One of the first things Joe Tkach Sr. did when he was appointed by Herbert Armstrong was to reach out compassionately towards those outside the Church of God. For decades, HWA, Meredith, Waterhouse and others screamed and snarled at the evil world around us and how it was not our position to do anything for them. God was going to fix it all in the end so why waste tithe money on them when it could go towards remodeling evangelists homes or buying gold and silver for HWA!
Meredith has obviously been influenced by younger ministers/members who are tainted by the evil world around them. Someone saw a need and got Meredith to change his mind. While he is not necessarily giving money,, LCG members are now starting to volunteer in community groups to help those less fortunate. What is the Church of God coming to when it helps Habitat for Humanity? Who would have imagined 20 years ago that COG members would be volunteering for a Jimmy Carter upstart!
James Malm and Bob Thiel will be having fits now. When will they start helping in their community? When will Thiel start volunteering with the homeless in Arroyo Grande where there are 11 different shelters needed to take care of all the people?
Outreach—Exciting Upcoming ProjectsDr. Meredith has encouraged us that, while powerfully preaching the Gospel to the whole world remains the priority of God’s Church (Mark 1:14, Matthew 24:14, etc.), we must remember that Jesus Christ Himself also said that His faithful servants would “feed the hungry, help the stranger, clothe the naked, visit those in prison,” etc. and that when we serve those in need, we actually serve Him (Matthew 25:31-46). Following these biblical admonitions, as we have the time and resources, Living Church of God Outreach is active in “[doing] good to all” (Galatians 6:10) by engaging in community service work that especially helps those less fortunate, such as the widows and fatherless in their time of need (James 1:27) and also in assisting in local congregation service as desired by the local ministry. Our Church member volunteers have been a wonderful light in both the local community as well as with organizations that have national and international reach. These organizations include groups such as Habitat for Humanity, local hospitals and retirement homes, Goodwill, and others. Coming soon, we have another Habitat for Humanity critical home repair project planned and will also be working with Ronald McDonald House to prepare and serve a large dinner for parents and families of children who are hospitalized with serious medical conditions. To learn more, or for ideas about how you can get involved in local Outreach activities in your area, visit LCG.org and click on the “Outreach” menu item.—Wyatt Ciesielka, Outreach Coordinator LCG Weekly Update for May 3, 2014
Booby Thiel help the homeless in his community??????????? He might have to work with evil Catholics! Booby cant shut up about Catholicism lately.
ReplyDeleteThey must be reading our posts and see what jackasses they've been. Did we covert them LOLLL!
ReplyDeleteRonald McDonald House?
ReplyDeleteLCG members are serving pork products to the needy?
Dave Pack must be salivating over this one!
Oh boy. Can't wait to see Booby denounce this one!
ReplyDeleteAs Rod said, Ronald McDonald Houses are established near hospitals and provide food and lodging for the families of children undergoing medical care. They rely on volunteers to help with cooking and many churches send a team to prepare a meal once a month.
ReplyDeleteAt my local Ronald McDonald House, the church has a say in what foods they prepare so LCG members will not have to prepare unclean foods.
I find this to be a surprising and welcome development.
It is certainly a small step in the right direction. Their sabbath will probably limit about 50% of the opportunities, though.
ReplyDeleteWhenever you interact with others from different backgrounds on projects such as these, it promotes a certain amount of open mindedness and a sense of togetherness. It will be a marked departure from the normally cloistered nature of ACOG membership. One would certainly hope that the participants will have better sense than to immediately tell their fellow volunteers that Christmas and Easter are "pagan" or that the Germans are coming. I mention that, because it's what would have happened if this outreach had taken place in the 1960s, the golden age of Armstrongism.
This is evolutionary, if not revolutionary. I think we ought to praise what we can, and Uncle Roddy's efforts in this case are certainly praise worthy. No doubt about it, though, some will brand this as Laodiceanism, even though it is firmly rooted in the teachings of Jesus, and the New Covenant.
BB
Oh, now, don't get excited: It's a selfish move on the part of the Church Corporate -- get members to go out and do good works to be seen of men (the community) in the hopes that it will be an opportunity to preach the (false) gospel.
ReplyDeleteAs the group takes a break from pounding nails, the LCG member says to another volunteer, "Hi, I'm Jim from the Living Church of God -- you should drop by our church some Sabbath...."
As if they had the courage to do that....
We're still waiting for them to lift up their voices aloud and tell the people their sins -- how the bad and evil corporations are immoral and unethical, destroying the world and oppressing people.
Oh, wait, they need to pull the two by four out of their own eye first.
It is too late Rod Meredith to begin good works. Your life has been grounded in lies and deception.
ReplyDeleteSoon you will hear the words, "I never knew you" and you will be cast into inner darkness where you will weep and gnash your teeth.
God.
Well good on them at LCG for doing "Habitat For Humanity"
ReplyDeleteSure beats the old days when the building and serving philosophy was...
"Auditorium for Insanity"
Habitat for Humanity was wiped out last year in Granbury, Texas. Is God angry with them for some reason??
ReplyDeleteWas LCGO working with Habitat then. You have to wonder? LOLLL
Actually, I believe He's angry at the crooks running Hood County.
Just down the street from AC in Pasadena was the Green Hotel. At the time (early 70's) I believe it was a flop house for alcoholics, etc. I used to drink at a bar on Colorado Blvd called Vitale's and down and outers would come in for a beer. With people in need just down the street from AC I never heard anyone in leadership express any concern for them. It is good to see that LCG is softening their views in this area.
ReplyDeleteNo, 8:08, HWA used to brag about his urban renewal program. Across the railroad tracks from Imperial High was at one time a thriving African American neighborhood. There was a little corner home based food stand called "The Green Buck" that some of the gardeners used to go to during break, as it was the closest place where you could get a soda. Also, across the street from AC Press was a black Baptist church. When we pulled overtime Sundays at the Press, I used to stand outside during break and listen to the awesome gospel music they would sing, and I was alone in this, as my appreciation for that music would have been considered to be very subversive, indeed.
ReplyDeleteJust up the street, and across from the hotel in an old brick building was a little liquor store, also black owned. As an AC student, you could go to El Rancho and get your alcohol, but you had to go somewhere where none of the other students went to get cigars. The guy who owned the liquor store was good to us and kept our secrets. You also knew you wouldn't be seen by any of the AC students smoking your cigars up at Cheney Trail, or down in the Arroyo.
BB