Sunday, January 8, 2012

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?






Packo-Flurro-Weino-Centricism






Flurry, Pack, Weinland - Evil Incarnate


Packo-Flurro-Weino-Centricism
 
 
Dennis Diehl - EzineArticles Expert AuthorAs a child, I sat through many a Presbyterian church service.  We went twice every Sunday, morning and evening which also included Sunday School after morning church and our youth group until about 8:30 PM after evening service.  I was on churched kid!
 
 
NEVER in all those sermons did I hear our minister utter anything that he remotely thought was speaking of him, our church or his place in it all from the Bible.  He never said such a stupid thing as , "And yes brethren, I am an Apostle."  He never claimed to be a prophet , priest or king of any kind.  He never would have spoke of himself as "that Prophet" or any other for that matter.  He never bragged about how big our church was because it wasn't.  He never pushed to build a college in the parking lot.  I never heard him utter the words, "Send it in" and by that he meant the proceeds from the sale of our home and my dad's Kodak retirement.  He never used the words "incredible", "awesome", "Overarching" or "amazing" all that much.  Actually I never recall hearing those words.  He never ever read anything from the Book of Revelation that I recall which is one reason I got snookered by WCG. I wanted to know what was in it and where it came from.  Presbyterians must have learned long ago that "John" had good drugs and that book should be avoided if you wish to stay sane and have a normal life.
 
 
And this minister never ever ever saw himself in the Book of Revelation as one of the Two Witnesses.  We would have starred in disbelief and then laughed our asses off. He would have been out the door by next Sunday with a parade of new guys hoping to get selected by the board as permanent minister in about a year from then.  I'm pretty sure we would not have even known what a Two Witness was but would have seen some serious mental problems with the man.  
 
 
Not so in the COG splits, splinters and slivers huh?  
 
 
I did not personally take HWA all that seriously when he or others beat around the bush about his being this or that.  Whether Apostle or Elijah to come, I have to say (along with British Israelism) it was all a rather ho hum topic to me.  You all know how I felt about Gerald Waterhouse's perspectives.  (My kids called him Mr. Watermelon) Pure bunk which I often prayed would not prove to be the least bit true as I could see it tanking the church when it came not to pass. I certainly knew I was not going to tell the church anyone had decided it was time to "flee", whatever that meant.  Sometimes such talk and tales made my stomach hurt. 
 
 
 I never bought into GTA being the Joshua with "filthy rags " either.  Most of us, minister and member had filthy rags to worry about so how could we know if we weren't the Joshua to come?  :)
 
 
This ego centric habit that the highly untrained leaders of the Revelation based COG's is disturbing to say the least.  Who sits week after week listening to these guys repeat the same stuff about me, my and I over an over?  Where is their critical thinking?  Are they afraid to listen to that "still small voice" that I know speaks to them during most sermons that notes, "this is stupid,"  "he is nuts,"  "how does he know that,"  or "if I and my family keep following this guy, I can see a train wreck in our future."  Why do they suppress it?  Habit I guess.  I thank the gods that I did not grow up in my youth with this kind of mentality in my minister.  
 
 
One can't help the church or life one is born into, but one sure as hell can look at it and sense something is very wrong and move on.  
 
 
So, to be blunt.  Gerald Flurry is NOT "That Prophet."  He simply is not.  He's a God-Haunted man as are the others in competition with each other for the title of the most or best or truest.  Neither Ron Weinland nor his silent wife in the matter are the Two Witnesses of Revelation, and David C Pack is NOT a real Apostle who has restored anything except the misunderstandings of others he worships. 
 
 
These types don't have the theological training and education to utter such things and if they did, they would not utter them.  While David C may mock Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Einstein (because he had "wild hair" of all things), he'd have done well to actually read them.  
 
 
Ron Weinland makes fun of science because he doesn't understand science or it goes against his form of literalism.  Nonetheless and unlike himself, when science makes a mistake they admit it, add the facts found out to the existing body of information on the topic and keep looking.  Ron simply makes a new end game with no admission of being wrong in any way at all.  It's either "God is giving us more time," or "God is not done revealing truth to us...incredible, amazing brethren."
 
 
So, what's the point?  For those who attend those groups with those kinds of leaders who have those kinds of visions dancing in their heads about themselves and how they fit into the Bible, please at least think and listen when your stomach tells you what you mind is dismissing.  When you have a choice between how your stomach feels when this or that is said and what your brain and head is telling you, your stomach is always telling the truth.  The mind is fooling you into staying a bit longer than will prove to be to your benefit. 
 
 
"Prove all things..."  Remember?  "Trust me Brethren" is a formula for personal disaster and disillusionment. 
 
 
What word don't you understand?
 
 
The COGs are excellent Bible readers .  The vast majority of the followers are sincere people or they would not put up with that niggly feeling in their stomachs they get when their leadership makes some other lame ass announcement about how it all is and where he fits into their lives.  They know what is in the Book but that's can be not much different than knowing what is in the story of Hansel and Grettal or The Emperor's New Clothes if you get my drift. 
Dennis C. Diehl
DenniscDiehl@aol.com




Demolition To Start on Ambassador Campus






The wrecking balls are getting ready to start demolishing the once proud monument to Herbert Armstrong.  They are starting on the South side of the campus by the old Health Center.  It will be torn down, the gardens destroyed and a four unit condo building built with underground parking.  At over 3,000 feet each you can be guaranteed these will quickly sell for around  1.0 to 1.5 million.






Ambassador West to begin construction

Ambassador West master developer City Ventures recently got permits for the first
phase of site work on the lot on W. Del Mar Blvd, just east of S. Orange Grove Boulevard,
and has begun making lot improvements, including tree relocations that comply with
the project’s Urban Forestry Plan. The firm also hired a full-time construction manager,
Ron Ewing, for the project.

This construction will destroy the Del Mar gardens, and will even eliminate the current driveway west of Manor Del Mar (359 West Del Mar).


Two building permits were obtained between 11/1/2011 - 11/30/2011

367 West Del Mar Blvd.:
Construction of a new 4-unit condominium structure at 12, 316 square feet with subterranean garage at 16,895 feet.      Valuation  $2,714,134

363 West Del Mar Blvd.:
Construction of a new six unit condominium structure at 13,056 square feet.
Valuation   $1,269, 957


Total valuation  $3,984,091