On Saturday, April 3, 2004, Dave Harris will be give the sermon, titled, “After Conversion.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

On Sunday, April 4, 2004, is Passover. If you won’t be able to attend local services and want to keep the Passover at home, please read the special announcements regarding this in this Update.

On Monday evening, April 5, 2004, is the Night to Be Much Observed.

On Tuesday, April 6, 2004, is the First Day of Unleavened Bread. Rene Messier will be giving the sermon in the morning from Oregon. His sermon is titled, “Self-Examination. Edwin Pope will give the sermon in the afternoon from San Diego, discussing important principles related to that day.

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 9:00 am and 1:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 11:00 am and 3:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

On Sunday evening, April 4, 2004, baptized members of the Church of God will partake of the New Testament Passover symbols of bread and wine, thereby following the Godly command to do so once a year. They will reflect and meditate on God’s great purpose in sending His only-begotten Son to die for us, so that we can have everlasting life (John 3:16-17). In addition, they will deeply appreciate the fact that Christ also suffered for us to make possible Godly healing of our physical sicknesses and injuries (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17).

If we are in the spiritual body of Christ, we are commanded to partake of the Passover symbols. At the same time, we are told by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:28, to “examine” ourselves, before we eat of the bread and drink of the cup. This self-examination is important, so that we do not partake of the Passover in an unworthy manner (vv. 27, 29). However, the purpose of our self-examination is not to become so depressed that we refuse to take the Passover. Rather, we are to examine ourselves and to “eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”

Paul’s admonition is not to be understood in a negative way. The Greek word for “examine,” “dokimazo,” is exclusively used in the New Testament Scriptures in a positive manner. Let us notice all the passages where the word is used:

In Luke 14:19, a person bought oxen, and AFTER he had bought them [not before], he went out to test or “examine” them. In Romans 12:2, Paul encourages us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may prove or test or “examine” what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Again, we see the positive purpose of this kind of examination.

Further, 2 Corinthians 13:5 tells you to “examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test [Greek, “dokimazo”] yourselves. Do you not know yourselves THAT Jesus Christ is in you?” Paul took it for granted that Christ was living in them, but he encouraged them to individually reconfirm and reestablish this knowledge.

Galatians 6:4 admonishes each and every one of us to “examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself.” Again, this examination should lead to joy, not sorrow. Another passage in this context is Ephesians 5:8-10: “For you were ONCE darkness, but now you ARE light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out [in Greek, “dokimazo”] what is acceptable to the Lord.” Paul is saying here that we are already light. We CAN therefore find out what is acceptable in God’s sight. Again, this examination should lead to an increase of the right kind of Godly understanding.

Philippians 1:9-10 adds: “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve [Greek, “dokimazo”] the things that are excellent.” Again, we find the positive nature of such approval or examination.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:4, the Greek word “dokimazo” is used twice: “But as we have been approved [Greek, “dokimazo”] by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests [Greek, “dokimazo”] our hearts.” God has already examined or approved us, but God continues to test or “examine” us — not, so that we fail, but so that we overcome even more.

Finally, let us notice 1 Peter 1:6-7:”In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested [Greek, “dokimazo”] by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Again, the testing or “examination” of our faith is not for the purpose of failing, but so that the genuineness of our faith becomes even more manifest and evident.

Paul was not discouraging us from taking the Passover. Rather, our examination should establish that we ARE on the right track — that Christ DOES live in us. And, if we find, during our self-examination, that we are lacking something, we need to repent of that, ask God for forgiveness, and resolve to do better next time, with the help and lead of Christ in us.

We are to examine ourselves, as to how we are doing, before we take the Passover. We need to take it in a worthy manner. We need to understand and appreciate what the sacrifice of Christ means for us. We must be willing to live our lives worthy of God and of our calling.

At the same time, none of us have lived perfectly since the last Passover. We all sin; we all have sinned; and we all have continuous need of God’s forgiveness. That is why we partake of the Passover annually — as an annual reminder that we NEED the sacrifice of Christ. And so, as Christ’s converted disciples, we can, should and need to partake of the Passover, remembering the inspired words of John, in 1 John 1:7-10:

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins [after we have examined ourselves to see how we are doing], He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

Let us do then, as we are commanded: “But let a man examine himself, AND SO LET HIM eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28).

