United News Weekly
Updates from the home office and around the world.
The Wave-Sheaf Offering: A Ceremony Foreshadowing Salvation
In ancient Israel, the beginning of the spring grain harvest was marked with an unusual ceremony—the waving of the first sheaf of grain to be accepted by God. This simple act holds great spiritual significance!
The agricultural cycle of ancient Israel revolved around two harvests, one in the spring and the other in the autumn. Before any grain could be harvested in the spring, an unusual ceremony took place to inaugurate the spring harvest season.
This ceremony was the waving of the first sheaf of grain to be accepted by God. Instructions for this ceremony are detailed in Leviticus 23:10-14. No one was to eat any of the grain of the harvest until the first sheaf of the harvest was brought to the priest, who in turn waved it before God. What was the significance of this ceremony?
Jesus Christ, “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep”
This first sheaf of grain was called the “firstfruits” (Leviticus 23:10). It was the firstfruits of the barley harvest, the first part of the grain harvest. Thousands of years later, we find the same term used again in the Bible—describing Jesus Christ! “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20, author’s emphasis throughout).
We also find that Jesus Christ is called “the firstborn over all creation” and “the firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:15-18). The apostle Paul said that Christ was prophesied to be “the first to rise from the dead” (Acts 26:23).
What is the connection between the first grain offering, called the firstfruits, and Jesus Christ, the firstfruits and firstborn from the dead?
This understanding is tied in with the symbolism of the two harvests mentioned earlier and the Feast of Pentecost, observed at the conclusion of 50 days that began with the day of the wave-sheaf offering. On Pentecost, two loaves were offered from the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, which followed several weeks after the barley harvest.
In this week’s featured article, let’s explore the meaning of the wave-sheaf offering and how it leads us to the next Holy Day in God’s annual plan.
New Faces at the Home Office
Emma Cortelyou—Staff Writer
I lived in Western Illinois until I was seven, when my dad got hired into the ministry, and we moved to Indiana. I moved back to my hometown in Illinois for college in August 2021. I live on the family farm surrounded by cornfields, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
I went to Western Illinois University from August 2021 to December 2026. Both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees are in English. I worked in my university's writing center all four years, helping students develop and hone their writing.
My favorite things to do are listen to music, cook, and clean—often all at the same time!
As a staff writer, I work with multiple teams to help develop new content as well as proofread and refresh older content.
I’ve enjoyed the variety of content I get to work on—from United Young Adult articles to Beyond Today scripts, there’s no shortage of content waiting to be written!
Ministerial and Member Services
Ordination of Randy McQuien
We’re happy to announce that on Saturday, March 28, 2026, Randy McQuien was ordained into the ministry. He and his wife, Charlotte, serve the congregation in Tampa, Florida.
Ordination of Glenn Radebaugh
We’re happy to announce that on Saturday, March 28, 2026, Glenn Radebaugh was ordained into the ministry. He and his wife, Annie, serve the congregation in Central, Illinois.
Service Opportunities
Potential Asian Good Works Opportunity
Would you like to let your light shine, build your resume, prepare for potential future Church leadership roles, serve the youth of Thailand, and have an in-depth, 5-month cultural experience? Then this opportunity is for you. We are looking for two United Church of God young adults who are energetic, positive, adaptive, hard-working, enthusiastic, and love to let their light shine!
Specifics: You will teach English at Chulalongkorn University Demonstration School in Bangkok, Thailand for five months. You will be co-teaching 15-17 hours of classes per week to 7th-12th grade students. Experience teaching not required, but preferred. The English staff you will work with are all well-educated, yet none have a natural accent. So, you will be teaching reading, pronunciation, public speaking, phonetics and similar subjects where your natural accent can be heard.
Why Should You Consider?
- Experience for your resume, whether or not you are pursuing a teaching career.
- Great opportunity to lead your life as a witness to others.
- Opportunity to serve and build relationships with teachers and students.
- You will have an influence on the future leaders of Thailand.
- Being in a school setting, you will gain a deep understanding of the history and culture of Thailand and SE Asia.
- You are the next generation of Church leadership. Your in-depth cultural experience will help influence and guide God’s work in Asia.
- You will learn about teaching—something we are all called to do in the future.
Background: Satit Chula is a K-12 grade school on the campus of Chulalongkorn University, which is the oldest and largest university in Thailand, located in the center of Bangkok. The school is under the Faculty of Education. Satit Chula maintains a full-time teaching staff for approximately 2,200 students. The Foreign Language department has around 25-30 teachers teaching something like 8 languages. The school is highly sought after by leaders in business, government, military, education and other fields as a place to send their children.
When: Second semester (November 2026 to March 2027).
Provided: Housing near campus, food allowance, help with visas and other.
Requirements: Young, baptized members of the Church with a four-year degree required. ABC graduate desired. A Bachelor’s degree in Education, TESOL, ELT, Linguistics or related field desired, but not required. Spiritually strong and grounded in God’s truth. Must love working hard, learning, helping others and be willing to live God’s way as an example.
More information: If interested please send an email to Lena VanAusdle: lena_vanausdle@UCG.org. We will schedule a Zoom call to discuss more details and answer questions.
Feast of Tabernacles
United States Feast Sites
The full list of United States Feast sites has been posted:
- Aransas Pass, Texas
- Branson, Missouri
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Daytona Beach, Florida
- Glacier Country, Montana
- Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
- Lake Junaluska, North Carolina
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Morehead City, North Carolina
- Panama City Beach, Florida
- Redmond, Oregon
- Sturgis, South Dakota
- Temecula, California
- Walnut Creek, Ohio
Most sites have descriptions and housing information posted; otherwise, these details will be posted as they become available.
Early registration opens on April 19 at 12 p.m. EDT for those who must attend their closest site. General registration opens on April 26 at 12 p.m. EDT.
