The latest Counsel of Elders report is out from those fun folk in Cincinnati. UCG has been dumping tens of thousands of dollars into brave attempts to rebrand its image. The tired and worn out 1980's ways of doing things are not working too well for the Cincinnati crowd.
They first started a media campaign to give the world a better view of the UCG. That hundred thousand dollar expense basically garnered "1" potential member. Money was dropped on billboard campaigns and other advertising avenues.
Then UCG had the bright idea of redoing its main web site. Frustrated by the more advanced new designs of the Philadelphia Church of God and the Restored Church of God with their new web site, UCG knew it had to do something.
Always ones to blend into the world as best as the can while still keeping a little toe in Armstrongism, they redesigned their web site. The problem with their new design was that you had to go several steps into it before you ever found out anything that really described what the church was rally about or what it believed. the first few pages was full of syrupy feel good articles meant to draw the viewer in.
Their next step was to redesign the
Beyond Today blog and TV cast. That is where things are starting to get weird. The UCG COE has been "fasting" over its new logo. A logo!
In the Church of God, fasting was always used as an avenue to appease a god that was eternally pissed off about something. It was always used by the church as a tool to gain more money. Occasionally it was used as a means to beseech the angry god to heal people. They were always "one time acts" meant to make God change it's mind.
Isaiah58 has a different take on fasting than what most COGs every use it for. Fasting was never a required in scripture and was never something that Jesus commanded of his followers.
Christian fasting is more than denying ourselves food or something else
of the flesh - it's a sacrificial lifestyle before God. In Isaiah 58;
we learn what a "true fast" is. It's not just a one-time act of humility
and denial before God, it's a lifestyle of servant ministry to others.
As Isaiah tells us, fasting encourages humility, loosens the chains of
injustice, unties the chords of the yoke, frees the oppressed, feeds the
hungry, provides for the poor, and clothes the naked. This concept of
fasting isn't a one day thing - it's a lifestyle of servant living for
God and others.
Imagine that, fasting is about "servant leadership." We have all seen to well how well THAT has worked in the COG! Servant leaders in a COG is an oxymoron.
Instead of praying and fasting for the continuing trauma in the UCG due to its burdensome doctrines and heavy handedness, they are fasting and praying for a logo! A stupid advertising logo!
President Kubik welcomed
everyone and explained that the purpose of his presentation was to show
the Council the latest design of the proposed United Church of God and Beyond Today
logos. This is a follow up to the meeting in May in which general
consensus led to the further development of one of the designs. He
discussed the many meetings held with the LPK firm about the logo
design. The discussions included what could not be used such as
religious symbols and any depiction of God.Clint Porter, Beyond Today (BT)
visual designer and video producer, was introduced to give a
presentation on what logos are and what they are not. Then three
representatives from LPK were introduced to give their explanation of
the design they have been working on.
The Council was then asked for input. Their questions and comments about the logo were discussed for over an hour.
Mr. Kubik reminded everyone of the need for an updated Church and BT logo
and mentioned the credentials of the world-renowned LPK firm. The
administration has prayed and fasted about this process, and they are
now asking the Council to reach a decision. A resolution was read and
discussed. The discussion continued for about another hour and a half.
The COE spent an hour and a half talking about a LOGO and then not able to reach a consensus, they knew they could not put it to a vote, so extended the "study" time of the all important logo. There are priorities in the UCG and it apparently does NOT include its hurting members. The all important logo will inspire tens of thousands of new income bearing members to join the end-times army as they prepared to become "Gods" and get their own planets.
Due to the length of
discussion and considerable input expressed about the proposed logo, Mr.
Webber recommended not taking this matter to ballot, which is the
normal outcome of a proposed resolution on the table, but to continue
research and development at this time. The “sense of the Council” was to
agree with Mr. Webber’s comment.
Peter Eddington, Media
and Communications Services operation manager, requested that each
council member write and send their comments about the logo so that the
administration can have a basis to work from in going forward.
Mr. Kubik thanked the
Council for their input and commented that the administration will
review their comments and present them to LPK for further revision. He
also stated that he and the administration’s desire is to continue
working with the Council on this matter and all issues and fully
appreciates the Council’s oversight role and looks forward to complying
with its input and directives. COE Meeting Report, June 10, 2015
