TYLER, Texas--The Church of God International (CGI) and the Church of God Big Sandy plan to cosponsor a Feast of Tabernacles site in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in 2007.

Charles Groce, administrator of the CGI, expressed his delight at the prospect of working with the Church of God Big Sandy, which is pastored by Dave Havir.

"We have so much in common with the Church of God Big Sandy and we look forward to sharing a Feast site with them," Mr. Groce said.

Mr. Havir gave credit to Mr. Groce for initiating the idea.

"Charles approached me and asked if we could pool our resources in Myrtle Beach to serve the brethren who attend that area for the Feast," he said.

Last year attendance at the CGI site in Myrtle Beach was 350, and the attendance at Big Sandy's site in the same area was 225.

Mr. Groce commented on another benefit that can occur from the decision to cosponsor.

"This decision to cosponsor shows that various branches of the Church of God that are not interested in controlling people can work together," he said.

Mr. Havir mentioned an important reason the two groups can work together.

"Last year we met in the same establishment with another Church of God group and we shared activities," he said. "But we didn't share a week of church services, because the other group had a prerecorded sermon by the same man each day of the Feast.

"If we'd split the spots on the speaking schedule, we would have had to listen to four prerecorded sermons from the same man, and they would have been forced to listen to live speaking from a variety of our speakers.

"When we share the speaking schedule with our friends from CGI, we will each provide live speakers who will give similar messages."

The CGI will sponsor five other Feast sites, at Land Between the Lakes, Ky.; Niagara Falls, N.Y.; Salt Lake City, Utah; Tampa, Fla.; and Victoria, B.C., Canada. For information call (903) 939-2929.

The COG Big Sandy will sponsor four other sites, at Big Sandy; Branson, Mo.; Destin, Fla.; and the Lake Tahoe area in Nevada (a new site). For information call (800) 946-5545.