SAN DIEGO, Calif.--Al Carrozzo would like to see the fragmented groups, as he calls them, of the Churches of God descended from the Worldwide Church of God come together in some form or fashion, so he and Art Mokarow plan a "symposium" to talk about things in Dallas Jan. 30 through Feb. 2, 2008.

Mr. Carrozzo, of Escondido, Calif., and Mr. Mokarow, of Montgomery, Texas, are both former members, elders and employees of the Worldwide Church of God.

"Many of you will remember me from my final position [in the WCG] as regional director over the churches and ministers in the western half of the United States," Mr. Carrozzo wrote in a recent "open letter to ministers and members once associated with the Worldwide Church of God."

"It seems we have been scattered everywhere and there is no program to participate in any sort of unified effort to grow in grace and knowledge," he said.

Mr. Carrozzo said he does not advocate a return to the "restrictive and stifling" structure of the old Worldwide Church of God, "in which we were not allowed to openly discuss any diversity of opinion."

Rather, "I am advocating that we do come together in a spirit of unity and cooperation to openly discuss matters of doctrine, prophecy, archaeology and spiritual maturity."

He optimistically hopes his efforts will serve as the beginning of the process of "the restitution of all things" as mentioned in Acts 3.

The symposium's format will feature presentations of specific teachings and points of view.

"Then we would have a Q&A session followed by a presentation from a different or opposite view, followed by another Q&A," he said.

The theme of the symposium will be "Law and/or Grace," but the presentations will also include "peripheral" subjects, he said.

"The symposium will have an audience of presenters [who are] former members of the Worldwide Church of God and others who want to hear and learn."

The "others" may include representatives from the Church of God 7th Day based in Denver, Colo., the Church of God 7th Day based in Meridian, Idaho, Seventh-day Adventists and other Sabbatarian Christians.

The Journal asked Mr. Carrozzo if he would like to see multiple mergers of Church of God groups.

"No, that's not what I'm talking about," he said.

But he does think Christians should model themselves after the "pattern we see in the early New Testament ekklesia in which there was an autonomous structure which allowed for all to participate."

To participate or request more information, write or phone Mr. Carrozzo or his son, Tom Carrozzo, at Associates for Restored Truth (ART), P.O. Box 2524, Escondido, Calif. 92049, U.S.A.; or email either alcarrozzo@yahoo.com or tom_carrozzo@yahoo.com.