Notes and quotes

Two COGs meet

MODESTO, Calif.--Two Church of God organizations met March 3-4 to discuss each other's doctrines and practices. The two were the Church of God in Modesto (CGM) and the Church of the Eternal God (CEG) of San Diego, Calif.

Present for the CEG were Edwin Pope, Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Link, Rene Messier and Margaret Adair. Representing the CGM were Mr. and Mrs. Alton Billingsley, Steve LeBlanc, Mr. and Mrs. David O'Malley, Wayne Carlson and Nathan O'Malley.

Web-site updated

SYDNEY, Australia--The "HWA and Church of God" Web site at www.hwalibrary.org has been updated, announced Craig White.

2002 Feast

ANAHEIM, Calif.--Christian Commandment Keepers, pastored by Mark Kaplan, has finalized arrangements for a Feast of Tabernacles location in Sterling, Va., for 2002. See http://go.to/feastfever for current information including a housing option of vacation cottages.

Calendar change

CORWEN, Wales--The North West Church of God in Chester, England, has announced that it has rejected the "Hebrew calendar" in favor of a system based on the sighting of the abib barley in Israel for determining the timing of the Feast of Tabernacles and the other yearly festivals.

Pastor Gerald Kirby said the precise dates will be announced at the congregation's Web site, www.nwchurch-of-god.org.uk.

For an article about Mr. Kirby's and friends' participation in the hunt for barley this month in Israel, see the article beginning on page 8 of this issue.

For the story of the barley expedition in the words of one of the hunters, Brian Convery of Kendall, N.Y., see the Web site of Steve Bruns of Moses Lake, Wash., at http://steve.bruns.com/brianconvery.html.

UCG leaders ordain Remnant elders

KUMASI, Ghana--United Church of God (UCG) president Leslie McCullough and treasurer Tom Kirkpatrick, both of the Cincinnati, Ohio, area, and elders Joel Meeker of St. Louis, Mo., and Melvin Rhodes of East Lansing, Mich., met here with 300 members of the Remnant Church of God (RCG) recently.

The RCG, after many months of negotiations with UCG officials, decided to merge its membership into the UCG's.

The UCG ordained 11 formerly RCG men as UCG elders. The new national council for the RCG in Ghana includes Azariah Maxwell Coffie, chairman; Richard Duah, overall coordinator; Benjamin Agyapong; Clement Amoako-Atta; Ofori Amanfo; Ofori Manu; Silas Atuahene; Kingsley O. Brobbey; and Eric Amankwa. All are elders except Messrs. Atuahene, Brobbey and Amankwa.

Other men the UCG ordained are Reuel Appiah-Dima, Frank Arthur, Joseph Baah, Adonijah Blay-Miezayh and Annor Jones.

New subscription policy

PASADENA, Calif.--An announcement included on a special cover of The Plain Truth magazine, published by the Worldwide Church of God, noted that, beginning in 2003 the church, through its Plain Truth Ministries, will no longer provide free subscriptions to WCG members.

Australian speaking tour

SYDNEY, Australia--The Origin of Nations Research Project, operated by Craig White, announced that Steven Collins, a Church of God writer from Sioux Falls, S.D., plans to visit Australia in June and July to present a lecture series on the "lost 10 tribes of Israel."

Mr. Collins is slated to speak in Sydney June 29 and 30 and Brisbane July 6 or 7, as well as one other location, to be announced.

"As usual, the lecture series will be free of charge, but any financial support to ensure the success of this initiative will be greatly appreciated and gratefully accepted," said Mr. White.

For more information, write GPO Box 864, Sydney 2001, Australia, or .

Reunion update

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Phil McCollum, AC Class of 1986, says the Ambassador College/University reunion set for Nashville is still on for June 22-23.

"This reunion is for anyone who has ever graced the halls of Ambassador," he said: "student, faculty or employee. It is open to all years and all religious affiliations." For information, write Mr. McCollum at , or visit http://mywebpages.comcast.net/acreunion2002/.

Responses to 'hierarchical leader' letter

PERRY, Mich.--A recent issue of Servants' News, published by Norman Edwards, has as its lead article "Answers to 'Hierarchical Leader' Letter."

In April 2000 Mr. Edwards sent 34 letters to members of various groups he describes as "hierarchical," including elders and other leaders.

His article details the responses he received and notes in which cases he didn't receive responses.

"I promised to print any reply to letters I received, up to 3,000 words," he said, "and in this issue I am keeping that promise."

For a copy, contact Servants' News at P.O. Box 107, Perry, Mich. 48872, U.S.A.

Basic new booklet

TYLER, Texas--Ronald Dart, director of Christian Educational Ministries, based here, has published a booklet called Basic Christianity: In the Beginning.

The booklet "starts with Matthew and Luke and takes an intimate look at the Christian faith in its earliest days," Mr. Dart said. "It contains important insights which can clear up some of the fog that surrounds the beginnings of Jesus' work."

For a copy, write CEM at P.O. Box 560, Whitehouse, Texas 75791, U.S.A., or .

'Good News' passes half-million mark

MILFORD, Ohio--The print run for the March-April edition of The Good News, the magazine published by the United Church of God, was 513,000, surpassing the half-million target set four years ago as a five-year goal, stated the March-April edition of United News, published by the church.

UCG to sponsor 40 Feast sites

MILFORD, Ohio--The United Church of God has announced it will sponsor 40 Feast of Tabernacles sites this fall.

New sites for 2002 will include La Paz, Bolivia; Grange-over-Sands, U.K.; Regina, Sask., Canada; Malawi; Guananjuato, Mexico; Iloilo City, Philippines; Hagerstown, Md.; and Keystone, Colo.

In addition to Keystone, other U.S. sites will be Bend-Redmond, Ore.; Branson, Mo.; Corpus Christi, Texas; Escondido, Calif.; Gatlinburg, Tenn.; Hagerstown, Md.; Jekyll Island, Ga.; Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii; Panama City Beach, Fla.; and Wisconsin Dells, Wis.