eNews from Ministerial and Member Services
Issue 251
November 10, 2016
Personal From the President...
Dear fellow servants of God,
We are in the midst of our second round of Pastoral Development Program classes and are thoroughly enjoying our time of learning and fellowship with all attendees. Much instruction is being given to our ministerial trainees and newer pastors about the work of shepherding a congregation. Pastor NawaTalama and his wife, Felicia, are staying at our home during the duration of the meetings. Others are staying with home office employees and brethren. This not only helps us with our costs, but allows us to get to know one another better.
Darris McNeely lecturing about "tone and voice"
Serious Food Shortage in Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe
Pastor Talama has brought to our attention a serious concern about food security for our brethren. This year, our members in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi are facing serious food shortages. For the past three years they have suffered from a lack of rain during the rainy season. The rains are crucial to their survival and they are dependent upon their crops for food. Very few make enough money to go to the stores to purchase anything more than the basics such as soap and oil for cooking.
Major NawaTalama and Felicia
Their seasons are the opposite of the northern hemisphere, where most of us live. At the end of a failed crop in April, we helped to purchase grain for food needs before the prices begin to skyrocket. This grain has been distributed to the members for food.
Now, November is the beginning of another planting season, but having suffered through three years of little rain there are few resources to purchase seed and fertilizer to put into the ground.
Farming has always been a gamble and always will be. If nothing is planted, then nothing will be produced. It is essential that once the rains start that the soil is prepared to begin planting. This must be done without any assurance that rains will continue as needed. Irrigation is not available. Hauling water from the nearest borehole (well) may be several miles away and would amount to a drop in the bucket.
We could use help for the purchase of seed and fertilizer, but most of all prayers for rain in due season.
A generous donation has come in for Zimbabwe, but we could still use some help for Malawi and Zambia. We have identified approximately 75 families with varying needs coming to about $100 per family, for planting seed and two applications of fertilizer.
Perhaps your congregation would consider helping our brothers and sisters in this very needed way and make this a project.
We have already helped rescue some of our brethren in Malawi earlier in the year with help from the Cincinnati East congregations. This story can be seen here:
You can help through LifeNets. Beverly Kubik will be coordinating this effort and can be reached at for more information.
What is our role with respect to our new President?
We awoke on the morning of November 9 to the stunning news that a non-traditional business executive and former reality television star was now our President-Elect. Donald Trump had run a contentious and frequently unscripted campaign, one that was often punctuated by heated controversy. While allowing for a slim possibility of victory, virtually every commercial media outlet in the United States and abroad basically gave now President-Elect Trump no real chance of winning against long-time politician Hillary Clinton.
But, in the aftermath, here's what NBC News had to say: "The polls were wrong--all of them. So were the experts, the political consultants and the seasoned officials in both parties who predicted Donald Trump would lead his party to ruin." Now, it's an unexpected new day.
For us in the United Church of God, what does that mean? What, if any, is our role?
Several instances exist in the Bible that chronicle the acts of people who served in high posts of public government service. Daniel, a young man whose family was removed from Judah and transported captive to Babylon, rose to a high position. When called to serve, he was marvelously and fearlessly transparent about where real power came from. As he told the king of Babylon: "Praise the name of God forever and ever...He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings" (Daniel 2:20-21, New Living Translation). That took real courage!
What about us? The Church has no involvement in secular politics and never offers an endorsement of any political candidate. But we do have a precise, God-directed role toward leaders of human governments. There are numerous specific commands that we are to regularly pray for the human leaders of this world and we are commanded to honor them with appropriate respect (Romans 13:1-4, 1 Peter 2:13-17). Do we do this?
These should not be ineffectual prayers of rote or mere formality. As James, the brother of Jesus, tells us, regular and focused prayer holds mighty power (James 5:16-18). To underscore this, the Bible records instances where prayer and a change in behavior has actually had a national impact.
God sent a major warning to the Assyrian people of Nineveh (a major city of the day), and to everyone's apparent shock, theyacted.The result was that God changed His mind and postponed the fall of that great ancient city (Jonah 3:5-10). Further, God made a major promise about national prayer at the beginning of Solomon's reign, a time when a united Israel was reaching its zenith. Following Solomon's prayer of dedication for the first Temple, God told Solomon that He had heard the prayer. God then made this famous promise: "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).
President Ronald Reagan took 2 Chronicles 7:14 as his presidential inaugural theme for both of his terms as U.S. President.
There's also another important reason why we are to pray for our national leaders. As Paul cautioned Timothy, "in the last days perilous times will come" (2 Timothy 3:1). When viewing the growing instability in Russia, Eastern Europe, Asia and the Middle East, we are also acutely aware of what Jesus warned: "the night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4). With that as a backdrop, consider Paul's important instructions in his first letter to Timothy: "I urge you, first of all, to pray forallpeople. Ask God to help them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authorityso that we can live peaceful and quiet livesmarked by godliness and dignity" (1 Timothy 2:1-2, NLT). As Paul emphasizes, this act of focused prayer actually "pleases God" (verse 3).
As people actively look for and expect real change, the wide-sweeping change that doesn't come from establishment politics, does that give us in the Church a new chance to proclaim the gospel as the real solution? I hope that we're all praying for open doors, new ideas and even protection as Paul instructed the Thessalonians in the first century. We're all in this together, and Paul asked that we all "Pray that the Lord's message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes," and that those who deliver it would be protected (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2, NLT).
As events surrounding this surprise presidential finish continue, let us follow Paul's advice to "Set your mind on things above, not on the things of the earth... And whatever you do in word and in deed, doallin the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Colossians 3:2, 17). Let us also remember to be lights to this world, reflecting the "weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith" (Matthew 23:23) as we go about our daily business. People should be able to see the spiritual and behavioral effect of Jesus living within us, which appears as love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness and more (Galatians 5:22-23).
And finally, let us remember what Jesus reminded us of at the end of the Bible, "Surely I am coming quickly." To this we collectively reply with enthusiasm and passion: "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20). That is the real hope of us all.
May grace and peace from Jesus Christ and God the Father be with you all.
In Christ's service,
Victor Kubik
P.S. Please see two related postings about the Church's observations about the recent election results:
- America's Election Results: A Time to Pray(BT Daily) by Darris McNeely
- What's Beyond America's Historic Election?by Victor Kubik
51st Northwest Family Weekend in Portland, Oregon
(Dec 23-26)
The Portland, Oregon, congregation cordially invites everyone to join us for the 51st annual Northwest Family Weekend.
Friday Dec. 23rd begins with a "Meet & Greet" lunch followed by afternoon biblically-based seminars. Hymn singing in the evening will help welcome in the Sabbath.
Saturday Dec. 24th we will have a youth Bible study, speakers workshop class, choir practice, Sabbath service, and then beautifully decorated dances for teens and adults.
Sunday Dec 25th will feature organized volleyball and basketball games for teens, preteens, and adults.
Monday Dec. 26th: snow skiing, snowboarding, and tubing on Mount Hood.
As the event gets closer will will send out some update announcements concerning online registration.
Deuteronomy 6 - Youth Instruction Updates
As a reminder, the "First Commandment" Family Study Guide is ready for families and youth instructors. The youth lessons can be accessed in two ways:
- It has been uploaded to the UCG Family Education website. You can find it here:
- You can also find access the lessons via Dropbox: UCGD-6 Family Guides
As always, if you have questions or issues with finding what your congregation needs, please don't hesitate to contact the Schreibers:r 480-235-3981