CEM Having Issues

Laodicea has many ineffective structures

Ronald Dart’s Chrisitian Education Ministries (CEM) has faced problems as Ronald Dart has had health problems for some time. I learned the most of the following while out of the USA and have now gotten around to posting something:

As many of you know, I’ve been associated with CEM since 1999. However, Ron and I have been friends and have worked together since 1980. This past year was different and difficult, but I will not go into that on this Forum. Let’s just say that it is time for me to hand the reigns over to someone else, and assist them any way Ron and tendered my resignation to him and Allie on Monday…Skip

Dear CEM forum members,

Under other circumstances, the resignation of board members would not be any cause for comment at all. CEM’s board members are selected and elected by the existing board members, and it is not unusual for a board member to resign. But at this time, CEM faces circumstances which it has not since Ron Dart started this organization in 1995. That is, Ron Dart is not able to personally direct the organization, or to provide his wisdom and insight to the board. All of you are aware of this important fact, and it makes these recent resignations seem more significant than perhaps they really are.

Let me reassure everyone o f one th y and intimately aware of Ron’s vision for CEM and his plans to fulfill CEM’s goals into the future. Ron’s vision for CEM will continue to guide our policies, and his plans for CEM’s future goals will be our blueprint going forward. I have never been one to seek the limelight. My name is not on the founding documents for CEM. I never wanted my name to be there. Do not let that fool you into believing that the concept for CEM was not a development of Ron and me prayerfully seeking God’s will for our lives and his will for our service to him.

We are working now to plan a glorious and uplifting Feast of Tabernacles in Sevierville, TN for 2011. The beautiful Smokey Mountains will be an inspiring setting in October. And the area offers many family-oriented attractions, from National Parks to amusement parks to museums and shows. We are developing a new format for the weekly Sabbath service that was being live-streamed from the headqu arters b e. We will not permit such a vital service to be abandoned, so we will go back to live streaming as soon as we have everything in place. Our radio programs continue uninterrupted, inspiring the lives of unknown numbers of people who have never attended a Sabbath church service, as well as many veterans of our tradition. The calls to our call center have not slowed down a bit, as people continue to order free CDs of the radio program, or place their orders for Born to Win series.

So, you see, nothing has changed at all. I am committed to keeping Ron’s vision alive. Everything you can do to help will be much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Allie Dart

So, CEM is having more problems. It looks like it will try to continue, and it may.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Roderick C. Meredith on Church Government What form of governance did the early church have? Was it hierarchical? Which form of governance would one expect to have in the Philadelphia remnant? The people decide and/or committee forms, odd dictatorships, or the same type that the Philadelphia era itself had?
Unity: Which COG for You? Why so many groups? Why is there lack of unity in the Churches of God? Has it always been this way? What can/should be done about it?
Teachings of Christian Educational Ministries Ronald and Allie Dart’s confederation (not a church). This article also has some of its history.