Both men are familiar faces to viewers of the church's telecast, The World Ahead. Dr. Meredith asked that, in lieu of flowers, well-wishers "use any extra money to increase your offerings for the Work of Christ." Write Dr. Meredith at P.O. Box 3810, Charlotte, N.C. 28227, U.S.A., or through a Web-based E-mail form at www.lcg.org/contact.shtml. Phone the LCG at (704) 844-1970. Legacy director recovering CHIANG MAI, Thailand--Leon Sexton, who moved from Texas to Thailand a few years ago to operate the Legacy Institute ministry, which includes a leader-training school, is recovering from a stroke he experienced in September 2008. As of this writing (early October) Mr. Sexton had spent several weeks in a Chiang Mai hospital but is expected to fully recover. Write Mr. Sexton in care of Herb Vierra at accmos@verizon.net. Smoking ban leads to new Church of God AMSTERDAM, Netherlands--News services including www.DutchNews.nl reported a while back that a new church has sprung up in the Netherlands in reaction to the Dutch government's ban of smoking in taverns that took effect July 1, 2008. Several dozen bars have joined the movement, claim the reports. Thanks to the principle of freedom of religion, founders of the new church, called the One and Universal Smokers Church of God, say smoking is allowed in the bars because of their status as congregations of the church adhering to doctrines that include a belief in the "trinity of smoke, fire and ash." Church founder Michiel Eijsbouts said bar owners who try to join the church simply to be able to legally smoke are not allowed to join the church. The One and Universal Smokers COG takes smoking seriously, he is said to have said. "It has ritual aspects; it is something you experience, and we follow our faith very strictly," he told the Telegraaf newspaper. Journal writer awarded GILMER, Texas--Mac Overton, frequent contributor of book reviews and other articles to The Journal, was presented on Oct. 7, 2008, with the Bronze Cross for Meritorious Service by the Texas Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV). A longtime Church of God member and editor of the twice-weekly county newspaper The Gilmer Mirror, Mr. Overton was honored for his work in publicizing the local branch, known as the Upshur County Patriots, and other SCV activities. Mr. Overton, who recently delivered a speech to SCV members about newspapers and journalists during the Civil War (which Mr. Overton likes to call the War of Northern Aggression), said his selection as a recipient of the award was a complete surprise. "You could have knocked me over with a feather," he told The Journal. | 
