United News May - June 2022

United News: May - June 2022

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Welcome to the May - June 2022 issue of United News!

This issue features articles honoring three people for their service: retiring president Victor Kubik and retiring employees Connie Seelig and Tim Sipes. Local church news can be found on page 2 and pages 6-8, and Council Member John Miller writes about the path to Pentecost, featured on page 3.

Check out the job openings posted on page 5 if you're interested in working for the Church! Media updates may also be found on page 16-17, and international news is featured on pages 18-19.

The Good News section features articles by John LaBissoniere (page 9), Katherine Rowland (page 10), David Mills (page 11) and Amanda Miller (page 12).

As always, you can find the Planned Giving/Financial Stewardship article and the Beyond Today airing schedule on the back page of this issue.

Thank you for your continued support of this publication. Please email UN@ucg.org to submit articles, announcements, local church news, questions or feedback. 

Table of Contents

United Church of God Thanks Victor Kubik for Nine Years of Presidency

In March 2022 the Council of Elders made the decision to transition to a new leader to serve as president of United Church of God (UCG). Victor Kubik plans to retire within the next year, having served as president of...
Students performing a Bible skit

Ambassador Bible College Hosts Annual Charity Auction for 2022

2 minutes
The goal for the 2022 performance was to raise money for brethren in Zambia to receive a new bus so they may gather for the Sabbath each week.
A group of young adults assembling tacos

Tacos Turn Out Large Group of Young Adults

2 minutes
The local Nashville young adults met for fellowship, a pitch-in taco bar and edifying discussions about discipleship and future service projects.

Quarterly Council of Elders Meetings Held From Feb. 28-March 3, 2022

2 minutes
The Council of Elders held a regular meeting at the home office from Monday, Feb. 28, through Thursday, March 3.
Through spiritual begettal you and I can not only become inheritors of everlasting life but we can develop the very mind of God.

Marvelous Functions of the Holy Spirit

6 minutes
How does God use His Holy Spirit and what does He accomplish through it? As we prepare to observe the Holy Day of Pentecost, let’s focus on three of...
A group of teenagers in prom attire

Dallas-Fort Worth Congregations Hold Regional Family Weekend and Teen Prom

2 minutes
Brethren from almost a dozen states gathered for the family weekend and teen prom, complete with dinner, a photobooth and games for the preteens.
Two men standing behind a statue

Two Years Later, ABC Class of 2020 Reunites

3 minutes
This trip reminded the class of the bond they share from navigating ABC together in a pandemic.

Updates From Ministerial and Member Services

1 minute
Chris Rowland shares recent changes in ministerial and member services.
The Alamo

A Christian Band of Brothers and Sisters

6 minutes
As a “Band of Christian Brothers and Sisters” we will need the courage and support of each other in the coming days more than ever.
A group of teenagers gathered around a project on a table

New England Teen Weekend Builds “On This Rock”

4 minutes
14 Northeastern teens and their families gathered for a fuel-up weekend Feb. 19-20.
Bob and Jody

One Couple’s Journey to the Truth

5 minutes
The truth has a beginning, middle and end. What beautiful truths to know why we were born.

How You Can Make a Planned Gift

4 minutes
Planned giving is the process and preparation of making a gift during your life or after death.
A pair of praying hands

Christianity: A Cult for Jesus?

7 minutes
In this three-part series, let’s briefly examine the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, the nature of Jesus in the context of modern...
Ladies standing and seated around a table of donations

Maryland Congregation Collects and Donates Baby Supplies

1 minute
Ladies in the Columbia congregation collected hundreds of baby items and wrote cards of encouragement for new mothers.
A group of brethren at Church services

Trip to Trinidad and Tobago

3 minutes
For the first time in almost two years, Chuck and Mary Smith were able to visit the brethren in the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago.
Open Bible

Preaching the Gospel as a Witness

6 minutes
Discover how contemporary advertising methods play a vital role in the Church’s commission to preach the gospel of God’s Kingdom as a witness to all...
A group of teenagers in formal attire at a dance

Southeast Formal Weekend Excels in Friendship and Fun for Teens and Families

2 minutes
Teens from half a dozen states gathered in Georgia for Sabbath services, a formal dance and roller skating during the weekend of March 26-27.
Brethren attending Church services

Myanmar Update: Part One

6 minutes
In this first of two parts, we will discuss the current status, as of writing, of the civil war in Myanmar and how our brethren are doing. We continue...
A path running through grassy fields toward a backdrop of rolling hills

Pondering the Path to Pentecost

3 minutes
We tend to “romanticize” the glory of what occurred on this Day of Pentecost without pondering the path that led to it.
Two women in attendance at the tea party

Congregations in Georgia Hold Women’s Tea

2 minutes
The Atlanta Women’s Club gathered for the club’s tea party, in which they played ice-breaker games and introduced a new book for the Atlanta Women’s...
Ken Japhet

Ken Japhet Hired as Facilities Manager

2 minutes
The home office has recently hired Ken Japhet as Facilities Manager for United Church of God.
A couple standing on a bridge with umbrellas

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?

4 minutes
God intended marriage to be a lifetime date, but it is very easy to take our mate for granted. Emma’s story shows the importance of expressing love...
A couple dressed in butterfly-themed costumes

Costumed Nashville Brethren Eat, Dance and Laugh

1 minute
Brethren showcased their costumes after the potluck on March 12.
Tim Sipes

Honoring Retiring Employee: Tim Sipes

3 minutes
The United Church of God would like to recognize Tim Sipes upon his retirement from employed service to the Church.
Two people having a conversation

Gifts of Speech

5 minutes
“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29).
A group of young adults standing in the snow

Young Adults Meet in Arizona for Uplifting Weekend

2 minutes
Young adults gathered at Camp Wamatochick, site of the UYC Southwest summer camp, for an edifying weekend.
Connie Seelig

Honoring Retiring Employee: Connie Seelig

4 minutes
The United Church of God would like to recognize Connie Seelig upon her retirement from employed service to the Church.