Melvin Rhodes: The Age of Ignorance?

 

The Age of Ignorance?

Mel Rhodes has posted a piece that appears to be a rebuttal to my post "Faith of Our Fathers: A Racist Legacy." His post, "The Age of Ignorance," opens with a tribute to Handel's The Messiah (with which I have no problem). He wrote: "Today, we live in what can best be described as the age of ignorance.

Whatever the issues of the day, Black Lives Matter, slavery, and abortion, to name but three, a great deal of ignorance abounds. Gone is the grounding people once had in the Christian scriptures. Now, people spout their opinions, whatever they may be, exposing their ignorance on all topics.

The secularists may still appreciate the Hallelujah Chorus, for the inspiring music, but gone is the faith of their ancestors. It has been replaced solely by ignorance."

My first date with the mother of my children was on the occasion of a performance of The Messiah at the Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Then, as now, I felt inspired and appreciated the allusion to the fulfillment of God's plan for humankind as outlined in the Judeo-Christian Bible. Hence, my admiration for this composition could never be described as being secular in nature.

And, although the first two Hanoverian kings of Britain recognized Handel's talent, neither of them could fairly be characterized as "Christian" kings - unless we are using that term in the generic sense - as in, Donald Trump is a "Christian" president. George I was an adulterer who imprisoned his wife for seeking solace in the arms of another and had several children with his mistress.

Likewise, George II had several mistresses and was estranged from his father and heir (the Prince of Wales) for many years. Both George's were crude, vindictive men who spoke little English and used the British throne to further the interests of their principality in Germany (NCK objected to my characterization of it as a minor principality in the previous version of this post). Moreover, as far as the "Divine Right of Kings" is concerned, the only reason the Hanoverians ascended the British throne was that Parliament had barred the legitimate heir to the throne from the succession because he was a Roman Catholic!

In fact, the quotation from Dr. Roy Atwood is a perfect example of the kind of sentimental/nostalgic/fairytale history that I referenced in my post. For those who are interested in correcting the errors of their forefathers, the solution is relatively simple. It only requires a little intellectual curiosity, an open mind, a desire to be a better person and faith in God's ability to transform and forgive.

See Mr. Rhodes' post here

Lonnie Hendrix

Another UCG Backlash In The Works?

click picture to super enlarge

As everyone knows United Church of God suffered a major rupture and departure of thousands of members last year at this time. Somewhere between a third and to one half of  the ministry also resigned.  This left UCG with a huge drop in income, a church HQ that was understaffed and a field ministry that was pushed to the extremes.

Through all of this you would think the UCG leadership would have been cutting back, looking for any way possible to save money and going on a severe austerity program till income picked back up and membership increased.  Did they?  I think we all know the answer to that one.  It is NO!  The UCG administration went skipping along as if nothing had ever happened.

Families were ripped apart, friendships destroyed, confidences broken and lives ripped to shreds.  "But not to worry, they (COGWA was wrong and we are right!  God is on our side.  We need to move on to bigger and better things.  God says to leave the chaff behind and to shake the dirt off our shoes and that is what we as the UCG are going to do!"

Yesterday it was announced church wide that UCG is starting an expansion program at the Cincinnati HQ.

Income is down, members lives are ripped apart and the Big Boys want more toys.


Melvin Rhodes and Dennis Luker wrote this to the ordained elite:

There is a real need for a larger production area for our media department—particularly for our Web team and video and television production area—including a larger video recording facility. If you have visited Cincinnati and seen our very small recording studio, you will understand how cramped it is and how it affects the overall productivity of our media team. To be more effective, productive and efficient, we need to expand these areas.

A larger, better-equipped, multi-purposed media center would allow us to take advantage of the rapidly changing developments in Internet and broadcast media. A new recording area with multiple sets is envisioned. Included in the proposal is more of a "sound stage" area that could be adapted to handle all kinds of recording needs, temporary sets and future opportunities. The new media center would be one of the largest single areas at the office—reflecting our desire to preach the gospel even more effectively.