Fascination Europe

Europe is uniting and destined to become the most powerful group of nations in the world — far exceeding that of the United States of America, Russia or China. Many don’t realize that Europe is already ahead of the U.S. in certain aspects, and most don’t grasp the awesome significance of what is happening in Europe right now in front of our very eyes.

Der Stern Online published a series of articles, dated March 25, 2004, titled, “Fascination Europe.” It pointed out:

“It will be a day which the old continent had never experienced before. A historical day. Not a day when walls fall or wars end, but a day when a group of children appears. They will come from 25 nations, wear their native cloth, and sing together Ludwig van Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’ — the hymn of Europe. For the ceremony on May 1 in the Dublin residence of the Irish President, governmental leaders from 25 nations will assemble — under one flag, the blue-golden star-spangled banner of Europe. When it waves on that Saturday, a goal will have been officially reached which no one dared to believe in for most of the last century — the unification of Europe.

“… Never before in history has a united Europe existed that was so great and so manifold and so free… Densely populated Europe has the biggest inland commerce via water transportation in the world… Its export exceeds that of the United States.

“May 1, 2004, is supposed to be a historical date, but all will really start shortly thereafter. Great Europe is to become a world power … economically, culturally and perhaps even militarily… ‘Economically a giant, but politically a dwarf,’ a Belgian minister scoffed 25 years ago regarding Europe, but European politicians are in the process of developing new strategies, especially in Paris. ‘The EU’s intervention troop of 60,000 soldiers, 400 airplanes and 100 vessels can be mobilized within 60 days,’ Michele Alliot-Marie, France’s Minister of Defense, said. In addition, 1500 special soldiers are planned to intervene at a place of crisis within 48 hours. According to the Minister, ‘that is unique in the world.’

“… German and European Unification complimented each other. Without Germany’s integration in Europe, the victorious allies of Word War II would not have stood by approvingly to observe the ‘German giant’ getting back on his feet.”

The magazine pointed out, too, that a United Europe has been a dream for a long time. We know, of course, from the pages of the Bible and from history, that Europe united nine times before — after the fall of Rome — and that a last and final resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire is happening right now. According to Der Stern Online, “Voltaire said in 1767 that Europe will become a great republic of cultivated spirits. Shortly thereafter, Immanuel Kant spoke of a European House. In 1849, Victor Hugo coined enthusiastically the phrase, ‘United States of Europe’ — a slogan that was later used by Winston Churchill during a speech in 1943.”

Interesting, too, is a chart published by the magazine, dealing with the different religions in Europe. It points out that the Protestants dominate in the North, while the Catholics have the majority in the South. Greece is the only EU member state with a Greek-Orthodox majority, reflecting Greece’s status as heir of the East-Roman Empire.

Europe and the Catholic Church

As we mentioned many times before, continental Europe will ultimately be united and spiritually led by the Catholic Church. It is no accident that the Pope has been strongly proposing and demanding a reference of Christianity — as defined and understood by Rome — in the European Constitution. How Rome defines Christianity can be seen in recent statements by the Pope, addressing Australian bishops who were ending their five-yearly visits to Rome. As Reuters reported on March 27, 2004, the Pope said: “Sunday should be a day for God, not for secular diversions like entertainment and sports.” The article also pointed out that the Pope “encouraged Christians, especially young people, to remain faithful to Sunday Mass, saying the secular culture was undermining family life.”

Zenit quoted the Pope, in addition, as follows: “Sunday Mass, because of its special solemnity, the obligatory presence of the faithful, and its celebration on the day when Christ conquered death, expresses with great emphasis the Eucharist’s inherent ecclesiastical dimension… Sunday is the SUPREME DAY OF FAITH, AN INDISPENSABLE DAY, THE DAY OF CHRISTIAN HOPE.”

It may come as a surprise to some, but Sunday is none of the above, when we properly understand true Christianity. Sunday is NOT a day commanded to be kept holy in the Bible, NOR is it the day when Christ was resurrected from the dead. For more information on these undeniable facts, and on the history as to how and why the Church of Rome began to teach the “sanctity of Sunday,” please read our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy” and “God’s Commanded Holy Days.” Also, you might want to listen to our recent sermon, “Christ’s Death and Resurrection,” which is posted on our Web.

