Feast of Tabernacles and Organic Gardening

The Church of God Chief Pharisee has gotten his legalistic tassels and knickers all in a twist over a Church of God International Feast site in Kentucky.

A quick scan of their Feast schedule has the normal sermons each day but before services and afterward, there are seminars on various topics.  The Chief Pharisee is outraged, OUTRAGED I SAY, that one of those- pre-service seminars, held on the Sabbath, was all about organic gardening.

One Feast site in Kentucky is presenting a Sabbath morning seminar on organic gardening, before the worship service.
How they justify that being a Sabbath topic…. ?!
Truly shocking! That demonstrates how far they have drifted away from God already. James

Monday, October 14, 2019 – High Sabbath

8:30 – 9:30 AM – Registration/Fellowship – Convention Center

9:30 – 10:30 AM – Adult Seminar: BLAKE SILVERSTEIN  & LINDA BENTON – New Tools To Study The Word – A free useful new App to keep you updated at the Feast and make family bible study a breeze with your phone.   – Convention Center Hall A

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM – Worship Services & Offertory – Offertory: Kevin Kenady – Speaker: John Reedy – Convention Center

12:45 – 2:30 PM – Fellowship Luncheon – for all brethren at Harbor Lights Restaurant in Lodge

2:30 – 3:30 PM – Interactive Bible Study – Panel Hosts: John Reedy, Skip Martin & Michael Deering – Convention Center

7:30 – 8:30 PM –  Adult Seminar: VIVIAN RUST: Lyme Disease The Hidden Pandemic – Convention Center – Sabbath Classroom B

Wednesday October 16th, 2019

8:30 – 9:30 AM – Registration/Fellowship – Convention Center

9:30 – 10:30 AM – Sabbath School – Convention Center & Lodge Classrooms

9:30 – 10:30 AM – Adult Seminar: BEN EISON – Transcending Fear, Anxiety & Depression – Convention Center Hall A

10:40 – 10:50 AM – Prayer Service with Prayer Team – Convention Center Lobby

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM – Worship Services  – Split Sermon: Keith Kleeschulte / John Beasley – Convention Center

Thursday October 17th, 2019

8:30 – 9:30 AM – Registration/Fellowship – Convention Center

9:30 – 10:30 AM – Sabbath School – Convention Center & Lodge Classrooms

9:30 – 10:30 AM – Adult Seminar – BEN EISON – Transcending Fear, Anxiety & Depression Part 2 – Convention Center Hall A

10:40 – 10:50 AM – Prayer Service with Prayer Team – Convention Center Lobby

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM – Worship Services  – Speaker: Bill Jacobs – Convention Center

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM – Festival Association Meeting – Snacks – Convention Center Room A

2:00 – 5:00 PM – Family Picnic/Games – KY Dam Village Pavilion Grounds

7:30 – 9:00 PM – Special Presentation: A Pattern of Evidence: Credibility of the bible followed by Interactive Discussion – Host: Blake Silverstein- Convention Center Hall 

Friday October 18th, 2019

8:30 – 9:30 AM – Registration/Fellowship – Convention Center

9:30 – 10:30 AM – Sabbath School – Convention Center & Lodge Classrooms

9:30 – 10:30 AM – Adult Seminar: CINDY NEUMULLER & MICHAEL DEERING – Spiritual Warfare In An Age Of Wickedness  – Convention Center Hall A

10:40 – 10:50 AM – Prayer Service with Prayer Team – Convention Center Lobby

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM – Worship Services  – Speaker: Skip Martin – Convention Center

2:30 – 4:00 PM – Ladies Tea & Conference – Hostess Cindy Neumuller.   Rachel Kenady will lead a discussion on  Women’s Roles in the Church – enjoy some light snacks, tea, coffee and join the discussion about service with other sisters in Christ – Convention Center

Sabbath October 19th, 2019

8:30 – 9:30 AM – Registration/Fellowship – Convention Center

9:30 – 10:30 AM – Adult Seminar: DANNY JACQUES – Back To Eden: Organic Gardening –  Center Hall A

10:40 – 10:50 AM – Prayer Service with Prayer Team – Convention Center Lobby

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM – Worship Services  – Speaker: Mardy Cobb – Convention Center

While I have absolutely zero interest in attending such meetings, it is refreshing to see that they are speaking on things that are outside the screeching done by James Malm and others demanding strict adherence to the law and no deviance from the established format that Herbert set down for Feast services. I would much rather listen to an interesting speaker on the sabbath talking about organic gardening than some belching law-keeper spitting and snarling that people are not being zealous enough.  A raw organic carrot outranks the law demands of a church crackpot prophet.

