I have been sent this by three different people concerning a COGWA minister who was recently disfellowshipped and decredentialled from COGWA because he thought the church was too lax on it's Sabbath requirements. As usually in these letters it's all one big "love" fest. Everything is done out of love, love , love.
It's also interesting that in just over a year after it formed the most perfect reincarnation of the True Church it is already having dissension in it's ranks.
How dare those members eat in a restaurant or buy things on Saturdays!
I will begin by saying that I am the elder that was
kicked out of COGWA and the purpose of this post is to just clarify a
couple of things. First off I want to reiterate what James has said
already, and that is that I have never shared with him any of this
information that he has posted on this blog. When I came back from the
Feast I was given the opportunity to “change” my mind about my
convictions and if I had, I am told I would have been allowed to stay. I
did not change my mind. When I spoke with Dave Register I asked him
where this left us and he informed me that I would be receiving the
letter of decredentialing sometime in the near future and that I was not
permitted to attend any longer.
To this point the letter of decredentialling has not arrived and I
assume since I am not allowed to fellowship I have therefore been
disfellowshipped as well, though I have not yet received a letter
stating that yet either.
After my conversation with Dave I decided at that time that I needed
to put a letter out to our local congregation stating why they would not
be seeing me there as I had not been allowed back (except to attend the
Feast) since three weeks before the Feast. Many people were not even
aware of what was going on as I had not shared any of these beliefs in
my messages nor with the congregation in general. As I said, I sent this
letter out to our local congregation and also to four or five other
close friends. I also included the offer, if they wanted, that I would
send them the paper that I had submitted to Dave Register and the
doctrinal committee on my current beliefs.
It was never my intention for this to become what it has become, but I
understand how some of these things can take on a life of their own. I
want to make it VERY clear that I hold no ill will toward the men that
have been mentioned on this site or toward COGWA in general. I did not
do this for attention; on the contrary I simply wanted to be able to
remain while being able to hold to my personal convictions, but when not
allowed to I felt it important to at least get a portion of my side of
the story to the local congregation which I consider friends and family.
I apologize for any hurt that this has caused, especially within out
local congregation. I also appreciate that Mr. Franks allowed me to have
an open line of communication with him through this as he did when
COGWA started and I am confident that I could pick up the phone and he
would be glad to speak to me about whatever was on my mind. Again, I
hold nothing against him personally in all of this, but of course am
saddened by their decision in not allowing me to stay in attendance even
as a decredentialed elder, but that is their decision. I love all in
the congregation that I was forced out of, and still consider them all
as my brothers and sisters, just as I consider others in many other
groups as my brothers and sisters, and I hope to remain friends with
them all.
I look forward to the time when our merciful Father in heaven will
bring His children together, and I am confident that that will be
accomplished by bringing His children to Him FIRST AND FOREMOST. We of
course must be willing to do our part in allowing God to do that, and
what I am learning, is that requires an awful lot of humility and I have
a long ways to go, as we all do. Thank you all for your prayers and
concern but in the big scheme of things this is small potatoes. Again, I
hold no ill will and do not desire that anybody get all bent out of
shape over this and hold any bitterness against anyone – that never does
anybody any good. There are so many in God’s church going through such
incredible trials around the globe that this really doesn’t even
compare. And compared to what is to come… well this is nothing and I am
nobody. Again, I apologize to my brothers and sisters who I may have
offended and to those who feel as if I have betrayed them and COGWA, for
holding to these beliefs. I meant to cause no pain, but I do not
apologize for my convictions or for standing up for them. I do not judge
any of you who do not agree with me and I ask for the same in return.
God is the ONE TRUE JUDGE and I am so glad that He is the one in charge
and will sort this all out in His time. Again, I love you all!!!
=================
“Dear Brothers and Sisters, I am sure there is much going around as
to why I have not been attending services since before the Feast and I
just wanted to address that quickly here. First off, I have truly loved
and enjoyed the time we have spent getting to know each other over the
past couple of years, and I will always cherish the friendships that we
have made.
As Mr. Register made everyone aware of several weeks before the Feast
I have come to the understanding that the Church has not been keeping
the Holy Days according to the Biblical calendar. I will not say more
than that as this letter is not to try to convince you of my beliefs
just as I never tried to do so at services in conversation or through my
messages.
When I informed Mr. Register, I believe about two months before
Trumpets, he immediately took me off of the speaking schedule and asked
me to write a paper outlining my beliefs. I did just that and submitted
it to him and he passed it along to Mr. Horchak and Mr. Franks. After
they read the letter I was asked to give it some more consideration and
Mr. Franks asked me to let Mr. Register know my final decision on
whether I would change my position before Trumpets and I said I would. A
couple weeks before Trumpets I told him that I had not changed my
position but that I still wanted to attend services and be a member of
COGWA. I told them that I understood that I would be decredentialed and
that I had no problem with that because my personal convictions and
conscience is more important than any title or something written on a
piece of paper. I told them that I was fine sitting quietly in the back
and not making an issue out of anything. I figured once everyone knew
why I wasn’t speaking any longer then no big deal.
In the announcement of my suspension before the Feast Mr. Register
mentioned that we asked to be able to attend the Feast. What I actually
asked was for us to be able to continue to attend services. He told me
not to come until after the Feast and then depending on the health of
the congregation he would make a determination as to whether we would be
able to attend. I asked him what he meant by “health of the
congregation” and he said that if even a couple people had a problem
with us attending we would not be able to.
It has been a couple of weeks since the Feast and we have not been
back even once since I was suspended. Mr. Register called me this past
Thursday to inform me that unless I change my belief I will be
decredentialed and am not allowed to come back. I informed him that I
have not changed my beliefs and will not go against my conscience.
Because of this and the fact that at least a couple people would feel it
divisive to even be there (even though we have not even had an
opportunity to come back to see how the congregation responds) I am to
be decredentialed and am not allowed to attend. I guess since I am not
allowed to fellowship that means I have been disfellowshipped as well. I
am expecting to get the paper sometime this week or the next. I have
the right to appeal this but truly do not know what the point in that
would be except to just make a messy situation (that didn’t need to be)
an even messier one.
When COGWA formed I told Mr. Register and others
that I hate politics. I hate it in the world and I hate it even more in
the Church of God and I am truly baffled by how this has been handled.
I love you all and will continue to count you all as my brother and
sisters and I hope you still view me and my family as part of your
extended spiritual family. Believe me we would be with you if we
could. You will all continue to be in our prayers and I ask for you all
to keep us in your prayers as well.
Thank you all for your friendship, your care and concern. For those
of you who are interested I would be glad to send you the paper that I
gave to Mr. Register. I would not send this to try to convince any of
you but so that you can at least have some basic idea of why we believe
what we believe. I hope this letter has not offended any of you but I
felt I needed to send something out, to at the very least, address just
some of what has taken place and has been going on. I hope that you
will not judge me harshly for holding to my convictions.
Take care.
In Brotherly Love,
Ed Oliver”
