Notes and Quotes
from the church of God

Winter Family Weekend

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--The United Church of God's Winter Family Weekend will happen Dec. 23-27, 2008, in Louisville at the Galt House Hotel and Suites.

The five days, Tuesday through Saturday, will include seminars, a writing workshop, sports competitions and other games, Sabbath services, music, dancing, food, fellowship and indoor rock climbing.

For more information visit www.ucg.org/familyweekend or call (800) 843-4258.

Winter Family Tournament

LEXINGTON, Ky.--Billed on its Web site as the Original Winter Family Tournament, the Church of God Cincinnati and Church of God Lexington will sponsor their big winter event Dec. 24-28, 2008.

One of the organizers, Jim O'Brien of Liberty Township, Ohio, explained to The Journal a year or two ago that the Winter Family Tournament is not actually a tournament. It does, however, feature sports competition. It's just that there are no playoff games and, therefore, no winner.

But there is fun for everybody, says Mr. O'Brien.

The location is the Griffin Gate Marriott. Events will include basketball, seminars for adults and teens, a meeting of homeschoolers, a dance, food, fellowship and Sabbath services.

For information write Church of God, P.O. Box 1811, West Chester, Ohio 45071, U.S.A.. Or phone (513) 755-0040.

Consistency of belief

MILFORD, Ohio--In a meeting Aug. 13, 2008, at the United Church of God's home office near Cincinnati, the 12 men on the council of elders discussed, among other topics, the question of "fundamental-belief consistency."

The subject was brought up by council member Paul Kieffer of Troisdorf, Germany. He noted that as he was translating the church's Fundamental Beliefs booklet into German he noticed an inconsistency with the church's statement about the feast days in Article 2.1.12 of the constitution and what he found in the booklet.

As noted by council reporter John Foster, Mr. Kieffer noticed that the booklet states that the feast days "will be observed by all mankind during Christ's millennial reign."

Former council member Jim Franks of Cincinnati, operations manager in the ministerial-services department, commented, in effect, that the two documents do not have to say the same thing as long as they do not contradict each other.

Church president and council member Clyde Kilough of the Cincinnati area suggested that somebody edit the booklet to make it conform more to the official belief statements.

The Journal tops poll at Ambassador Watch

BIG SANDY, Texas--Gavin Rumney of Auckland, New Zealand, recently conducted a poll of visitors to his blog at ambassadorwatch.blogspot.com to see what they're reading.

The Journal came out on top among visitors who answered the question: Which COG publications do you read, at least occasionally?

A Journal staffer reluctantly admitted he encouraged family and friends to visit Mr. Rumney's site and vote (or ballot, as some of the Churches of God might say) for The Journal.

"Therefore the results could be slightly unscientific," the staffer explained.

Whatever. Here are the results, with 213 Internet users participating:

• The Journal, published by JMC Associates, 30 percent, 66 votes.
• The Good News, published by the United Church of God, 14 percent, 32 votes.
• Tomorrow's World, published by the Living Church of God, 12 percent, 26 votes.
• The Trumpet, published by the Philadelphia Church of God, 7 percent, 16 votes.
• The Plain Truth, published by Plain Truth Ministries, 5 percent, 12 votes.

Also making a respectable showing, coming in a strong second:

• None of the above, 23 percent, 52 votes.

In another poll conducted by Mr. Rumney, The Journal came in second among specifically named Web sites in the poll, although third overall because of the inclusive wording of the question.

The question: Apart from AW [Ambassador Watch], what other sources of COG news do you check at least once a month?

The results:

• COGwriter.com, a site operated by Living Church of God member Robert Thiel of Arroyo Grande, Calif., 30 percent, 53 votes.

• Official church Web sites, 28 percent, 49 votes.

• The Journal, 27 percent, 47 votes.

• Other, 6 percent, 10 votes.

The Journal congratulates Dr. Thiel on his superior standing in this Ambassador Watch poll.