The Catholic Church and Israel

Zenit reported on March 25 that Catholics “living in Israel and in the Occupied Territories are facing a hard time because of the authorities’ systematic refusal to grant visas.” The article pointed out that, as a result, “the church in the Holy Land might not have enough personnel to run the shrines, parishes, hospitals and schools.” It continued: “The refusal of visas raises questions about the Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and the state of Israel, signed 10 years ago.” One bishop was quoted as saying: “We are dealing with a very serious problem indeed, one which is getting worse by the day. Promises made by top-ranking government officials have not been kept so far. They won’t let us know the reasons behind the new policy. There are no official channels of dialogue to bring about a resolution to the situation.”

It is anticipated that this situation will not continue to be ignored by Europe and the Catholic Church for much longer.

Anti-Semitism Up Across Europe

As Associated Press reported on March 31, 2004, a report submitted to the European Parliament points out that “France had a six-fold increase between 2002 and 2003 in the number of violent anti-Semitic incidents and documented threats… There were many incidents of Jewish people assaulted and insulted, attacks against synagogues, cemeteries and other Jewish property, and arson against a Jewish school… It said anti-Semitic incidents rose in Britain by 75 percent in the first three months of last year… In Germany, such incidents rose by 69 percent from 1999 to 2000. And incidents in the Netherlands and Belgium both ‘significantly increased’ in 2002… Attacks against Jews were ‘relatively rare’ in Greece, Italy, Spain and Austria, but anti-Semitic comments are ‘particularly virulent’ in daily life.”

NEWS-NETWORLD added that the 300-page report found that most attacks against Jews were carried out by “right-extremist activists, including Skinhead groups, as well as young Muslims, persons of north-African descent and other immigrants.”

Haider and Libya

NEWS-Networld reported this week that Austria’s Joerg Haider and vice-chancellor Hubert Gorbach will be visiting Libya on April 16. The article pointed out: “Haider had stayed in Libya several times before, and he had been received by Muammar al-Qaddafi, Libya’s leader of the revolution. He is also a friend of his son, Saif al-Islam, who is the honorary president of the Austrian-Libyan Society, that was founded in April of 2002. Haider is the President of that Society.”

Haider stated that Libya’s willingness to cease any development of weapons of mass destruction proves that the Iraq conflict could have been solved with peaceful means, too. The article mentioned that his new visit should not invite criticism — given the fact that very recently, high-ranking American governmental officials and Tony Blair officially visited al-Qaddafi. Haider stated that he is looking forward to economic contracts between Austria and Libya to help Libya with Austrian “know-how.”

It is not.

Although the Passover is at times referred to as a feast day (compare Leviticus 23: 4-5), the Bible distinguishes between the day of Passover (on Nisan or Abib 14) and the seven Days of Unleavened Bread (on Nisan or Abib 15-21). [The first month of the year, in accordance with the Hebrew Calendar, is called Abib or Nisan. Abib, the original name, means “sprouting” or “budding.” The name Nisan was adopted following the Babylonian captivity. The first month is comparable to the Roman calendar period of March-April, and begins, in Biblical terms, with a new moon.] Exodus 12:14 refers to the first day of Unleavened Bread (compare Leviticus 23:4, 6), NOT the Passover.

We find that Christ and His disciples kept the Passover on Nisan or Abib 14. At that time, the Passover was sometimes included in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, but then the entire time was counted as lasting eight days, not only seven (compare Matthew 26:17-20; Mark 14:12-18; Luke 22:1, 7-16). However, the distinction between the Passover evening and the seven Days of Unleavened Bread was still clearly understood (compare Mark 14:1). One of the reasons why the Passover was included as an “unleavened” day was that the Jews, when leaving their homes to go to Jerusalem, had to remove all leaven from their homes, before they left (compare Exodus 12:19). Still, when the New Testament speaks of the FEAST during the spring season, it refers to the first day of Unleavened Bread, not the Passover evening (compare John 13:1). During the Passover evening, Christ told His betrayer, Judas, to “do quickly” what he had planned to do (John 13:27). Judas left the house, and the disciples thought that Jesus had asked him to buy those things they needed for the FEAST (compare John 13:29) — that is, the first day of Unleavened Bread, which would start at sunset on Nisan 15 — more than 20 hours later.

