From an LCG source:
It looks like our new dynamic leader is not the big draw he thought he would be in Manhatteen. Could part of the reason be is that he paired up with Jonathan McNair? Two uber-legalistic gestapo agents in the same room is not appealing to anyone, including LCG members who did not turn out to support this appearance.
Typical of a lacklustre ministry, they blamed the low turnout on something else other than their boring personalities and topic. It was those damn bikes in the city again!!!
You will notice that Weston does not list how many attended either session. This is partly because this blog made fun of their last few failures. You continue to be a thorn in their privileged backsides.
With Mr Meredith days from dying, Weston is trying to make a name for himself and ends up failing every single time. Members are waiting for Mr Meredith to die and when that happens you can expect people to start jumping ship into other COG's.
Last weekend Jonathan McNair and I gave a Tomorrow’s World Presentation in Manhattan, New York. The attendance was short of what we expected as there was a bike tour going on that cut off easy access to the hotel for many, including some members. Nevertheless, the afternoon session, which we billed to be for those who wanted to get further involved in this Work, went very well and we believe some will do exactly that. Mr. Rod McNair recorded a Tomorrow’s World telecast titled, “Hope for the Next Generation.” We are preparing for Living University graduation and Council of Elders meetings this coming week. Mr. Lambert Greer, Mideast United States Regional Director, is scheduled to give the sermon in Charlotte this week. Dr. Meredith continues to grow weaker and your prayers for him and for his family are appreciated at this trying time. Please remember to pray for God’s guidance upon the Council meetings coming up and for His protection for all those traveling for them.—Gerald Weston
13 comments:
New York has always been a tough COG market. Historically, the rural Bible Belt has been the best stomping grounds for the COG.
Weston wrote:
The attendance was short of what we expected as there was a bike tour going on that cut off easy access to the hotel for many, including some members.
Some LCG members wouldn't come unless access was "easy"? Is Weston calling these members Laodiceans?
Nobody knows who any COG is anymore. Most of their programs are on TV at obscure times, and seriously, there is much more interesting things going on in Manhattan than listening to these two clowns.
This is just the latest chapter of the continued decline of Armstrongism. Armstrong was the essential and main draw of Armstrongism. Armstrongism without Armstrong is like a steak dinner without steak. Armstrongism without Armstrong is just another "ism".
So this was for members? They were playing to the home team? My question would be, if this is the level of enthusiasm you get from the membership, how can you expect anything better from the general public?
And speaking of the non-LCG public, or the non any other of the major ACOG acronyms, the reason why the GTA "America Listen" campaigns were more successful was that Garner Ted Armstrong was internationally known, so he became the draw. If you don't have a national name draw, then you need name recognition of the group that is putting the series on. LCG has neither. If you asked the man on the street who Jerry Weston was, probably most would think he was a retired basketball player.
These people are finding out in greater detail what the fact that none of them has been able to work peacefully amongst themselves starting in 1995 means in terms of being able to mount any sort of noticeable message today. It matters not who might have been right or wrong. Key compromises back then would have preserved the ability to be a more powerful draw. It isn't only Bob Thiel who isn't taken seriously for his stature in ministry. It's all of them. Even Gerald "I have a jet" Flurry. Bob is just hypersensitive because of the head trip Meredith laid on him!
I will make one observation. LCG is the only group from all of the ACOGs that has attracted major national attention over the past twenty years. Too bad it was for the Terry Ratzmann episode!
BB
The purveyors of religion are just as destructive as the purveyors of godless secularism. Planet earth is screwed (except for the rocks).
With the average age of church members being in their seventies, shouldn't the church be expected to be 'laodicean?' At least when it comes to physically supporting such events.
My prayers support such programs. Even if the attendance is Mickey Mouseish, the opportunity was given. Their blood be on their own heads.
BB,
I was at the America Listen campaign in Nashville, and remember that they had made preparations to have a second show if the crowd was too large. But as I remember the Municipal Auditorium was half full or less. I don't remember the numbers, but maybe 2.5K people.
"From an LCG Source"? You make it sound like some LCG "mole" or disgruntled "insider" gave you the information. LOL. The "LCG Source" is a free and open to the Public access link at their Members Website. Here it is for anyone with Internet access to read:
https://www.cogl.org/cgi-bin/cogl/weeklyupdates/cogl-wkupdates.cgi?action=showwkupdate
You're welcome.
So, still underwhelming attendance. But 2.5 K then beats the living daylights out of 10 or 25 now. In fact, that 2.5 K in Nashville would be more than the total number of people in some of the spinters, and 1/3 to 1/4 of the entire membership of the larger ones. I never attended in Nashville, but I doubt that even in its heyday there were more than 500-1,000 WCG members attending regular sabbath services.
These are not the good old days for ACOG evangelistic campaigns.
BB
Did GTA manage to track down any trim while in Nashville?
One would think that before scheduling one of their TWP's that someone would check a community calendar to see if anything else was scheduled for that date. Just a thought for next time.
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