Monday, March 23, 2020

Gerald Weston Finally Reacts: Church Wide Fast Called, All Church Services, Passover and NTBMO Services Cancelled, To Be Held In Homes Instead


After two weeks of being stung by allegations of inaction and countless questions by church members., Gerald Weston finally makes some decisions.  All Living Church of God services are now canceled and members are to either watch sermons online or live stream them if their local pastor does so.

As usual, he starts his missive off with making church members feel unqualified to do anything right:
The pace with which the COVID-19 crisis is evolving keeps all of us on our toes as decisions and changes need to be made constantly. Transitioning to Sabbath services by means of electronic transmission is not entirely new to the Church, but the scope of the task creates challenges for us. Many members lack basic knowledge of how to connect to a livestream and ministers may lack the knowledge of how to help those less technologically astute. This is where we will need patience, as members may experience difficulties in some areas. However, there is no need to panic, as we will all get through this.
Stung by the questions by LCG members and others about his inaction during this pandemic, Weston blames people for speculating and making pronouncements about his inaction.
One challenge that we face is avoiding rumors. We have already heard a number of speculations and pronouncements floating about. They often begin with a grain of truth, perhaps something that was considered and/or discussed, but get passed along as though a decision has been made. This is how truths turn into “half-truths” and total errors. These do not benefit anyone, so please be patient. We will record a message updating everyone on developments in the Church during this COVID-19 crisis, and post it on the LCG website at the end of each week. These messages will be approximately 15 minutes in length. And, we may post additional messages as needed.
All LCG members are required to fast this coming Saturday.
Due to the serious nature of the current crisis, I am calling for a Church-wide fast for the Sabbath of March 28. We will livestream the service from Charlotte and it will be recorded for those unable to log in live. Time of services will be 1:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Savings Time).—Gerald Weston
Next, he lays out some guidelines:
...all LCG Sabbath and Holy Day services will be conducted online, not in person, during the current crisis. We don’t know how long this will last, but it appears it will be with us for a number of weeks. Pastors will be working out details on how to conduct these remote services and how brethren can access them in their own homes. If you have any questions about arrangements being made in your local area, please contact your pastor. 
...Pastors will also be working on arrangements so that brethren can keep the Passover in their own home, with baptized household members. Two options are available: (1) Pastors who are set up with livestreaming and/or phone hookups may conduct the Passover online with brethren in their area; and, (2) Pastors who are not yet set up with livestreaming or phone hookup may opt to have brethren in their area use the recorded Passover DVD, conducted by Mr. Ken Frank. Instructions are being distributed on how to self-administer the Passover.  
...Mr. Weston also explained in his meeting with the ministry that the Night to Be Observed should also be kept in our own homes, with members of our own household. The goal is, again, to limit physical contact with others outside our household, as government and health officials have strongly advised. Brethren are encouraged to, during the evening, call other brethren on the phone or through the Internet, with programs such as Skype, to fellowship electronically, but not to meet in person. 
...Mr. Weston encouraged the ministry in meetings this week to encourage brethren to take care of one another during this crisis. Phoning each other, assisting with ordering groceries (for delivery—many stores offer this) for those who cannot get out, checking on elderly members, and other acts of kindness are ways to show love in a time when some can suffer from great anxiety and loneliness. Now is the time to show we care, when others need it most. 
With all members now required to keep Passover in their homes, Weston laid down the law on what kind of wine and unleavened bread to buy.  God forbid if anyone used their own brain and bought anything outside his recommendations!
Wine: Members should obtain a small amount of red wine (grape juice is not acceptable). This should be done soon, in case grocery or liquor stores in your area unexpectedly close. Be sure you obtain natural, unfortified wine. Alcoholic content will be between 10–13 percent, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, or any other natural wine. Wines containing 19–20 percent alcohol are fortified and should not be used (the label will tell you the percentage of alcohol). 
Unleavened Bread: Members can purchase or prepare a small amount of unleavened bread. If you intend to purchase Matzos or Ry-Krisp (which is unleavened), you are encouraged to purchase it soon, in case your neighborhood grocery stores close unexpectedly or are out of stock. You may also make your own unleavened bread. 
Weston also has warned his followers that they should abandon their plans for the Feast of Tabernacles and stay locally. The church will eventually end up telling people where to attend instead of allowing them to go where they want if it is even possible at that point in the year.
Care Regarding International Travel for the Feast—Repeat Announcement
COVID-19, the coronavirus, has now been declared a global pandemic. One of its greatest dangers is that it is highly contagious, and the general population has no immunity to it. It is a killer to a small percentage of those who contract it, and about a fifth of those who contract it become seriously ill. The rest may have mild, flu-like symptoms, but still spread the illness as they continue to go about their normal activities instead of seeking medical assistance or quarantining themselves. Therefore, this is something to take seriously and, as we know, it is causing disruptions all over the world. We cannot predict what conditions will be like seven or eight months from now for the Feast of Tabernacles. We will keep the Feast, but we may need to cancel or limit travel to some sites. Governments, at any time, may ban group gatherings where they deem necessary. Therefore, please do not make reservations or final travel plans until we see how this is going to shake out. You may even want to consider attending your locally assigned site this year rather than traveling halfway around the world by air. As the scripture counsels us, we should take precautions when we see trouble on the horizon (Proverbs 22:3). 