With this background, let us carefully review the events at the time when the first Passover was instituted. The evidence that the Passover was and is to be kept at the BEGINNING of Nisan or Abib 14, not at the end, is overwhelming, and will not be discussed here in detail. We would just like to point out that Christ and His disciples, as we saw, kept the PASSOVER at the BEGINNING of the 14th, and they should have known when to keep it. Further, the death angel went through Egypt on the night of the 14th, not the 15th, and that event is called Passover because the death angel passed over the Israelites, when he saw the blood at the doors of their houses (Exodus 12:27). We all know that Passover [and this has to include the actual event of the death angel’s PASSING OVER the Israelites] was on the 14th — not the 15th (Leviticus 23:5; Numbers 28:16). Also, the Israelites were not to leave their houses until morning (Exodus 12:22), and still we read that they left Egypt by night (Deuteronomy 16:1). Since it could not have been the night of Nisan 14, it had to be the next night — of Nisan 15.

Turning now to Exodus 12:14, let us quote, with approval, from Mr. Armstrong’s article, “What You Should Know About the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread,” which was published in The Good News, March 1979:

“Notice the Passover is not on the 15th… And notice too, the FEAST mentioned here is not the 14th…, but the FEAST DAY is the 15th. The seven-day period begins the 15th. The 15th is the FIRST of the seven Days of Unleavened Bread. However, since leaven was put out of the houses during the 14th, it came to be called one of the Days of Unleavened Bread by New Testament times, but when this is done, EIGHT days are included as Days of Unleavened Bread. The entire eight-day period is, in New Testament usage, called by then PASSOVER. BUT, the seven-day period begins the 15th, after the 14th, or Passover, has ended.

“The 14th day is the Passover. It is the first of God’s [annual] festivals… In the 15th day is the FEAST. Let us get that distinction clearly in mind. It is the 15th that is the FEAST — the 14th is the Passover. This FEAST day begins after Passover has ended… What day is established as a MEMORIAL — not a shadow, a MEMORIAL — a FEAST — to be kept FOREVER? Notice, it is the day that is the FEAST… the 15th Abib [or Nisan], not the 14th — not the Passover. This day is the Feast day — a memorial, to be kept a Sabbath or holy convocation, FOREVER! SEVEN Days are included… Many have always believed the day here spoken of, and ordained forever, was the Passover, or 14th. But it is not — it is the 15th day… The day established as a Sabbath or holy convocation forever is the FEAST day, the selfsame day on which they went out of Egypt, and they went out on the 15th, not the 14th (Numbers 33:3). This day is a MEMORIAL, not a shadow of the cross. A memorial of deliverance from Egypt, which pictures deliverance from sin!

“To keep us constantly in the MEMORY of the great fact that, having had our sins FORGIVEN by Christ’s blood (pictured by the 14th) we are not to stop here and remain in sin, but to go out away from sin!… Now, if these texts [beginning in Exodus 12:14] apply to the 15th, not the 14th, as they assuredly do… then is the Passover established FOREVER? Indeed it is! But these texts above refer to the FEAST and not the Passover. In the paragraph beginning Exodus 12:21 the PASSOVER is again referred to, and verse 24 establishes it FOREVER.”

In addition, Exodus 13:3, 4, 6, and 9 clarifies again, that the FEAST refers to the FIRST [and the LAST] Day of Unleavened Bread, NOT the Passover. We read: “And Moses said to the people: ‘Remember THIS DAY in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place. NO LEAVENED BREAD SHALL BE EATEN. ON THIS DAY you are going out, in the month Abib… Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the SEVENTH day shall be a FEAST to the LORD [that is, another holy convocation. Both on the first and on the seventh day, there are to be holy convocations, and that is why both these days are called “FEAST” days]… It shall be a SIGN to you on your hand and as a MEMORIAL between your eyes, that the Lord’s LAW may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you OUT OF EGYPT.”

Paul reminded the Corinthians that “Christ, our PASSOVER, was sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). He went on to say: “Therefore let us KEEP the FEAST [of Unleavened Bread], not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (verse 8).

