COGWA to Launch Newspaper with Larry Salyer as Editor

In its announcement dated 12/10/11, COGWA has the following:

Launching church newspaper! One of the greatest ties that bind a family together is knowing what is happening in the lives of each member of the household. To that end, we are pleased to announce a new publication for the members of our spiritual family, the Church of God, a Worldwide Association.

Beginning in early January, we will begin producing a monthly online newspaper covering the events and news of brethren and congregations around the world. Based on the example of the early Church described in several places in the book of Acts, we have chosen One Accord as the title of this publication. A church newspaper does not create the spiritual quality of “one accord,” of course, but it certainly plays a role in unifying the body when we are aware and informed of our brethren around the world.

One Accord will feature the latest updates of events in the Church, reports from international areas, congregational news, editorials, feature columns and personal announcements such as engagements, marriages, births, anniversaries and obituaries. We will also have annual editions focusing on Feast and camp reports, honoring graduates, etc.

As ones who previously worked together on church newspaper production, Larry Salyer and Elizabeth Glasgow are going to serve as editor and managing editor, respectively.

I have met Larry Salyer once or twice and he telephoned me once in 1998 prior to him helping orchestrate the taking over of the old Global Church of God (we ended up on different sides).

Larry Salyer resigned his media position from UCG in April 2010 and around November 2010 co-founded a group called COG-America with Leon Walker and Ken Giese. COG-America, a group that admitted that proclaiming the gospel was a low priority, seemed to have been disbanded about when COGWA formed (COG-America is discussed in the article Concerns about Church of God, a Worldwide Association).

Larry Salyer was once the Director of Church Administration for the Global Church of God and was instrumental in its board takeover in 1998 as well as its subsequent dissolving. He also helped form another group in 1999, that also subsequently dissolved. Just prior to that dissolution, he led about 10-15% of the old GCG into UCG over a decade ago–and now he is part of COGWA.

While it does make sense for COGWA to produce some literature (even though One Accord will apparently be only online), its choice of editor may or may not be problematic.

COGWA officially formed in December 2010. COGWA seems to be the largest group to form from the UCG (former UCG President David Hulme’s COGaIC had been the largest breakaway group from it prior to COGWA). Both the COGaIC and COGWA splits were claimed to be related to issues of church governance and direction.

One Accord is focused on COGWA’s own membership as opposed to be a tool for public proclamation of the gospel. As COGWA finishes its first official year of existence this month, those with it may wish to reflect on the fact that it still has not apparently made public proclamation of the gospel a top priority like it indicated to some that it would.

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?
Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God This article provides quotes information from the two largest groups which had their origins in WCG as well as commentary.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG/GCI members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.
Concerns about Church of God, a Worldwide Association This seems to be the largest group that came out of the United Church of God. Here is some history and concerns about it.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from evangelists?
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. These are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.