The Journal: News of the Churches of God

Notes and quotes

Third Sabbath telephone services

GILLETTE, Wyo.--Richard Nickels of the Giving & Sharing ministry, based here, invites everyone to join him for G&S's "Third Sabbath" Sabbath services via telephone on Jan. 19, Feb. 16 and March 16, 2002.

Speakers and dates:

Gary Arvidson of Kings Mountain, N.C., author of a new book, Searching for David's Tomb, Jan. 19.
Roy Marrs of Lodi, Calif., Church of God (Seventh Day) elder, who will discuss his two new books that counter antinomianism and so-called New Covenant theology in the Churches of God, Feb. 16.
Either Randy Schafer or Mr. Nickels.

To listen in, at 9 a.m. Pacific time, dial (918) 222-7158 and enter 0566#.

Dual events

PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz.--Building Bridges of Northern Arizona plans a meeting the Sabbath of Feb. 16 with Charles Groce, a presenter on the Church of God International's Armor of God TV program. Mr. Groce is executive vice president of the CGI, which has no president.

Starting time will be 1 p.m. mountain time.

"In addition, we are also planning a social the same evening," said Dennis Benson of Prescott Valley, an organizer.

The social will be the 25th such event in northern Arizona sponsored by Church of God members. (Members of the Worldwide Church of God began it 25 years ago.) The activity will include a potluck meal, fun show and fellowship and will be at Verde Village Club House, 4855 E. Broken Saddle Dr., Cottonwood, Ariz.

Mr. Benson noted that the Building Bridges function and the social are two separate events, even though they will be at the same location on the same day. This is "to accommodate those who may not approve of Building Bridges but would attend the social," he said.

For more information, contact Mr. Benson at (928) 772-8358.

Visit the club

ALBERT LEA, Minn.--"Visit our club," invites Linda Schreiber.

The club is a fellowship group for the "scattered brethren" of "a variety of COG persuasions," said Mrs. Schreiber. "We have a message board and a regular Sunday-evening chat time. I hope many of your subscribers will come visit and join us."

It's called Family of God Building Bridges, and it's at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/buildingbridgesFOG.

"We are providing a place to develop friendships and reach out to each other across the man-made barriers we find all too common today," she said.

Building Minnesota bridges

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.--A Building Bridges fellowship in the Minneapolis area has announced its speaker for the Sabbath of Feb. 9, Marv Davis, a longtime Church of God member and former Worldwide Church of God elder from Scottsdale, Ariz.

Contact Dona Fehr for more information at dlfehr@compuserve.com.

Scholar uses 'Good News' as teaching material

MILFORD, Ohio--A professor of world-religion studies liked the November-December issue of The Good News so much that he requested 100 copies of the magazine, published by the United Church of God, to hand out to his students.

The issue featured news and views concerning the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

John LaBissoniere of the UCG said Robert Oldham, who teaches at two colleges, one Baptist and one Methodist, in Kentucky, thought the issue was "so well written that he wanted all 100 of his students to read it."

Bible sales up

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--Zondervan, one of the world's biggest publishers of Bibles, says sales of the Scriptures increased dramatically after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

An article that appeared in newspapers Dec. 7 said booksellers were reporting sales 40 percent higher than last year at this time.

Ken Westby's 'one-God conference'

AUBURN, Wash.--Ken Westby, founder and director of the Association for Christian Development, plans a "one-God conference" near his home in Washington state April 26-28, 2002.

"One God," to Mr. Westby, refers to his "monotheistic" or "unitarian" view that only one being--the Heavenly Father--is God and that Jesus, although the Son of God, Messiah and Savior, is not God.

For more about Mr. Westby's conference and an interview with him concerning his unorthodox beliefs on the nature of God and Jesus, see the Dec. 31, 2001, print version of The Journal.

For more information on the conference, contact Mr. Westby at P.O. Box 4748, Federal Way, Wash. 98063, U.S.A., or westby@godward.org. Visit the ACD on the Web at www.godward.org.

Ernest Martin to speak

AUBURN, Wash.--Ernest Martin, a former Ambassador College professor, is scheduled to be interviewed about his 1996 book The Star That Astonished the World during services of Ken Westby's Virtual Church Jan. 26.

"Dr. Martin's discovery identifying the star of Bethlehem is now being used by over 600 planetariums around the world to picture the December sky at the traditional time of Christ's birth," said Mr. Westby, founder of the Association for Christian Development and publisher of New Millennium journal.

Dr. Martin "found that the celestial displays leading up to the birth were utterly fantastic," he said.

"They clearly pointed to a royal birth as Virgo; the Virgin; Leo the Lion, Judah; and the royal king star Regulus moved into repeated conjunctions."

Even though planetariums tend to accept the Dec. 25 date for Jesus' birth, Dr. Martin believes Jesus was born on the Feast of Trumpets, Sept. 11, 3 B.C.

"That's right," said Mr. Westby, "9-11, which he documents in detail in his book."

Dial up Dr. Martin and Mr. Westby at (918) 222-7158 just before 1 p.m. central time Jan. 26. Then enter 0566#. Visit the Virtual Church on the Web at www.godward.org.

[Editor's note: Dr. Martin died Jan. 16, so this news item is no longer accurate. See the late-breaking report concerning Dr. Martin's demise immediately below.]

Online-version bulletin: Ernest Martin dies

PORTLAND, Ore.--After this issue of The Journal went to press, the staff received word of the death of former WCG elder and employee Ernest Martin (mentioned in the previous news item, above) on Jan. 16, 2002.

Dr. Martin had suffered a heart attack Jan. 4, but he, as well as family and friends, had hopes of his full recovery. According to a close friend of Dr. Martin's, James Tabor, he died while working at his computer.

"His bio would fill many pages, but Ernest would not want anyone to praise him for his accomplishments, in life or death," Mr. Tabor said. "He always felt that his research, and anything he could contribute, was all through the gifts and inspiration of God."

Dr. Martin is survived by his wife, Ramona, a son and two daughters.

Mrs. Martin receives mail at P.O. Box 25000, Portland, Ore. 97225, U.S.A.

Online-version bulletin: Bill McDowell dies

HUMBLE, Texas--Another Worldwide Church of God old-timer, Bill McDowell, died in January.

Mr. McDowell died at his home in South Texas of an apparent heart attack Jan. 9.

Funeral services were conducted by Tom LaPacka of St. Louis, Mo., and Ronald Kelly of Pasadena, Calif., near Amarillo, Texas.

A former director of the Feast department for the WCG who served in many other capacities throughout his career, Mr. McDowell is survived by his wife, Rose, three sons, two sisters and a brother.

Mrs. McDowell receives mail at 1410 Mistletoe Ln., Humble, Texas 77339, U.S.A.

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