On Saturday, March 27, 2004, Norbert Link will be giving the sermon, titled, “Christ’s Death and Resurrection.”

Saul was a man called and chosen of God because of his desire to do God’s Will. Once God called Saul, He did something very special for him. In 1 Samuel 10:9-10, we see “… that God gave him another heart … then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them (God’s prophets).” Yes, God gave Saul His Spirit and began to work with him. However, in the course of time, Saul allowed pride and vanity to interfere with his good judgment and he ceased his loyalty to God’s Ways.

The prophet, Samuel, in speaking to Saul, revealed that God would remove the kingdom from him after he had become rebellious and had broken God’s Command (1 Samuel 13:13-14). Samuel noted to Saul that God sought for Himself a man after His own heart. Of course, we know that God chose David to succeed Saul as king over His people.

Just as God had called and had chosen Saul as king over Israel, He established David in that position once Saul proved himself unfaithful. David would now have to prove his faithfulness to God and His Ways if he would be successful in his calling. We are all familiar with the life of David, his successes and his failures. But a revealing statement is made concerning David in Acts 13:22. “And when He had removed him (Saul), He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have raised up David the son of Jesse, a man after MY own heart, who will do all My will.'”

God has dealt with many such faithful men and women down through the ages. Many of these are listed and codified in the book of Hebrews, chapter 11 — such men and women as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, Samuel and the prophets. All, of course, are not listed here, as there have been many faithful to God down through time.

God has called and chosen many such people during our time to learn of Him and His Ways and to walk in those Ways — called to do all His Will. Many who have been called have been faithful, but others have chosen to walk contrary to God’s Way. What about you?

The feast of Passover is now approaching rapidly, followed by the Days of Unleavened Bread. These days, which give insight into God’s Way and His Plan are all commanded by God to be kept in their season. This is a time of self-examination. One called of God must be faithful to God, His Laws, and His Ways — keeping His festivals in a right spirit — and must be drawing closer to Him as the time of Christ’s return draws near!

There is too much at stake for one to give in now to human nature, to Satan, and to the ways of this world. It is going to take men and women seeking after God’s own heart to fill the positions He has made available for all who love His Way and His Appearing!

Do you have such a heart?

TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Following the murder of 190 innocent victims in Spain, the world learned on March 22, 2004, that “Israel killed Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin in a helicopter missile strike outside a Gaza City mosque Monday, prompting threats of unprecedented revenge by Palestinian militants against Israel and the United States,” according to USA Today. The article continued: “Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called Yassin the ‘mastermind of Palestinian terror’ and a ‘mass murderer who is among Israel’s greatest enemies.'” Reuters added: “Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom branded Yassin the ‘godfather of suicide bombers’ and urged the U.N. to call a special session to deplore terrorism.” The article also pointed out that “Israel… sees the United Nations as bastion of anti-Israel bias [and said] other countries were not qualified to judge the threat it faces.”

The Western and Arab world, as well as Russia, were quick, in general, to vehemently condemn Israel for the assassination. Only a few voices, including that of the United States and — to an extent — of Germany and Poland were heard, pointing out their concern about the seriousness of the situation in the Middle East, without outright condemning Israel.

Most Western and Arab countries and power blocs did, however, condemn Israel. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Monday canceled a visit by Egyptian legislators to Israel to protest the assassination of Yassin. As Reuters reported on March 25, 2004, “Even Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, which has close ties with Israel, joined in the outcry, saying in a newspaper interview on Thursday that the Jewish state had committed an act of ‘terrorism.'”

In a statement, the EU foreign ministers said “Hamas was guilty of ‘atrocities… which have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Israelis’ and that Israel has the right to protect itself against terrorist attacks. Israel is not, however, entitled to carry out extra-judicial killings… Violence is no substitute for the political negotiations which are necessary for a just and lasting settlement.”

In individual statements, the European foreign ministers voiced additional remarks of condemnation. Most surprising was the outspoken criticism of British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, alleging that Israel had violated international law. One must ask how Israel’s assassination was any different from the U.S. and Great Britain-led invasion of Iraq with the declared goal to get rid of Saddam Hussein, even if that meant his death. At that time, Mr. Straw did not have the same concern as many of the European nations, which felt that international law was violated. Instead, Mr. Straw fully supported the war against Iraq. On the other hand, nations like France, Denmark or Norway have been consistently condemning both the war against Iraq and the assassination of Yassin.

