On a Personal Note:

NOTE:  I post this simply because it is a way that many who knew Karen could find out that she had passed from the brain cancer that presented itself in August. Karen was a very fine and loving person who spent many years going where I went and supporting me during all the drama and trauma that came to us while pastoring in those 14 congregations scattered over five states and 26 years. My sons have been wonderful in their care for their mom right through the end of life. I am very proud of them as they too were dragged all over the country , changing schools on a moments notice and giving up their friends. In spite of all that, they have turned out as excellent sons, husbands, fathers and friends for which I am very grateful.  

This is not to not acknowledge all the also fine Church members who have passed in this life having also been through much in their WCG/COG experiences 

Thank you in advance for those who have made kind and supportive comments. 

Karen Fuessel Diehl

July 17, 1950 -December 19, 2018

Journal entry by Chris Diehl — Dec 19, 2018

Moms struggle is over and she is at peace. Mom passed away at noon today in her sleep. She was in no pain and was not alone. My brother Jeff and I were with her the whole time. We we're able to hold her hands and be right next to her up until her last moment.

Moms service

Journal entry by Chris Diehl 

Moms service will be Friday December 28th at Kornegay and Moseley Funeral Home here in Columbia. Visitation will be from 1pm to 2pm.

UCG Declares Year End Fast After Income Drops 8%. Will The Boys Of Cincinnati Take A Pay Cut To Set The Example?

Preaching the "gospel" is a hard business for United Church of God. After dumping a bunch of money into a new recording studio and other pet projects, UCG has discovered its income is down 8%.

We are all products of the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of God—given to us free of charge. It’s the convicting Word of God and the Holy Spirit that have done this. But it was not free to produce. It costs a lot of money to accomplish all the things that the United Church of God produces. There are writers, pastors, television presenters, Ambassador Bible College staff, Internet costs, and much, much more that goes into supporting our collective efforts.

And so, now I come to you with a matter of concern. While we have had steady, but modest growth over the past several years, you may have read in the report from the December meeting of the Council of Elders that the Church’s income for the current fiscal year is about  8 percent under budget.There are a number of possible factors contributing to the lower amount of received donations—including uncertainty about U.S. tax law changes introduced for 2018 (including changes affecting deductions for charitable contributions), and the ongoing correction in the stock market (which Reuters has described as the “worst December performance in 16 years” for U.S. stocks).

Notice the one thing that UCG leaves out as a potential reason for the downfall.  Have they ever considered people find their canned 1970/80's sermons and same silly exegesis methods as Herbert used as producing sermons that have no relevance to people living in the 21st century?  Just how many times do people need to hear anti-Christmas, Easter, Halloween sermons or see slick videos? How many doom and gloom sermons need to be preached picturing the end times in the same brushstrokes Herbert did in the 1930/40's?

So brethren, as UCG looks forward to setting 2019's budget you had better make damn sure you have upped your giving so that they can do what they want

With this in mind, we would appreciate your prayers that we see our income trends clearly as we prepare an appropriate budget. I’d like to request that you please join me in prayer and fasting to our great God on a day of your choosing between now and the end of December. Please ask God to not only bless the United Church of God, an International Association, but for Him to show us how we may be the wisest of stewards with the income and blessings He has given us.

Here's a suggestion for the big boys in Cincinnati.  Why doesn't the top leadership take a dramatic pay cut and set the example of true leadership instead of soaking the members for more money?

Even better, why lie to them that you are preaching some kind of gospel message when you really are doing no such thing!

Prayer and fasting are tools that God gives us to humble ourselves and seek His presence among us. Biblically, prayer and fasts have been called for safety, repentance, mourning, and before making an important decision. Again, I am asking that we all fast and seek God collectively in earnest between now and the end of the December.

When has there EVER been a humble leader in the hierarchy of the United Church of God? After watching them all act like snakes in the grass while plotting to lead people away from WCG into their new money ensuring adventure, they disfellowshipped and treated people like dirt who did not agree with the changes.  Then once they had money in place to ensure a good financial changeover and a steady paycheck, they jumped ship.

If they want to recoup 8% missing income, let these weasels set the example and donate their salaries.

A Glimpse of HWA's Compassion and Care for his Co-Workers

From Co-Worker Letter August 15, 1949

Was there any concern with Herbert Armstrong about the well-being of those who contributed to his projects? Read through this and see this, and more observations I've noted in yellow and bold. 

