Ground Zero — Chapter 3 – Conflict Erupts – March 3, 1995

The Genesis of the United Church of God
A Personal View from Ground Zero

Chapter 3  Conflict Erupts 

Chapter two concluded with the first part of a tense, soon-to-be tumultuous meeting with then-Pastor General Joseph Tkach, Sr. in his fourth-floor Pasadena office (the Senior Joseph Tkach is now deceased). Our account picks up as he begins reading the second of my two letters outlining my resignation. As previously noted, with me was my wife Beverly and pastor Doug Horchak, Mr. Tkach’s son-in-law, who resigned a few days prior to this event. I had asked Doug to accompany us at this critical meeting. Shortly after Joe Sr. read the first two letters, we were unexpectedly joined by Joseph Tkach Jr., whom I directly reported to in his then-role as director of Church Administration.

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Merna Leisure-Eppick Receives 2023 Missouri Mental Health Champions’ Award

Each year three remarkable Missourians, who have overcome many challenges to make life better for themselves, others, and their communities, are selected to receive the Missouri Mental Health Champions’ award at the capital Jefferson City.  The presentation was made on May 9, 2023 at an awards banquet at the Capitol Plaza Hotel.  

One of the 2023 awards was given to Merna Leisure-Eppick of Branson, MO.

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Ground Zero

The Genesis of the United Church of God
A Personal View from Ground Zero

By Victor Kubik

At its peak, it was a vibrant, global church. It counted more than 120,000  members meeting collectively each Sabbath on every inhabited continent. Its television program was ranked No. 1 by Nielsen and aired weekly on more than 100 satellite and terrestrial stations, leveraging a media budget of $57 million (in 2023 dollars). It published a monthly flagship magazine with more than six million copies distributed in seven languages. Attendance at its annual festival sites was regularly measured in the multiple thousands. Annual contributions neared the quarter of a billion dollars mark. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was powerfully thundered across every available media.

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Thanksgiving 1996

Thanksgiving 1996

Here is one of my first postings on my kubik.org website:

November 28, 1996

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States. It's a special day that focuses on gratitude. I'd like to share some thoughts with you...

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