Hamas announced initially that they would avenge themselves in an unprecedented way, charging the United States with prior knowledge of the assassination. The U.S. government vehemently denied any prior knowledge, pointing out at the same time that Hamas is a terrorist organization responsible for suicide bombers indiscriminately killing innocent women and children.

On Wednesday, Hamas “backed off its initial threats against the United States, saying… that it would focus on attacking Israel — and try to kill Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.” Reuters reported on Thursday that “Israeli troops arrested a 16-year-old would-be suicide bomber at a West Bank checkpoint after talking him into taking off his explosives vest at gunpoint… Hamas, sworn to wipe out Israel, wants the JEWISH STATE and the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip for a future Palestinian state RUN IN ACCORDANCE WITH ISLAMIC LAW.”

We must conclude that the road map to peace has become a dead end street. Of course, it should have been clear to any objective observer that it was never anything but a futile attempt to bring peace to the Middle East — an attempt destined to failure from the outset. Biblical prophecy reveals that it is not the United States or Great Britain, but a powerful United Europe, which will bring a temporary and fragile “peace” to the Middle East — but not necessarily with peaceful means. For more information, please read our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

GERMANY NOT IMMUNE

Although Germany condemned the war against Iraq, and although German President Johannes Rau has been an ardent spokesman for civil rights and privileges of the Muslim community in Germany, Herr Rau was forced to cancel his trip to Djibouti on the Horn of Africa, after receiving threats that Islamic terrorists were planning to assassinate him, according to Associated Press of March 24. Bild Online added that the attack was apparently planned to be made via a car bomb. The German President stated that he was convinced by German governmental agencies that he was indeed targeted for an attack. Bild commented that Herr Rau barely escaped death. It is unclear whether the attack was planned by al-Qaeda.

EU VS. WORLDWIDE TERRORISM

As Associated Press reported, “the European Union threatened Monday to withdraw economic support for countries that fall short in the fight against terrorism.” The article continued: “The EU has already used economic leverage to try to bring nations back into line. With Iran, it has suspended free trade talks until Tehran comes clean on its nuclear weapons program, while an aid and trade deal with Syria hinges on Damascus agreeing to an anti-terrorism clause. The foreign ministers also approved measures to commit member states to help one another in case of a terrorist attack and backed the creation of an EU anti-terrorism coordinator to improve cooperation… [The plan] includes a pledge to mobilize ‘all the instruments at their disposal, including military resources,’ to prevent attacks or assist one another in the aftermath… France, for one, is against sharing sensitive military and political intelligence with all EU member states.”

WORLD LEADERS ATTEND MASS IN SPAIN

As Reuters reported on March 24, 2004, “political leaders and royalty from Europe and beyond joined the people of Spain in a Christian cathedral mass Wednesday to mourn the 190 victims of the suspected Islamist train bombers who struck Madrid this month.” The article listed as prominent guests in attendance: Spain’s King Juan Carlos; Queen Sofia of Spain; Secretary of State Colin Powell; British Prime Minister Tony Blair; German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder; French President Jacques Chirac; Prince Mulay of Morocco; as well as the current and the future leaders of Spain, Joe Maria Aznar and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

The article raised this interesting concern: “Cardinal Antonio Rouco Varela, the archbishop of Madrid, celebrated the memorial mass… There had been some unease expressed by representatives of other religions at the choice of a full Roman Catholic mass to remember the dead — at least three of who[m] were Moroccan Muslims.”

A CLOSE CALL

As Der Spiegel Online reported on March 19, 2004, an asteroid of 30 kilometers in diameter flew by the earth within a distance of 43,000 kilometers. The magazine stated: “The distance between the earth and the moon is 380,000 kilometers. Never has an asteroid, which was discovered ahead of time, come so close to earth.” The magazine pointed out, too, that in case of a hit, “tremendous devastation would have been the consequence.”

MUST DOCTORS BE IN SUPPORT OF ABORTION?

An alarming, appalling and incredible article was published by WorldNetDaily on March 23, 2004, reporting that “a student in his senior year at a Canadian medical school will not be permitted to graduate because of his Christian, pro-life stand against abortion.” The article continued that the student “was given a failing grade in obstetrics and gynecology because he refused to perform abortions or to refer patients out for any abortive procedure.”

We must congratulate the student for standing up for his convictions, which are in accordance with the Biblical teaching. If you want to learn more about the fact that abortion is murder in God’s eyes, please read our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?”

The Biblical text does not indicate here whether this was a marriage which had taken place some time previously or whether this was a recent event. The Hebrew commentary, Soncino, offers one possible explanation that the Cushite woman was “a woman of Ethiopian origin.” It continues:”Legend tells that Moses married the queen of Ethiopia…”

The Hebrew writer Josephus gives the following narrative in his work, “Antiquities of the Jews”, p. 58, addressing one of Moses’ campaigns as an officer in Pharaoh’s army, prior to his flight from Egypt (compare Acts 7:22-29; Hebrews 11:24-27):

“Tharbis was the daughter of the king of the Ethiopians: she happened to see Moses as he led the army near the walls, and fought with great courage; and admiring the subtlety of his undertakings, and believing him to be the author of the Egyptians’ success, when they had before despaired of recovering their liberty, and to be the occasion of the great danger of the Ethiopians were in, whence they had before boasted of their great achievements, she fell deeply in love with him; and upon the prevalency of that passion, sent to him the most beautiful of all her servants to discourse with him about their marriage. He thereupon accepted the offer, on condition she would produce the delivering up of the city; and gave her the assurance of an oath to take her to his wife; and that when he had once taken possession of the city, he would not break his oath to her. No sooner was the agreement made, but it took effect immediately; and when Moses had cut off the Ethiopians, he gave thanks to God, and consummated his marriage, and led the Egyptians back to their own land.”

If this narrative is based on truth, and if Miriam and Aaron brought up Mose’s alleged marriage with Tharbis in Numbers 12:1, then it would be very clear why the “anger of the LORD was kindled against them” (verse 9) — after all, Moses would have married the princess before his flight to Midian, that is, long before his conversion.

There is, however, another possibility as to who the “Ethiopian woman” might have been. Soncino continues to explain: “[A commentary] identifies the Cushite woman with Zipporah [whom Moses married while in Midian, after he had escaped from Egypt, compare Exodus 2:21] who was a native of Midian. The Midianites, who were tent-dwellers and dark-skinned, were also known as ‘Kushim.'”

The Midianites were descendants of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:1). Abraham took Keturah as his wife (same reference) or concubine (1 Chronicles 1:32) after the death of Sarah.

The Broadman Bible Commentary has this to say about the “Cushite woman”:

“The identify of the Cushite woman has been widely debated. The only known name of a wife of Moses was Zipporah (Ex. 2:16-22; 4:25; 18:2). However, there are times here and elsewhere at which Moses’ wife is referred to without specific name. It may be that the writer is referring to Zipporah here… For a long time, Zipporah had been left with her father (along with Moses’ two sons) but Jethro brought them to Moses. While Zipporah and the sons were absent, Miriam and Aaron had no challenger for second place; but when they were present there was a constant reminder of the several suggestions which had come through the Midianites upsetting the status quo arrangement. Zipporah was a Midianite (Ex. 2:16) or Kenite (Judg. 1:16; 4:11). In Habakkuk 3:7 the term ‘Cusham’ and ‘Midian’ are used in synonymous parallels. So she may have been referred to accurately as a Cushite woman. The story of Zipporah records the fact that Moses sent her away (Ex. 18:2). This is the same term as is used elsewhere for divorce. In the same chapter (Ex. 18:1,6) we are told that Jethro, still called the father-in-law of Moses, brought Zipporah to Moses ‘in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God’ (Ex. 18:5) along with her two sons. This account indicates (Ex. 18:27) that later ‘Moses let his father-in-law depart’ to his own country. No mention is made of Zipporah and the two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Thus it may be that the Cushite woman was Zipporah. The reference in this case would explain a repeated reference to Cushite to emphasize with some disdain that Miriam and Aaron considered her a ‘foreigner.'”