 In order to do this they now want members to send in more money. Rhodes and Luker asked these questions:

We want and need your advice and input. Please let us know by the end of January on the below website comment form how you feel about these plans. In addition, we would appreciate your feedback on funding this possible expansion and on the following questions:

·  Would your congregation support this expansion proposal?
·  Could your congregation donate monies from local accounts to help?
·  What are your thoughts on establishing a dedicated building fund?
·  How acceptable would it be to finance a portion of this proposal?

Apostle Malm is reporting that when this was announced in Garden Grove UCG there were a LOT of unhappy people.  They were disgusted that UCG would be doing such an expansion in these economic times and right after the upheaval the chruch is still recovering from.

Like I said before, the Big Boys want more toys and here is what they want:

After years of discord, United is now growing in the unity and stature of Jesus Christ (Ephesians:4:13) and we must preserve this. We are now at a point where we can preach the gospel by leveraging all the tools in our hands without hindrance. But before we consider expanding our media production facilities, we must know the thoughts of the ministry and members.

Expanding the home office at this time would fill important needs for the future. Equally as important, the proposal presented by the administration to the Council of Elders in December ensures that space requirements for the next decade and the foreseeable future would be provided "under one roof" without any need to relocate.

Apart from the media area, the proposal envisages remodeling the Ambassador Bible Center so that our ability to impart in-depth biblical truth to ABC participants is enhanced. An increase in the ABC area would also enable the simultaneous training of the next generation of ministers, instead of at separate times during the year, as happens now.

Remodeling the Ambassador Bible Center would provide the opportunity to have a larger auditorium to serve the purposes of the present auditorium, and also allow taping of Beyond Today specials. It could even be a home-office-based Feast of Tabernacles site if needed in the future.

Considering the many uses the building expansion would allow, the cost is not expected to be excessive. It is not a new building or relocation; it is an expansion of the current building in the same location. It would lay a foundation to meet the growth we hope for in the foreseeable future. Rough cost estimates are in the range from $2,000,000 to $2,500,000. More detailed work is being done to secure a more accurate construction bid for us. We would hope to pay cash for the bulk of the construction and finance as little as possible.

To help everyone understand what is being proposed, we have created this page. It includes initial space plans and diagrams, a link to the video of the administrations report to the Council in December about this, and a box for you and our members to give their comments and feedback. In order to properly understand the space plan diagram, it will be important to view them in conjunction with the video explanation from the Council meeting

If the UCG leadership want this building then I suggest that THEY be the first to take a 50% pay cut in their salaries.  Let Luker, Rhodes, Webber and others give 50% of their income as an example.  Even at 50% these men would still be making over $50,000.00 a year!   Do they realize how many unemployed and underemployed people there are in their church that would LOVE to have this kind of money?

Apostle Malm had this to say about UCG leadership salaries:

CoE  SALARIES
UCG elders receive a minimum salary based on years of service, then then get additional amounts for other added responsibilities such as  Camp Coordinators, Feast Coordinators etc.

Regional Pastors get more, as do administrative officials [president, treasurer etc] and  members of the CoE and the Chairman; who is the real head of UCG [the president being merely and administrative assistant to the CoE].

CoE salaries are in the $120,000 range although this is just the base minimum salary and other possibilities for income are available to them.  Added to this income is a generous expense account.

110,000 plus per year  plus a 9% bonus and a generous expense account with tax deductible housing and utilities makes for a VERY good life for men called to SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE FLOCK.

And then they beg the brethren to sacrifice!  Remember the words of Jesus Christ:  Mat 23:4  For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
 
These men should be tithing fully and sacrificing and doing whatever they ask the flock to do.
How many of you get to deduct housing and utilities from your taxable income?  Factor that into the remuneration mix.

