Today, September 5, 2023 was my last meeting with my Batavia, Ohio Rotary Club, one of the oldest local clubs in the world. It is a bittersweet day for sure.
Sherry and I had the opportunity to celebrate our son Colin’s graduation from Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine on July 2. What makes this different and special, is that Ukraine is in the middle of a war with Russia.
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.
The Genesis of the United Church of God A Personal View from Ground Zero
Chapter 2 Crossing the Rubicon on March 3, 1995
Chapter One concluded with an invitation to delve into an eventful saga, recounting how the United Church of God came into existence. Over the years I have been asked, "What happened?" Here is Chapter Two.
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.
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.
Congratulations to Dr. Richard Berendt of Edmonton, Alberta and colleagues for being awarded the 2022 HQCA (Health Quality Council of Alberta) Patient Experience Award.
