UCG No Longer Considers Itself The Only True Church?

 

Craig White posted this on his email list the other day:

This is what Vic Kubik wrote on Facebook:

 

>On Thursday July 13, 2023 Aaron and Michelle Dean and Bev and I were invited to the Church of God Seventh Day Conference held in Covington, Kentucky this year. About 1000 people were in attendance. We had dinner with Loren Stacy, President of the Church of God Seventh Day and his wife Karen as well as elder Mike Wallace. It was a wonderful evening reminiscing about our “recent” relationship going back 30 years when first visiting the COG7 Headquarters in Denver, CO and further back to the days when Herbert Armstrong fellowshipped with them. It was good to talk about their work in training ministers and leaders in their ARTIOS Christian College with a well-developed training curriculum. We also talked about evangelism and working with Young Adults where they have been successful. COG7 has 200,000 members worldwide. Wonderful evening. At the evening worship service I met many people with whom we’ve had contact with over the years.<

 

Meanwhile, in Oregon the pastor posted this:

 

>Greetings everyone - our local congregation is hosting a COG Fellowship Picnic on August 6th, 2023. This picnic is open to all COG members. 

 

We've often quipped that "we only see one another at weddings and funerals..." and this event is specifically designed to take some meaningful steps to change that. 

 

Formal invitations have been sent out to all COG Groups within Western Oregon and Southwest Washington, and I am sharing via Facebook to hopefully catch anyone we may have missed. We completely understand if the distance or the timing doesn't work - but we wanted to make the effort. 

 

We hope you will consider attending as we would love to meet you.

 

Please RSVP to Sabrina Koester at the details on the flyer before July 30th - so that we can account for food. Burgers are provided, but please bring a side, dessert or drink to share. She will provide the address when you RSVP.

 

Looking forward to seeing you there.

 

This post is public and shareable.<

 

Similar events are planned in Spokane and California!

 

And there I was persecuted over the decades for organising conferences with other groups; visiting other groups; presenting at other groups; editing for them; and having articles published by them!

 

So, good to see this is happening. After all, UCG does not see itself as the only true church and never has. Those ministers and members promoting that UCG is the only true church or the right church, our out of line. See the attached.

 

- Craig

Will they invite Grace Communion International folk? What about former members who live in the area?

Craig also included the following in pdf form:

UCG does not consider itself the only true church

Assembled by C. M. White Version 3.0

Here are official UCG policy/statements on the subject.

In other words, members may freely visit other Church of God groups (including Feasts), befriend them and give presentations at their services. And that without penalty, harassment or stopping members from giving sermons/sermonettes/serving in UCG. Vindictiveness is not a Christian attribute.

=============================

The UCG constitution, section 1.2.1 states:

"As defined in the Holy Scriptures, the Church is the Body of Christ and is greater and more inclusive than any corporate or associated organization established by human beings."

==============================

Section 1.4 "United Church of God Ministers Speaking to Other Groups" (Pastor's Policy Manual):

"We do not claim that all Christians are among our fellowship, neither do we claim to be the only organization through which God may be working. UCGIA desires, therefore, to promote unity and cooperation and to share our beliefs and teachings within the broader Church of God community."

Section 1.5 is guidelines for members of other CoG groups speaking in UCG.

Section 1.10 is about how the UCG does not consider itself the only group that God is working through.

===========================

The UCG Australia’s Constitution Preamble basically mirrors the above:

“The United Church of God – Australia recognises its congregations are part of the broader community of believers called in Scripture “The Church of God”.

While in clause 3.2.3 it states that UCG-A has power

“to prescribe to, become a member of and co-operate with or amalgamate with any other company or organisation, whether incorporated or not, whos objects are similar to those of the company” (company = UCG-A)

This can only mean that the UCG-A can merge with other Church of God groups which, in accordance with the UCG,aia and the Preamble, are regarded as part of the Body of Christ.

========================

The below is from a contact of mine who knew Herbert W Armstrong. Raymond McNair and others related similarly over the years re HWA agreeing or stating that there were indeed Christians in other groups.

“About 1970 after church services I walked up to Mr HWA and asked him if there were "true Christians in [the Church of God, seventh day]." He looked at me and without hesitation or second thoughts replied affirmatively that there are. It was as if: of course there ARE, and why would you even ask.” (5 April 2021)

Note how the UCG and its President cooperating like this:

https://www.churchofgodnetwork.org/congregation-map-updated-with-specific-ucg-locations/

Why? Because we do not believe that we are the only true Church and never have. Some do, contrary to UCG teaching and belief.

However some still talk in terms of UCG as "God's Church" and while it is, their connotation is that it is the only true Church. Such a shame.

The only way we can have the right ‘checks ‘n balances’ and know exactly what the UCG teaches is for the Pastoral Manual to be online. Otherwise certain ones ignore these policies and not let us know what we really teach. Like the old WCG, certain pastors were 10x stricter than policy as we found out from other pastors or when we were able to find out the truth (eg a phone call I made to Dr Hoeh’s office in the 1980s about something). Certain pastors just don’t want us to know and what to keep us in the dark as part of their control mechanism.

As some may be aware,

at the Land Between the Lakes site hosted by CGI & CEM in western

Kentucky the UCG, for the 4th year, had someone go there [2019] from UCG to build bridges

with those organisations. Apparently, Chris Rowland from MMS went there several years ago

and Aaron Dean went one year for a little while. Kevin and Rachel Kenady have gone there for 3

years in a row. This is in addition to UCG cooperation at other sites or visits to other church of

God groups by members. The UCG has never been opposed to visiting other groups and those

trying to implement such a policy and claim that members are not in good standing because

they do, are not functioning as a UCG employee.

======================

Notice what the Intercontinental Church of God’s Constitution and Bylaws states: >ARTICLE VIII

RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CHURCHES, FELLOWSHIP GROUPS, OR CORPORATE BODIES: The INTERCONTINENTAL CHURCH OF GOD is an "open arms, open door" church. Therefore, it welcomes cooperation with any other church body, insofar as such body desires. The ministry of the church shall not prohibit members of the church from attending church services with any other church, Bible study or fellowship group. However, the church will not allow guest speakers from any other churches who espouse doctrines or concepts not held by the ICG, or who engage in proselyting on behalf of any other groups. The ICG specifically welcomes the ministry and membership who are Sabbath-keepers, and who recognize their need to attend the annual Holy Days of the church, including the "Feast of Tabernacles" in the Autumn.

The INTERCONTINENTAL CHURCH OF GOD welcomes close cooperation with any independently-incorporated church groups, and does not regard an independently incorporated local church as estranged, or in competition. The ICG will not seek to bring any independently-cooperating church under its corporate documents, or under its organization or church structure. As an "open arms, open door" church, the ICG hopes that any such independently-incorporated local church will freely fellowship with the ministry and membership of the ICG; that its ministers will be invited to participate in any conferences of the ministry of the ICG; that its ministers will be invited to participate in the speaking schedule at the annual Holy Days of the church, and that its members will be welcome at any regular Sabbath service or annual Holy Day of the ICG.<

http://www.intercontinentalcog.org/constitution.php#ARTICLE_VIII