Thursday, April 28, 2016

Reading Global Church News

In December 1992 Roderick Meredith left WCG and established the Global Church of God (GCG). It quickly emerged as one of the main COG splinter groups arising in the wake of the Tkach changes. They made a telecast and magazine (The World Ahead) to get more members. They also made a magazine for GCG members named Global Church News.

Awhile ago I found some PDF files of Global Church News but that source seems to be off line now. However they can be viewed in doc format here.

Let's take a look at what Global Church News said.

March-April 1995

Much discussion of the split with Tkach's WCG. Colin Adair and Dibar Apartian's entry into the Global Church of God is mentioned by Meredith.

Dave Pack is in a photo towering over a seated Meredith. Ambassador Report tried to warn people about Dave Pack. Through ignorance or conscious decision such warnings were ignored. During the turmoil of the 1998 Pack went out and established his own COG group, Restored Church of God.

Raymond McNair complains about being restricted from WCG. Now McNair finally learned to a certain degree what it was like for all those many people who were cast out of Radio/Worldwide COG over the years.

May-June 1995

Roderick Meredith complains that Armstrongites are called legalists. Of course you are.

Jonathan McNair tells his readers to "support the Work financially".

Raymond McNair moans that some label Armstrongism as a save your own skin gospel. He knew how to condemn others but did not know how to take criticism himself.

July-August 1995

Meredith defined Laodiceans as lackluster Armstrongites, not a particular organization. Douglas Winnail and Robert League joining GCG is mentioned.

Carl McNair has an article discussing the rise of GCG.

September-October 1995

Meredith discusses the prohibition against getting involved in politics and voting.

Carl McNair discusses his first attendance of the improperly observed Armstrongite Feast of Tabernacles.

George Anderson condemns talebearing. Considering the many problems that have occurred among the Armstrongites it is little wonder that the COGs' leaders try to discourage lay members from remembering things inconvenient for the COGs' 1%.

November-December 1995

Meredith mentions he used to write a poem while he was a high school student.

John Ogwyn mentions that many are hurting as a result of the splintering of WCG. An unsigned letter inquiring of Meredith's analogy of the Kingdom of God today as being like an embryo is quoted to illustrate the pain resulting from the splintering of WCG.

Raymond McNair has a question and answer column. At one point a question concerns Revelation 17. He evasively gives the answer but does not answer specifically. He taught it was the Roman Catholic Church.

January-February 1996

Meredith has a paean dedicated to HWA.

Colin Adair has an article about how to dress properly.

Raymond McNair advertises his upcoming booklet promoting British Israelism. He insists that HWA did not plagiarize J. H. Allen's book, Judah's Scepter and Joseph's Birthright. He even says he had read the two books and they are so different there was no plagiarism on HWA's part. What nonsense. Just goes to show how desperate they are to maintain HWA's prestige among the tithes paying lay members.

Douglas Winnail rejects the idea that Christianity involving believing that Jesus is the Messiah and insists it is necessary to observe the Jewish rules that HWA selected and culturally appropriated for his Armstrongism.

March-April 1996

Raymond McNair has an article insisting that the Jews are wrong to observe Passover when they do. Raymond McNair insists his understanding of this matter is correct.

Jeffrey Patton discusses the ministerial conference of January 17-24, 1996. Meredith responded to criticism that he accepted other COG groups as brethren. Meredith denounced Tkach's WCG as apostate. The World Ahead magazine had a circulation of 37,012.

Carl McNair complained that those who established UCG did not join GCG.
'Others had the opportunity to join arms with us a year ago, but they chose not to. They rejected us, personally, and that hurt, but that was their decision.' (p. 19.)
May-June 1996

Meredith condemns conspiracy theories. At the time GCG was undergoing tensions from those inclined to believe conspiracy theories.

Meredith complains that people need to be careful with their tongue.

Jeffrey Patton discusses debate over when to observe Pentecost.

Douglas Winnail tells Global Church of God members to "Use the force, Luke."

Information about how to plan for the (improperly observed) Feast of Tabernacles is mentioned.

July-August 1996

Meredith discusses the dates when GCG observes the Armstrongite Holy Days.

Meredith encourages members to observe the Feast of Tabernacles.

Raymond McNair tells members to observe their understanding of the dates of the Armstrongite Holy Days.

Raymond McNair talks about the postponements.

John Ogwyn talks about the Nicolaitans.

Fred Dattolo had an open letter defending GCG. In 2001 Fred Dattolo would switch allegiance to Gerald Flurry's PCG.

It is mentioned that a GCG member will help bear the Olympic torch.

November-December 1996

Meredith talks about the Feast and complains about rumors.

Jeffrey Patton called the Feast the best ever.

The previous Feast is discussed.

January-March 1997

Meredith boasts that GCG had an annual income of $9 million in 1996.

A financial report is included.

A story about one young GCG member getting very sick and needing to go to the hospital is mentioned.

April-May 1997

Passover is discussed.

Preparing for the improperly observed Feast of Tabernacles is discussed.

Larry Salyer talks about how great the Feast of Tabernacles is.

June-July 1997

Larry Salyer discusses Pentecost.

Douglas Winnail talks about the generation gap.

August 1997

Meredith mentions his first baptizing tour with Raymond McNair.

John Ogwyn discusses GCG's prohibition against military service.

Douglas Winnail seeks to get around the problem of saying Armstrongism is the only true form of Christianity.

Rod McNair talks about singing to please (GCG's) God.

Dexter Wakefield talks about how to prepare for the seventh day Sabbath before Friday sunset.

Finances are discussed.

October 1997

Rex Sexton discusses the symbolism behind the Day of Atonement.

John Ogwyn talks about preparing oneself for the Feast.

Norbert Link scare mongers that the Armstrongites will soon face persecution even though no such thing has happened ever since Armstrongism arose in the 1930s.

Raymond McNair encourages people to be kind.

Global Youth Camp is discussed.

Condolences are expressed at the tragic death of Princess Diana.

November 1997

Larry Salyer encourages people to be merciful.

Gary Foster made an article remembering Sydney Hegvold after he died on September 25, 1997, aged 79. It is mentioned that he was the first full time minister of WCG to join Meredith in establishing GCG.

The Feast is discussed.

April 1998

Preparing for the Feast is discussed.

Rise of LCG

Later in the year a power struggle erupted between Meredith and the Board of Directors. In the end Meredith left and managed to convince about 80% of the members to join with him in creating another COG group named the Living Church of God. The crippled GCG was unable to maintain itself in the United States and quickly disintegrated. However branches of GCG continued elsewhere.

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