United Church of God, an International Association
Council of Elders Meeting Report
Wednesday, March 2, 2005 —San Antonio, Texas

The Council reviewed several doctrinal papers and statements Wednesday, continued its work on the process of selecting a president, and concluded the day with a brief executive session.

Updates

The Council was saddened to learn of the death of Gene Nielander, an elder serving the Lafayette IN congregation. On Tuesday his pastor, Council member Victor Kubik, returned to Indiana after learning of Mr. Nielander's death. Funeral services will be held Friday. For details, check this Web site: http://kubik.org/prayer/nielander.htm

Council member Tony Wasilkoff returned to Toronto Wednesday morning in order to attend meetings of the Canadian National Council.

Doctrine Committee  

Doctrine Committee chairman Jim Franks informed the Council of the committee's work since the Council's last face-to-face meetings in December 2004.

He sketched in some of the details of a response to be sent to the Philippines on a question dealing with a specific local diet practice, then explained an answer he will forward to Senior Pastor (for the Philippines) Dave Baker on a paper dealing with the Nature of God submitted by a former elder of the Worldwide Church of God in that country. Mr. Franks discussed with the Council the Committee's proposed answer for an American elder dealing with certain calendar issues (not yet sent). The Committee will answer one request from South Africa to consider changing the wording of the Church's Fundamental Beliefs with an explanation of the process for amending them.

After discussion and suggested minor edits, the ten Council members present unanimously voted to accept the study papers "Interracial Marriage—Biblical Study and Statement" and "The Nature of God and Christ—Study Paper." Next step for these papers is to be edited for style, then to be posted on the ministerial Web site for 30 days in order to allow for ministerial input and comment before final Council approval as official Church understanding and teaching.

As the morning session ended, Mr. Franks explained what action was needed by the Council on "The Role of Women in the Church—Doctrinal Study Paper." The Council's Doctrine committee has suggested certain edits to the original paper as submitted by the committee presenting it. The entire Council needs to review those suggested edits and decide which to accept before posting this paper on the ministerial Web site.

Presidential Selection Process  

During the afternoon session, the Council revisited the procedures to be used for selection of the president. They worked carefully to fine-tune, then unanimously approve a questionnaire for prospective presidential candidates, designed to elicit each one's perspectives and perceptions of the tasks and challenges facing the next president of the Church. The Council is proceeding deliberately, in order to devote the attention to this important process it deserves. The timeline approved in Tuesday's meeting outlines clearly the intervening steps leading up to interviewing potential candidates in Cincinnati preceding the May 12 selection of the president.

The day's meeting concluded with an executive session.

- Doug Johnson

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© 2005 United Church of God, an International Association