The Potter's Field

There is a documentary film coming out in June about a group of High School students who stepped out of their comfort zone to do something for "the other."  These kids serve as pall bearers for homeless men and women who have died.  Most of the time they are the only ones present.

What happens to the homeless when they die?

Four years ago the wrestling team at St. Xavier High School was offered an opportunity by their assistant coach, Ben Kresse, to do something positive for the community that would forever change their lives. The opportunity was to hold memorial services for the unknown, homeless, and those who had no remaining family to ensure a respectful burial. To this day, the students have volunteered their time and energy to make sure no one in Louisville, KY leaves this earth alone. Over the past four years there have been more than five hundred burials and not a single service has been missed.

Since the inception of the memorial program, seven schools and two colleges have joined St. Xavier's efforts. After graduating, some of the students have gone on to other cities and tried to start similar programs to give dignity to those who might otherwise have been cremated or placed in the ground without a second thought or care. The philosophy of the students and teachers involved is simple, “You come into the world being held and loved, and you should leave the world in the same way.”

The Potter's Field is a documentary film attempting to craft an honest portrait of the students and teachers involved as a means of recording their story and sharing their unique and important perspectives on life and death.

Armstrongism, particularly Pack, Flurry and Meredith, rail on and on about how wicked the youth of today are and how they are so self-adsorbed.  Yet here is a group of kids that prove them all to be liars.  Here is a group of kids that also outshine the youth in Armstrongism by light years.

The homeless  have never been an issue in the COG.  The Church had the attitude, "Why bother?  They will just continue on living as they are.  Let God fix it in the kingdom."  Instead of bringing the kingdom of God to earth for these people, the COG turned their backs on them.

I remember in the late 70's when HWA shut down the Pasadena campus, the first of several times,   there was widespread questions on what to do with the facility.  GTA actually came up with an idea to use the Student Center as a soup kitchen for the homeless.

The shit hit the fan with that suggestion.  HWA and the hierarchy were vehemently against it. How dare we bring unclean and dirty people into God's sacred buildings.

Can you imagine the youth of Living Church of God, Restored Church of God, Philadelphia Church of God ever doing such a thing?

UCG Names Men Up For Consideration to Be President of Church

Once again it is the old guard still in control.  Those trained at Ambassador seem to always get priority consideration over the lowly man promoted up through the ranks without an Ambassador diploma.

The GCE put forth the names of 27 men—of which 13 allowed their names to go forward and submitted their resumes for the Council of Elders to consider. All of these gentlemen, along with their wives, are wonderful servants of God and are out there every day in your midst sharing their lives with you. We thank them for their desire to serve their brethren.

 

The Council of Elders reviewed the nomination resumes of those 13 men and has each cast one ballot for a nominee, along with why each endorses that individual. The Council of Elders chairman (Robin Webber), the chairman of the Roles and Rules Committee (Gary Antion), and the corporate secretary (Gerald Seelig), reviewed the results and are pleased to announce the final lists of individuals to be considered for president of the United Church of God. They are in alphabetical order: Bill Bradford, Aaron Dean, Roy Holladay, Victor Kubik, Darris McNeely, and Randy Stiver. After prayer and fasting, the Council of Elders will interview them in person on May 6 and deliberate among themselves on May 7. Final selection for a new chief executive will be on May 8. Normally a new president immediately assumes office for a three-year term that can be renewed with Council approval.