Recollections of WCG, etc. in Canada

A reader from Canada, who was once part of the old Worldwide Church of God, sent the following to me and gave me permission to post this:

Considering the short time (two years) that the Continuing Church of God has existed, to have “a couple dozen congregations” is a fairly good achievement. You also mentioned having a few supporters scattered in [across] Canada. Recalling the history of the (original) Radio/Worldwide Church of God in Canada, the number of Canadian supporters is more than that of the WCG for the first two years they had. Radio stations, in Mr. Armstrong’s time were less powerful and were barely reaching the northwestern Canada/USA border. It took several years and many more stations added across the USA before Canadians were able to listen to the “World Tomorrow” broadcast. As more stations were added to the Pacific Northwestern states, more Canadians were able ‘tune in’ and started to write for literature.

Finally, in the 50’s (I cannot recall the exact date) Mr. Armstrong sent his son Garner Ted to Vancouver to obtain a post office mail box and and open a small office there. I believe Mr. Dean Wilson was sent there to operate it and later became the first Canadian director of the Work in Canada. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Wilson several times (during the 70’s) both at the Feast of Tabernacles in Penticton, BC and Victoria, BC. He also held a Personal Appearance campaign at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton. A (then) young minister, Ronald Miller sang two solos during this event. During the early years, these two men (with possibly one or two others) took a ‘baptizing tour across Canada. Soon afterwards, there were bible study groups, that later became congregations in every province across Canada. My wife and I started attending WCG Edmonton in the summer of 1972. In 1975, Ron Miller baptized my wife and his ministerial assistant Clyde Killough (now president of COGWA) baptized me while they were ministers here. I would say that in 1976, the WCG in Canada reached its peak in membership. At that time in Edmonton, there were four congregations in the city with an average of 210 attending in each congregation. Calgary had two. However, as bible studies were flourishing throughout the province, they quickly became church congregations and many people, who came into Edmonton for Sabbath, started attending a congregation closer to home. We then merged Edmonton North with Edmonton West for the north side of the river and merged Edmonton East with Edmonton South for the south side of the North Saskatchewan River, which runs right through the centre of the city. Calgary did the same and went back to having only one congregation. Both cities were ‘field training centres’ for many Ambassador College Graduates from Big Sandy and Pasadena, and even a few from Bricket Wood. We have had somewhere between 30 and 40 ministers that spent time In fact, I could list most of their names and I am sure you would remember many of their names from COG news articles you either read about in Dixon Cartwright’s Journal or your own research (for COG News) as they have surfaced in many stories. These years in the 70s were indeed exciting times. I get carried away writing or talking about this era.

I will not write much more but feel it necessary to briefly mention when I left the WCG. When my sister died in 1992, I moved to Chilliwack, BC, 80 miles east of Vancouver to look after my elderly mother for seven years … It was while I was there that the WCG started to fall apart and early in 1996, I left the WCG as did 70 percent of the Abbotsford congregation. While ‘in transition’ I met with others in various homes. Occasionally, I attended Global in that area, as did many of my friends who left WCG but then problems started occurring there as well. Finally, I started attending UCG in White Rock, just east of Vancouver and later a UCG congregation, although less than thirty people, was started in Abbotsford, which was closer to Chilliwack. …

That briefly tells the story of the church situation in western Canada, and a little bit of my own COG experience.

The writer wanted me to add that this was the recollection of events to the best of his knowledge, but that he felt it accurately represented what happened with him and various others in Canada. It should be mentioned, however, that while Clyde K. is with COGWA, he is not its president.

Anyway, in 1991, our family went to Victoria, British Columbia (Canada) for the Feast of Tabernacles. Over 1,000 (perhaps 2,000 or more) attended. At the beginning of this post is a picture of Victoria Harbor and the children’s choir at the Feast that year.

As far as Canada and the Feast of Tabernacles goes, the Continuing Church of God is planning to have a video site in New Brunswick, Canada next month (see Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2014).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church?
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.
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from c. 31 A.D. to 2014. A related sermon link would be Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios.