directions:

For those who have limited phone calling time or have to pay for long distance calling.

Call: 1-844-855-4444

When asked enter access code: 599110 followed by #

Please call as close to start of services (Eastern Time) as possible. If the host has not called to activate the meeting you will be put on hold, and then asked to call again later. (This is to prevent unnecessary phone charges for waiting time.)

Feast of Tabernacles Registration

Feast registration at feast.ucg.org is now open, and housing reservations may be made for all sites.