A thank you from the General Council Churches of God, 7th Day (Meridian)

(General Council Facebook page)

Received the following email this week from the General Council Churches of God, 7th Day:

Greetings;

Sheryl from the staff at the General Council of Churches of God, 7th Day, brought your page to light for the Board members to look at. Thank you!

I loaned the Herbert Armstrong autobiography out, to never see it again, as I was taking the ‘Teachings of the Worldwide COG’ courses. I also have some Herbert Armstrong stories to tell too!

It turned out in the early 20th Century, the Herbert Armstrong approached the COG7 Board in Willamette Valley in Oregon. He had a ‘new plan’ to preach the Gospel, but the Board’s reply, Herbert didn’t like: “Herbert, you’re a new kid on the block, let us get to know you better before we start any new plans.”

So, being Herbert, with an extensive business experience, he started his own group that grew at a fair speed.

Our group doesn’t teach Holy Days, but one part of Herbert’s book I recall is a scriptural reference to the word ‘forever’ regarding the Holy Days! I like to refer to the Chosen People Ministries out of Toronto, NYC and Tel Aviv. They are a Messianic Jewish group.

I end with my favorite scripture, Romans 6:1-2. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

Sincerely,

Donald A. Syvanen

Board, COG7, Meridian

I replied to his email as follows:

Dear Donald A. Syvanen:

Thanks for the nice email.

The article came out because I was contacting various COG leaders last year in my quest to look for lists of COG leaders throughout history. Until then, there was not one {article directly} related to your COG (or one or two others) at the COGwriter.com website.

Anyway, I will try to add your quote about not teaching Holy Days.

Best regards,

Bob Thiel

Last Summer, I contacted the Meridian church related research I was doing related to Church of God (COG) leaders throughout history.

(Other COGs were also contacted as were non-COG leaders/scholars, such as those associated with the Waldensians and Seventh-day Adventists.)

Information on the General Council Churches of God, 7th Day is in the article: MCGSD: Meridian Church of God Seventh Day.

Some items of related interest may include:

MCGSD: Meridian Church of God Seventh Day A group that was a split from the old Stanberry COG.
CG7.ORG This is a website for those interested in the Sabbath and churches that observe the seventh day Sabbath.
CG7-D: Church of God, (Seventh Day): History and Teachings Nearly all COG’s I am aware of trace part of their history through some affiliation with this group. Loren Stacy is the president of the largest CG7 USA group (Denver). Do you know much about them?
CG7-S: Church of God 7th Day, Salem (West Virginia) This group formed by A.N. Dugger in 1933 when he split from the CG7 group he was once president of.
1. The Ephesus Church Era was predominant from 31 A.D. to circa 135 A.D. The Church of James, Peter, Paul, and John, etc. Here is a link to a related video sermon: Ephesus Church Era.
2. The Smyrna Church Era was predominant circa 135 A.D. to circa 450 A.D. The Church led by Polycarp, Melito, Polycrates, etc.Here is a link to a related video sermon: The Smyrna Church Era.
3. The Pergamos Church Era was predominant circa 450 A.D. to circa 1050 A.D. An especially persecuted Church. Here is a link to a related sermon video: Pergamos Era and the Antichrist.
4. The Thyatira Church Era was predominant circa 1050 A.D. to circa 1600 A.D. The Church during the Inquisition. It claimed succession from the apostles. Here is a link toa related sermon: Thyatira, Succession, and Jezebel.
5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses some early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, CG7-Salem, Jerusalem 7DCG, and COG-7th Day-Denver. Here are two historical sermons: Sardis Church Era: Beginnings, Doctrines, and Leaders and Sardis: SDBs, SDAs, & CG7s.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
7. The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 17 Laodicean Errors in Prophecy. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?
Laying on of Hands Succession and List Does the Church of God have laying on of hands succession? Does the Continuing Church of God have a list of leaders from the time of the apostles?