Given UCG's past track record on misguided property deals (Texas) you would think they would stop and listen to people.  They claim they will, but ultimately they will not.  The Big Boys want their toys and they will prevail.  The members will be asked to sacrifice and dig deep.  Homes and businesses will be mortgaged to help pay for this "final push."

When will the people ever wake up to the con game?

Harold Rhodes Forced Into Retirement Because UCG Had A Dramatic Drop In Income?

Was it really a money issue or they were ticked off at his stance for questioning them?  COG has  knack for wrecking people's lives with they are in their sickbed's!

Dear Brethren,

Thursday evening, December 30, 2010, I resigned from the corporate body of the United Church of God, an International Association.  In no way am I resigning as a minister of Jesus Christ.  I have been a faithful minister of Christ for over 41 years – following and supporting the human leaders of the Church, as they followed Christ’s example; (I Cor. 11:1).

Examples of my conflict with promising unquestioning loyalty to the administration is laid out in the three documents, What Really Happened in Latin America?, What Are The Real Issues? and What Were The Real Efforts to Seek Reconciliation? (available upon request).

As a shepherd, my responsibility first and foremost, is to feed and protect the flock of God.  If I remain silent about tainted food and fouled water being distributed to the sheep of God, in order to promote peace and harmony in God’s congregations that I pastor, I prove myself to be a hireling and only interested in peace among men (Ezek. 34).  Truth sometimes brings conflict.  Despite the uproar caused by Christ when He spoke the truth, true disciples had peace with God.  

I want to share with you an interesting quote by Dr. Roger W. Sapp.  Dr. Sapp was an Army chaplain who taught leadership skills to commissioned and non-commissioned officers.  In one of his writings titled – Honoring the Truth-Teller – he states the following: “… Often in an organization, whether it is a local church, a business, a denomination, or a fellowship of churches, loyalty becomes the overriding value and begins to overcome truthfulness.  This is often revealed in private words, actions and attitudes rather than the official position of the organization.  The leaders of an organization may say that they value truthfulness but reveal in their actions that this is not really so.”

The apostle Paul chose truth over harmony when writing to the Corinthians about immoral behavior.  He incited godly disharmony when he later corrected them for accepting and putting up with a different spirit, those whom he defined as deceitful workers.  A member of the Council and Administration commented to me recently that, “a different spirit has entered the Church”.  I told him I certainly agreed.

Dealing with disharmony and standing up for what is right is a necessary part of growing in the character of Jesus Christ.  In fact, Paul said, there must be divisions among us so that those who are approved are recognized (I Cor. 11:19).

I personally do not claim perfect behavior or excellent wisdom in my every approach.  I ask for your forgiveness for anything I’ve done or said that is not a representation of the mind of Christ.  Like the apostle Paul said, I have not already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that which Christ Jesus has also laid on me (Philippians 3:12-14).  I hope and pray that you will do the same.

On a personal note, as all of you know, I was in three different hospitals flat on my back, for nine months fighting for my life since February 1st of last year.  The first seven weeks were spent in ICU.  But thanks to your prayers, and the prayers of many of the brethren around the world, God has intervened and I’m now finally in a position, although still somewhat incapacitated, to actively serve you, as your pastor, once again.

Several months ago, I received a visit in the hospital by Mr. Victor Kubik, (manager of Ministerial and Member Services), my boss.  He asked me if there was anything he could do for me.  I responded by saying, “Yes, there are two things you can do for me – one, please continue to pray for my recovery, and two, don’t pull the plug on me – with God’s help, I believe I can make a comeback”.  I was told I had his prayers and any change in my status, such as retirement, would be my call.  I was visited by Mr. Kubik and Mr. Aaron Dean on December 16th, 2010.  My wife and I were told that the purpose of their visit was to retire me on December 31st 2010, two weeks later.  I felt it was no need, at that point, to remind them that United’s retirement policy states, that if the Church initiated my retirement they would give me 24-36 months to prepare for it.  I was given two weeks.  They stated the reason was a financial one since the income was down.  I told them I had already received notice from the Church’s insurance company that they would no longer cover me after January 31 of 2011.  Therefore, I was in the process of setting up my Medicare Part B plus an Advantage Program to cover the rest, so I would not be a financial burden to the Church.  This seemed to make no difference.  I was surprised and pointed out that I had not planned to retire and besides, I had already made out the speaking schedule for the local church areas for January and February of 2011, and I was on it.  

