Today's UCG Resignations 1/5/2011

All of these guys are from the Houston South church.  

A UCG church known for it's uppity arrogance

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 Sells Out to COGaWA Pressure and Reverses Sabbath Paper

UCG honchos in Cincinnati watching their church blow up in their faces and disintegrate to nothing changed their stance on the Sabbath controversy in a blatantly political move.  With close to 160 some ministers and elders jumping ship to Jim Frank's new splinter cult, UCG was set to loose thousands of more members when the Church of God a Worldwide Association holds it's conference in the next week.

In the same hypocritical backstabbing and lying  that went on when UCG split from WCG, COGaWA had the upper hand.  It was the conservatives vs the liberals all over again. The deciding factor on both sides was money.  The COGaWA's had to form a new splinter cult in order to receive income once UCG terminated them.  UCG had to do whatever it took to maintain a steady flow of income into their HQ to maintain their salaries.

Both sides now will continue to keep the members of UCG/COGaWA in bondage to a day no longer required under the New Covenant.  Both sides will continue to rule over and abuse their members with legalistic bullshit.  Neither side has the balls to really sit down and examine Sabbath keeping without using HWA's writings or other COGlet materials spread out in front of them.  But we should never expect such in depth study since COGdoom is intellectually and theologically bankrupt.

So the sheep still continue to suffer because they won't examine things either.  If HWA or a minister said it, so let it be done.

UCG statement:

January 4, 2011

After studying the material that has been provided from a couple in Chile, the Council of Elders, after full review and rendering due diligence, is prepared to issue the following statement in regards to observing the Seventh-day Sabbath and Holy Days in a proper manner to uphold the Fourth Commandment.

The United Church of God, an International Association, has a long-standing teaching on the subject of owner-operated businesses in relation to the observance of the Sabbath and biblical Holy Days. If a business is solely or majority owned by a Church member, then the business should close on the Sabbath and the Holy Days.

There are some exceptions, as Jesus Christ gave Sabbath-keeping principles in Scripture in this regard, which would apply to healthcare and retirement facilities and dealing with dairies and farm animals. But, day-care centers and schools do not fall under these categories. Therefore, the Council of Elders stands by the authority of Scripture in our lives and the consistent position of the Church which requires that such businesses, as long as they are solely or majority owned by a Church member, be closed on the Sabbath and the Holy Days.

We deeply appreciate the sincere request of the members in Chile in asking for the Council of Elders to render a judgment.

Melvin Rhodes—Chairman, on behalf of the Council of Elders