The Journal: News of the Churches of God

CCG plans seminars, reading of law

WODEN, Australia--The Christian Churches of God plans a series of seminars on the history of the Sabbath-keeping Church of God from the formation of the early church and its theology throughout its 2,000-year history until the present, announced Wade Cox, coordinator general of the CCG, headquartered here.

Topics will include doctrinal origins and shifts, European conflicts and wars, the rise of Islam and the Paulicians, the Waldensians and the Inquisition, the unitarian divisions into binitarianism and ditheism and the movement from Sabbath-keeping to Sunday observance.

The presentation will trace English Sabbath-keepers in the Seventh Day Baptists. Explanation of the Seven-day Adventist transition into Trinitarianism from its original theology will also be covered.

Musical recitation

"A further day of instruction in the original Hebrew Bible cantillation [recitation with musical tones] will be given to interested parties by Dr. Thomas McElwain," said Mr. Cox. "He will also document the use of hymns and Trinitarian infusion in the Seventh Day Baptist movement. He and Bonne Rook are translators of the Christian Churches of God speaking at the seminars."

Dr. McElwain is pastor of the Turku Sabbath-Keeping Church in Finland. Mr. Rook is a scientist and head of the Christen Gemeenten van God, affiliated with the CCG, in the Netherlands.

These and other topics will be delivered by speakers and translators who will travel from all over the world.

First of the seminars will be in St. Paul, Minn., Sept. 19-21, at the time of the Feast of Trumpets, in the Fine Arts Theatre on Hamline University campus at Hewitt and Snelling Avenues, St. Paul.

A second seminar is set for the Capitol Plaza Hotel Convention Center, 415 McCarty St., Jefferson City, Mo., beginning Friday evening, Sept. 25, and continuing through Sunday evening, Sept. 27.

The third is scheduled for Wimberly, Texas, in the South Texas hill country, in the Veterans of Foreign Wars building from the Day of Atonement, Sept. 29, through the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles, which commences Oct. 5. Wimberly is between San Antonio and Austin.

"Those attending may then return to their own Feast sites or continue on for the reading of the law, which the Bible requires to be read every Sabbath year," Mr. Cox said,

Instruction in "Hebrew Bible cantillation" will also be available at the Texas site, he said.

Lodging is available at Country Innkeeper's Reservation Services, (800) 230-0805. Ask for Clark Aylsworth and mention the seminar on the history of the Sabbath-keeping churches sponsored by the Christian Churches of God.

"These promise to be the most exciting and interesting series on the history of the church yet delivered," said Mr. Cox. "Combined church services will be held in each of the locations, and key people of the various Churches of God will speak."

Mr. Cox asked for interested potential attenders to notify James Dailley, deputy coordinator general of the CCG, of their plans to attend any of the seminars. Write P.O. Box 131374, St. Paul, Minn. 55113, or call (519) 740-0866.

For information on the CCG, write P.O. Box 369, Woden, A.C.T. 2606, Australia. In Canada write P.O. Box 45, Rockton, Ont. L0R 1X0, Canada. In the United States write the St. Paul address, above. In Europe write P.O. Box 56, 8316 SH Marknesse, Netherlands.

Reading of the law

"The sacred year 1998-99 is the 21st year of the 40th jubilee since the ministry of Messiah," said Mr. Cox. "The law will be read at the Feast of Tabernacles, as is required in Scripture. This great event has not been faithfully kept for centuries in the Churches of God."

Each day of the Feast at CCG sites will include lectures on the millennial system and the biblical legal code. Student sessions, along with discussion, are planned.

"Christian Churches of God promotes the study of the first-century-church doctrine," said Mr. Cox, "and exposes both the early and the ongoing attempts to misdirect the worship of the one true God. God's system of laws will be in effect at the restoration of all things, and at the 1998 Feast of Tabernacles the Christian Churches of God will be reading this law as is commanded--Deuteronomy 31:10-13."

Mr. Cox, along with his wife, Erica, and family will attend the U.S. sites listed above. Mexican brethren will travel from Mexico to the Texas site, with Ivan Balderas translating. Spanish-speaking brethren should contact Mr. Balderas at (512) 516-0744 or 1129 E. Fordyce Ave., Kingsville, Texas 78363.

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