Moreover, while I was in the hospital, the Administration offered my job to two different ministers, who turned it down because they knew I was planning to return to active service.  One of them contacted me after I was home and asked was I aware of this.  I said no one had talked to me at all; that’s cold.

As an employee, I can no longer support the current Council or Administration because of their actions, based on God’s standards and scriptural principles.

Loree and I have appreciated the many friendships we have formed over the past 17 years, and have counted it a privilege to serve you, the brethren in this part of the country.  We are both deeply saddened by the events unfolding in the United Church of God.  May God guide you and sustain you in these difficult and challenging times.

We will be here to serve those who wish to be associated with our new organization – the Church of God; a Worldwide Association.  We will let those of you who would like to know, the  locations and times for local church services as soon as we can make those arrangements.

With deep love and respect,

Harold and Loree Rhodes

Secret Video of South African Elder Confronting Melvin Rhodes

South African Elders Tell UCG Where To Stick It!

Tuesday 4 Jan 2011 6:15am

Hello Mr Rhodes,

The 4 elders in South Africa note that on the UCG Home website our names have been removed as contacts for the 4 congregations we serve, and your name appears instead. This has been done without any reference to us, or any accusation being brought against us. We note also that the usual monthly subsidy from the Home Office for South Africa has been withheld with no explanation in spite of emails having been sent to Gerald Seelig and Aaron Dean. The obvious studied silence and intended discourtesy towards us is noted.

You certainly are able to remove our names from the GCE list in the Home Office (which we take as the obvious implication) but you have no authority to remove us as elders or members of the United Church of God, Southern Africa, which is a registered South African corporation completely separate to UCG aIA. Also, we are all members of the South African National Council (SANATCO) and can only be removed if we choose to resign (which we don't intend to) or by a majority decision of SANATCO. Also, the removal of any us from the GCE only becomes reality in South Africa after it is reported to an official meeting of SANATCO and has been approved there by a majority decision. Additionally we fall under South African Labour Laws, with special reference to the clearly enumerated steps in dealing with disputes and terminations.

Following on the foregoing, we will be informing all members of UCG, Southern Africa, of your visit, and that we will be holding services as usual on 8 January and 15 January in our usual 4 cities and venues, but under the auspices of UCG, Southern Africa. , and that those wishing to attend on those dates with you and Vic under the auspices of UCG, aIA, are free to do so and should contact you or your South African organizer for alternative venues and times in the cities concerned.

Sincerely,

Morgen

The love letter from Melvin that sparked it all:

"Dear Morgen, Neville and Neil,
Victor Kubik and I will be visiting South Africa over the next two weekends.
Travel and accommodation have already been arranged.
I will be in Johannesburg for the church service this week and Vic will be in Durban.
The following Sabbath we will be in Cape Town and East London.
We will see you then."

UCG HQ Srambling To Halt Members Leaving

To: Melvin Rhodes
Subject: Council of Elders Q&A

Greetings Fellow Ministers,

The Council of Elders has prepared a document (attached) with answers to some
of the more common questions asked of the Council in recent weeks. Council
Communications Committee chairman, Darris McNeely, has subsequently recorded a
video of the questions and answers for you to watch. The video is 15 minutes
long and is now posted on the Council of Elders Web site at http://coe.ucg.org/videos
Both an audio MP3 version and a Windows Media Player video version are
available for download at   http://coe.ucg.org/content/questions-and-answers-council-elders-darris-mcneely

. This may be shared with our members.