25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Members may not realize just how expensive it is to rent halls for services every Saturday and for occasional holy day services through the week. The money LCG saves by not renting halls will probably make up for any drop in tithes and offerings.

When the COVID-19 lockdown ends, watch for LCG to encourage brethren to meet in small groups in member homes to watch a live-streamed service. Weston did a lot of this when he was in charge in Canada, so he'll be comfortable saving money this way in the U.S.A.

Anonymous said...

No balls, too late.

How many of us members are already infected and have spread it around because he failed to react earlier and let us meet in services? What about the ministers who traveled to Charlotte to attend this meeting? Will they be bringing back to our congregations the virus?

Anonymous said...

These ACOGs must be fearful that their members might learn how to be "independent Christians." Why keep coming to services if one can be fine, if not spiritually better by staying home? And the freedom of not having ministers poking around in one's life.

Anonymous said...

We left LCG recently and fellowship with "independent" Christians. It is such a relief not to be under the endless stress anymore. We don't miss LCG at all.

DennisCDiehl said...

You would think a Jewish Christian sect, such as the Churches of God and in this case The Living Church of God would find relief in taking the Second Passover, termed Pesach Sheni
Second Passover, one month after Passover.

Pesach Sheni begins at sundown on Thu, 07 May 2020.

I would think the present day distress with dis-ease could be tweaked to qualify for everyone taking the Second Passover and just skipping this years first go at it. It would be a cool experience for them all. It would allow for some time for the situation to clarify, It would possible allow things to return to a normal PO experience as a whole church and it would allow for collection of $ in a group setting which is far more profitable than on one's own scattered. They could do it all in one day and avoid all the UB stuff including same old same old sermons one has heard 50 times before. See! It's all good.

"Eligibility

As described in Numbers 9:9–13, a Jew may bring the Korban Pesach on Pesach Sheni if s/he was ritually impure due to contact with a dead body or was on a "distant journey". As elucidated in Mishnah Pesahim (9:1–4)[5] and its Gemara:[6]

The definition of "distant journey" for this purpose is generally construed liberally.
All types of ritual impurity are generally included, not only those due to contact with a human body.

In net effect, anyone unavoidably prevented from offering the Korban Pesach on Passover may do so on Pesach Sheni. However one may not intentionally defer the Korban Pesach if it is in his/her power to offer it on Passover.

Observance in modern times

Due to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, Jews are unable to perform the Passover sacrifice, neither on Passover nor on Pesach Sheni. Some have the custom to eat matzo during Pesach Sheni in memory of the sacrifice.[8] Others say that the reason for eating Matzo is because the 14th of Iyar was the day that the Matzo that was taken out of Egypt was finished.[9] Some have the custom to omit Tahanun from the daily prayer service,[10] though this custom is not observed universally.[11]

They need to listen to me on this... Gerald can be a hero for a change and all the messing around they are having to do avoided nicely. I can see him having a bit of a problem taking my advice however.

Anonymous said...

So they are already going to abandon the FOT for the year? Looks like the 'Stay at home Church of God' is in the making. Save money on feast sites but still collect tithes and offerings. This corono virus might be a financial bonanza for the acog's.

Anonymous said...

With my above comment I see there already is a 'Internet Church of God'

Remarkable. Remarkably funny actually.

Anonymous said...

If you stay at home for the feast be sure to send in your excess second tithe!

Hoss said...

'Stay at home Church of God'

Having lived in a Jewish community, I found the FOT was held in the local synagogues. There was at least one sukkot which people could sit in, and some had one in their home. Since tithing is Levitical and on produce of Israel, there was not excess second tithe, let alone first, second and third - everything was by freewill offering, although you had to pay Synagogue membership fees to guarantee a seat. And you went home at night...

Lake of Fire Church of God said...

Dennis said, "You would think a Jewish Christian sect, such as the Churches of God and in this case The Living Church of God would find relief in taking the Second Passover, termed Pesach Sheni
Second Passover, one month after Passover."