When our Co-Workers either grow careless or forgetful of God's Work, I wonder if you realize the criticism it heaps on me, and the desperate predicament I find myself in? 

When we begin to fall behind in paying the bills for carrying on this work---bills that have to be paid for carrying the true MESSAGE OF CHRIST to millions---bills for that which has resulted in HUNDREDS of precious converted souls and changed lives---you know, I am sure,
what those we must do business with in the world for God's cause think of me, and say to me and about me. And all the more, because we are CHRIST'S representative. They persecuted Christ. Just let a known representative of Christ get behind in paying a bill to a worldly man, and can you imagine the condemnation that man heaps on God's servant, the names he calls him? It becomes a reproach to the cause we are devoting our very lives to promoting. But not only that---when I have to send out urgent appeals to our Co-Workers, then even many of our perhaps less-Spiritual Co-Workers point a finger of accusation against me personally---and begin to PUT THE BLAME ON ME, or imagine that in some way it must be my fault.[The measure of spirituality was directly proportional to the level of loyalty to HWA.]

These occasional lapses on the part of our Co-Workers ARE IN NO MANNER A CASE OF IMPROPER BUSINESS MANAGEMENT IN OUR OFFICE. The truth is, it requires just so much every week, and every month, to conduct this great work; it is MOST carefully managed and is geared to a fixed rate of expense well UNDER the normal income of the work. We cannot reduce expenditures without upsetting or completely paralyzing the work. But when, at times, our Co-Workers grow careless[are struggling] and FAIL TO KEEP UP THEIR PART, and the income drops to around HALF the normal rate, we find ourselves heading for
financial trouble, getting behind in current payments which we try to keep paid PROMPTLY, or even in advance, we get telegrams from radio stations threatening to put the program off the air. TODAY I RECEIVED SUCH TELEGRAMS FROM TWO OF OUR THREE BIGGEST STATIONS!

....

Yes, GOD IS DOING HIS PART---and we here in Pasadena are putting our very UTMOST effort, almost night and day, into this work---we are DOING OUR PART! Many of our Co-workers are making great sacrifice, and are diligent and faithful in sending in generously of God's money---DOING THEIR PART. But MANY of our Co-Workers, on the other hand, have been growing careless, or forgetting [struggling]---AND THEREIN LIES THE TROUBLE WHICH MAKES US SUFFER, BRINGS REPROACH ON THE WORK [HWA], AND THREATENS TO STOP IT ALTOGETHER!

.....

Pray with me that God will, through our Co-Workers, literally open the windows of heaven and send upon His servants here in Pasadena a veritable DOWNPOUR of dollars---for His glory, and to lift His work from reproach, and to keep it going---week by week, and month by
month! Surely, among all our Co-Workers, there is at least one who is able, if willing, to send us that entire $3,000 to pay off that loan our Co-Worker made for us. [!] Surely there are beside, at least two or three who can send in a thousand dollars each to pull this
work out of its slump, help us get bills paid up so we can owe no man anything! And I know that EVERY ONE OF YOU can send in at least the poor widow's mite---just $2! And most of you can spare God and His work considerably more than that!

In addition to this financial crisis, we need extra funds quickly to print and mail the August-September PLAIN TRUTH, now almost ready for the printer.

NOTE: $2.00 in 1949 is equivalent to $20.00 in today's money. 

NOTE: $3,000 in 1949 is over $30,000 in today's money. 

ADDENDUM: The practice of asking for a loan of 30K, and then being unable to pay the loan back, and then placing the burden on ANOTHER Co-worker to pay off the first Co-worker's loan?  What do you call this?  And Herbert says there was no "mismanagement"? Mismanagement is asking for loans when there is no funding to pay back loans!

submitted by SHT

Welcome to the Place of Safety

submitted by SHT

The moment when all the COG leaders who claim exclusive rights to the place of safety all arrive at the same time. 

But it was too cold for the sheep....

Christ was not born at winter time because 

it's too cold for sheep to be in the field.

How many times have we heard this crap in the Church of God?  The myths that were taught be theologically ignorant men was appaling.  Just because one man in Pasadena made a dumb statement, the entire church was treated to this nonsense as fact.

The person who posted this on Facebook said:

Consider the fact that Bethlehem shares about the same climate as Jacksonville, FL. Mild winters. Sheep have a lot of wool which keeps them nice and warm. In the Navy I was stationed in Iceland and saw sheep out in the winter months. 

I remember thinking I've been lied to.

Bethlehem Weather