Thank you,

Melvin Rhodes
Chairman

---------------

From: Peter Eddington [mailto:peter_eddington@ucg.org]

Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2010 3:56 PM

To: Peter Eddington

Subject: Live Sabbath Service Webcast Available

Dear Fellow Ministers,

In order to help provide Sabbath services for our congregations and
scattered members, the Cincinnati East congregation is going to provide a
live webcast of both its AM and PM services for the near future.
Service times will be at 11 a.m. EST and 2:30 p.m. EST. You can access the
live service from our Sabbath webcast page at
http://members.ucg.org/content/sabbath-webcast . A link will also be
provided on the home page of our member’s Web site at http://members.ucg.org

Please note, if you are not able to connect during the live broadcast, or
the time is inconvenient, an archive of the morning service will be made
available for download very soon after the live webcast ends.

Since we pay for the bandwidth used during the webcast, we ask that this
service be provided primarily for those brethren not able to attend
services, or for your congregations which do not have a live speaker
available. Please pass along this information to the scattered brethren and
congregations in your area of care.

All the best for the upcoming Sabbath,

Peter Eddington

Media and Communications Services

Sponsors of UCG Petition Refuse to Back Down to Melvin Rhodes Demands

5 December, 2010

Dear Mr. Rhodes,

This email is to acknowledge receipt of your request that we withdraw the “Petition for Resolution to the GCE.”

Your comments expressing opposition to our effort are certainly within your rights as an elder however your request  that we withdraw the petition from circulation among our fellow elders is clearly an attempt to claim power and/or authority the Council of Elders does not possess. Regarding your counsel’s opinion as to the legality of our petition please be advised we received the legal counsel of three attorneys prior to releasing the petition and resolution and we are confident both are in full compliance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the United Church of God which we believe you and your legal counsel are aware of as well.

Furthermore, we must express our deep disappointment with the harshness of the letter you sent to the entire ministry regarding the petition (its content and intent). Your comments totally misrepresent, mislead and mis-characterize it by questioning the authenticity of its authors; inferring illegitimacy as our being non-salaried elders; strongly suggesting clandestine methods of distribution; stating the petition calls for a “trial” of the majority of the Council of Elders not to mention your accusation of the Review Committee being composed of “men known to be critical of the present Council and Administration” as well as your description of a review “becoming more like an inquisition.” While these statements may reflect the Councils “opinion” of the matter, sharing them with the entirety of the ministry as a preemptive move by the Council to persuade elders to answer a matter before they hear it is not direction we feel an elder should be advised to follow (Proverbs 18:13). As you yourself acknowledged – all elders have yet to receive the petition for their individual consideration.

Regarding the petition, your communication to the elders also states, “members of the GCE should not support it.” May we remind you of the voluminous problems we have already experienced when efforts have been made to persuade elders in  “block voting”… a circumstance the Council has not only condemned but has disciplined others for at times they believe it has occurred.

  As sponsors, it is our sincere hope that the Council, the Administration and the whole GCE, in considering a response to the petition and resolution, will remember that there is no intent or attempt to accuse or malign anyone (which is why no specific names or actions were listed in the resolution). The intent is simply to carry out a good faith review of the actions of the present Council of Elders and Administration during a defined time period.  Considering the deep concerns that have been expressed by so many brethren and ministers over the last year or more, and in view of the deep divisions it has created in the Church, we feel such a review is warranted and very much needed.  Frankly, we wonder what any ethical, righteous groups or individuals would have to fear from such a review of meeting our established policies and procedures.  If there is nothing to fear or to hide then the very least that will be accomplished is to restore transparency and confidence within the Church amongst concerned brethren and ministry.

Consequently, the sponsors of the “Petition for Resolution to the GCE” hereby decline to withdraw the petition as requested.

Additionally, in view of the fact that as the Chairman, with a complete listing of all elders which you have utilized to inform all elders of your “opinion”, now, in an act of fairness, transparency, good faith and evidence of due respect for the General Conference of Elders, immediately utilize the same means to announce to our brothers our decision to continue forward with the petition and that each one may be advised of their Constitutional right to evaluate the petition and follow their conscience as God leads them.