The Last Great Day

That Great Day of the Feast

In the seventh chapter of John, we read that "the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand."(John 7:2) In the verses that follow, we are told that Christ's family urged him to avail himself of this opportunity to reveal himself to the world. (3-4) Jesus, however, sent his family on to Jerusalem without him - planning to quietly attend after the festival had commenced. (8-10) In fact, according to John, he didn't begin making public declarations or teaching until about midway through the festival. (14) And, as he had anticipated, his comments engendered a great deal of controversy and resentment. (15-36)

Then, we read: "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" (John 7:37-39) How ironic is that? On this last day of the ACOG's attempt to celebrate the FOT, Jesus Christ invited ANYONE who wanted God's Holy Spirit to come to him!

The ACOG's love to quote John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." In the very next chapter, however, we have Christ issuing this invitation to everyone on the Last Great Day of the Feast! Did Christ really mean that salvation through him was open to everyone? What does that do to the exclusivity narrative promulgated by Herbert Armstrong and his successors? It appears that some folks are concerned with being first, and that Christ was thinking about salvation for EVERYONE! Hmmmmm, I seem to recall Christ having something to say about those who wanted to be first!

Lonnie Hendrix

Van Robison on "Trafficking in Man-Made Religion"

Trafficking in Man-Made Religion

There have always been those who take advantage of others for their personal ego, for the love of power and the love of free $money.   For whatever reason, many human beings have willingly submitted their lives and their pocketbooks to those who falsely assume authority unto themselves. 

Man-made religion is as old as human beings from the beginning of human history.   The assumption that religious gurus have some magical power is as old as dirt and it is always based upon fear.   Superstition has played a major role in human behavior for ages.

Is belief in "Holy" books really a superstitious belief?  We may all poke fun at and ridicule the superstitions of human beings who think rocks have spirits or that mountains have spirits, or that it is a curse of the spirits if it does not rain or a thousand other superstitious beliefs, but few see what they consider "sacred" as superstitious.    It is easy to look upon the superstitions of certain human cultures in this world as childish and juvenile, all the while thinking that what we believe is "mature" and "sensible."

Is it really sensible to submit your life to some human priest or pastor, as if they commune with God on a daily basis?   If in fact the gift of the Holy Spirit is for all individuals, then is it not sensible that every human being on earth has the potential of a direct relationship with God, without the interference of self-appointed religious rulers?   No pastor of any church on earth communes with God Almighty directly and in fact everything he or she preachers is simply personal opinion and nothing more.   Pastors have no authority, no special calling and no particular knowledge about God, that makes them over, above, and in authority over another human beings.

You may read in some verses in the New Testament that God gives authority to certain individuals and that they are to be "obeyed", but that is simply intentional deception by those who penned such words.   Did God really "inspire" some men to pen or write what is called "the Bible?"   If He did, then He is of all people a very confusing author who contradicts Himself in countless ways.   

Believing strongly in what one thinks is "truth", may be very sincere, but sincerity is no gauge or qualification of truth.   Anyone can believe deeply that their convictions are right, all the while not discerning that they may be very wrong.

Members of all Worldwide Church of God splinter groups are programmed by superstition that they are to follow and obey their church rulers, pastors or elders.   That is nothing more than religious superstition and has no basis in the truth of who God Almighty is.   Herbert W. Armstrong was and is no more, yet many still bow and worship at his grave as if he was a spokesman for God.   HWA was a spokesman for no one other than himself.   And all WCG splinter group heads who think HWA was God in the flesh are either complete con-artists or so naive and so gullible that they are juvenile in their mentality.

HWA no more spoke for Jesus Christ than the fake "apostle" Paul did, or for that matter any or all of the countless thousands of other church groups who make the pretense of representing Jesus Christ.

If it were possible and all human beings on earth suddenly and permanently stopped supporting all pastors and all churches and all 501C3 "not for profit" religious organizations, the world would change dramatically and immediately for the better.


Van Robison