MY COMMENT - That is right! I forgot all about that missing Radio/Worldwide Church of God practice. I remember Mr. Westby use to announce it in my Washington D.C. WCG congregation each year when the second Passover was for those who missed the official Passover for whatever reason.

Laughable to me that Dennis Diehl of all people is restoring biblical truth to the Church of God. Keep it up, Dennis, as you only have 17 more to go until you have reached same level as HWA with his 18 restored truths.

Richard

P.S. Dennis, you should send LCG a bill for your Biblical Consulting Services rendered here!

Anonymous said...

They could save themselves a lot of bother by reading Col.2:16 where Paul says Don't keep these old shadows, but the substance is Christ!

Anonymous said...

shadows, but the substance

Not Rod Serling, "shadow and substance", but Platonic interpretation. In Greek thought, substance is better than shadow, in Hebraic thought, shadow pictures substance. The Greek word used in the quotation can be translated "but" or "and".

Anonymous said...

How many anon posts here are from the same person.

Anonymous said...

10:54pm maybe you should re-read Col. 2:16 it says nothing of the sort.

Miller Jones/Lonnie C Hendrix said...

Some thoughts about what pastors and their flocks should be doing during the pandemic:
https://godcannotbecontained.blogspot.com/2020/03/god-coronavirus-faith-and-courage.html

Anonymous said...

I have always been puzzled by this "send in your excess second tithe" thing. Can't find any biblical instruction to do so.

The only verses I've seen used to justify it are about the levites tithing on their income, which was the tithe of the people. Nothing about the people giving leftover second tithe funds to the levites. Maybe I simply missed something.

Anonymous said...

Today's scripture reading: (a place where Armstrongites never go)


Colossians 2:16-17 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

"16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath. 17 These are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ."

Anonymous said...

The Theodicy (the relationship of God to evil) of Armstrongism leads naturally to inaction. Going against the grain of the posts on this topic, I believe this inaction may not be motivated by confusion or incompetence or pre-occupation with fund raising. It may be an honest attempt at faithful behavior within the boundaries of Armstrongist Theodicy.

Mark Armstrong recently wrote: "Those trusting in God are not given to fear. That’s our story, and we’re sticking to it." This statement fits logically with Armstrongist Theodicy. If you are or were and Armstrongist, you know their Theodicy. It goes like this: If you keep the commandments and are righteous God will protect you from evil. "All he does prospers well, but the wicked are not so."

In the context of the Armstrongist Theodicy, if you are concerned or fearful in the face of danger, you are judged to be unrighteous and faithless. Being circumspect and proactive is looking to your own capabilities and not to God. Hence, there is in this model a compelling inclination to inaction.

No doubt when Armstrongists read this discussion, they just tell themselves that the contributors to the blog have lost their way and do not know what Godly faith is. In doing this, they neatly circumvent the process of maturity they need to engage.

This Theodicy does not reflect reality for the Armstrongist groups nor anyone else and it is high time that it is reviewed and replaced. David Bentley Hart's book would be a good place to start. It is titled "The Doors of the Sea: Where Was God in the Tsunami?"

Gordon Feil said...

He let you meet, did he? You also let yourselves meet.

Anonymous said...

7:16 Levites did not tithe on their income. Ten percent of the tithe given to the sons of Levi was given to the sons of Aaron who were also sons of Levi.

Anonymous said...

7:27am Are you serious? Col. 2:16,17, Gal. 4:10, Rom. 14 etc. etc. etc. is where I spend most of my time. They don't say what you claim they say. Just because when you were in the WCG you didn't go to those scriptures doesn't mean others haven't.

You were duped by the TKachs. Sad, very sad!

Anonymous said...

@ 7:27 AM, just try walking in sunlight without casting a shadow. Your shadow never goes away unless you are in darkness.

Anonymous said...

NEO
I've been reading Protestant books and watching their TV programs for many years, and they all teach degrees of inaction. It's partiality to evil, or if you put lipstick on the pig, they call it social justice. So HWA stole this, and many other ideas from other churches. He counted on cultural camouflage to hide such lies. Hence his "God will fight your battles for you" in his Holy day booklet has credibility since all the other denominations teach the same distortion. They hide that self defence is a personal responsibility and the example of Christs assertive behavior. Forget about His overthrowing the tables of the money changers. Interesting how the 'den of thieves' label holds up well in today's stock market and investment industry.

Anonymous said...

So am I an Armstrongist or not? I've been arguing for action on this blog since the start of this crisis. I don't believe that God is obligated to protect a christian from anything.

km

Anonymous said...

km
Correct. King David frequently asked for God's deliverance and protection, but God always has the right to say no, as He does to any request.