Sincerely,

Dave DeHart, Glenn Doig, Mike Machin, Frank Pierce

Melvin Rhodes Names More Ministers Kicked Out of UCG

Dear Fellow Elder of the United Church of God:

 It is with heaviness of heart that I must write to you. There are recent developments within the United Church of God, an International Association, (UCGIA) of which you need to be aware.
As of this date, besides the information that has already been reported to you via the Ministerial Journal, the following men have resigned from the General Conference of Elders:

Paul Carter
Pablo Dimakis
Ken Giese
Eduardo Hernandez
Jon Pinelli

 Additionally, the Council of Elders met in executive session on Tuesday evening, November 30, 2010. One of the agenda items was to discuss the UCGIA elders in the Latin American region. Each one of the elders (still listed as a member of the General Conference of Elders) was contacted and asked if he desired to remain with UCGIA or if he planned to go with another organization. As a result of each one’s response, the UCGIA ministerial credentials of the men listed below were removed (and thus they are no longer members of the General Conference of Elders). They are as follows:

Alfredo Arboleas
Eleodoro Avila
Alberto Gonzalez
Jaime Guiñez
Adan Langarica
Luis Mundo
Fermin Nain
Jaime Ortiz
Manuel Quijano

 The door always remains open to reconciliation should any of these men desire to talk with the Council of Elders and/or administration.

 I want to assure you that the Council of Elders, in coordination with the administration, is committed to serving all those who desire to meet with congregations of UCGIA around the world. The Council is also fully committed to preaching the gospel of the coming Kingdom of God to all the world. We hope and pray that His Kingdom will come soon.

 Respectfully and in Jesus Christ’s service,

Melvin Rhodes
Chairman

Melvin Rhodes Strikes Back At Grumbling Ministers

Dear fellow ministers,

Some of you have no doubt received a document titled “Petition for Resolution to GCE” addressed to the General Conference of Elders (GCE), and apparently authored by and being circulated by four non-salaried elders. You personally may not have received this petition if it was considered by the sponsors that you would be unlikely to support its aim—which is to put the majority of the current Council of Elders on trial.

The resolution associated with the petition seeks to create a “GCE Review Committee” to, in effect, conduct an open investigation to identify and determine if any actions by the Council of Elders or the Administration against anyone in the United Church of God since January 1, 2010, have “in fact” been done “contrary to the published requirements and procedures” of UCGIA or “contrary to Scriptural guidelines.”
No specific improper actions or “aggrieved parties” are identified.

The resolution contains no way of giving those who may be accused access to any sort of due process and there is no mechanism for protecting the privacy of anyone involved. In fact, on completion of the “investigation” (very little time is allowed) the Committee’s “findings” or “recommendations” are to be made public—no doubt spread far and wide via the Internet.

The proposed makeup of the Review Committee is obviously designed to be composed primarily of men who are known to be critical of the present Council and Administration. One could easily envision the proposed Review Committee’s investigation becoming more like an inquisition.

The Council stated, by resolution on November 30, that this petition is legally flawed and has decided, with the backing of the opinion of UCG’s general legal counsel, that the associated resolution is clearly contrary to, conflicts with, and is inconsistent with our governing documents and existing grievance procedures. Such procedures are already in place under the authority of the governing documents. Legal counsel advises that it would require an amendment to the Constitution and/or Bylaws before the proposed committee could be created and become operational.

The proposed resolution is fatally flawed and members of the GCE should not support it.

Consequently, in a separate communication, the Council has advised the sponsors that their petition should be withdrawn since it would be improper to allow the associated resolution to be balloted upon by the GCE.

It remains the case that Council members can be removed through the balloting process at the annual general meeting of the GCE if elders are dissatisfied with their service.     

Sincerely,
Melvin Rhodes—Chairman, Council of Elders