This explanation would also shed light on the fact that God’s anger was kindled against them, and mainly Miriam, the apparent “spokesperson” in the incident. Verse 2 reports that they murmured against Moses, saying, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses [“and” — following the comments of the Broadman Bible Commentary — “Zipporah, that Cushite woman, who is influencing Moses”]? Has He not spoken through US ALSO?”

God, however, was not pleased with this criticism. He told Miriam and Aaron: “I speak with him [Moses] face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?” (verse 8).

Although we don’t hear anything further about Zipporah (if she was indeed the Cushite woman in Numbers 12:1), the Bible may contain a later possible reference to Moses’ first-born son, Gershom, in the book of Judges. We read that the Danites engaged in idolatry, setting up for themselves a carved image, and “Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh [in the margin, an alternate rendering is given as “Moses”], and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan” (Judges 18:30). The Hebrew Tanakh points out that “an earlier reading [i.e.,] ‘Moses'” instead of Manasseh, is “indicated.” The Ryrie Study Bible comments that the better rendering is “son of Moses. The Danite priests traced their lineage to Moses.” Most German translations, including Luther, Zuercher, Menge and Elberfelder, consistently render this phrase as, “son of Moses.” If the reference in Judges 18:30 to Gershom is indeed a reference to the son of Moses, then Moses’ and Zipporah’s grandson Jonathan had begun to be deeply involved in idolatry.

We find an additional reference to Gershom, the son of Moses, in 1 Chronicles 23:14-16; 26:24. These passages mention Shebuel, a son of Gershom, the son of Moses, who had become overseer of the treasuries. This grandson of Moses seemed to have stayed loyal to God’s way of life. We also learn, in 1 Chronicles 23:15, 17, that Moses’ second son, Eliezer, had a son, named Rehabiah, and that “the sons of Rehabiah were very many.”

In any event, whether the “Cushite woman” in Numbers 12:1 was a princess of Ethiopia or Zipporah, Miriam and Aaron should have never used Moses’ marriage as a justification to develop feelings of self importance and envy, resulting in their murmuring against Moses. They later acknowledged and repented of their sin, so that God could continue to use them in His great plan (verse 11).

On Saturday, March 20, 2004, Dave Harris will be giving the sermon, titled, “Who Are the Saints?”

Lance Armstrong, an American cycling super star, confronted cancer in the 1990’s and beat it. He subsequently made a simple but very profound and incisive statement when he pointed out that “Pain is temporary but quitting lasts forever.” Doesn’t that truly sum up what we, in the Church of God, have to avoid at all costs? Quitting lasts forever — especially in the Christian life.

I’m not talking about those things that we should quit. Galatians 5:19-21 clearly lists the works of the flesh that must not be a part of our Christian way of life. When we were being called and were repenting of our sins as we saw ourselves for what we were, these may well have been areas that we had to work on. Even after conversion, we must continue to strive to overcome those works of the flesh.

I’m talking about the way of life that we’ve been called to. The Christian way of life is for now and forever — and if we permanently forsake that way, then we have, in effect, quit forever.

We can, and we all do get temporarily discouraged. We are not alone in this. Moses, Elijah and Job, amongst others, were Old Testament examples of men of God who went through temporary times of discouragement. In the New Testament, there is a prime example of discouragement — but only on a temporary basis. When Jesus was being arrested, Matthew 26:56 states that “all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” Not just some of the disciples, but ALL of them. They must have been massively discouraged, but the Scriptures show that this was temporary and that they didn’t permanently quit.

There were other quitters — whether these people ever really understood, we don’t know (but God knows). After 3 ½ years of preaching about the Kingdom of God, healing so many people and performing many miracles, there were those who turned their backs on Christ. John 6:66 states simply that “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” We see here the backsliding of these disciples. Many of them must have gone back to their houses, families and previous jobs which they had left for a time to follow Him.

Undoubtedly, in many of those cases, 1 John 2:19 would apply, stating: “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”

We have the greatest calling in the world. Quitting must never enter our thinking irrespective of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Matthew 24:13 tells us why we must stay the course. This Scripture is a repeat of what is said in Matthew 10:22. It clearly states that “he who endures to the end shall be saved.” We have to endure — not quit. We are having our chance now for salvation — eternal life.

While Lance Armstrong was applying his statement to endeavors in this life, it is a masterly summation of what we, in the Church, are involved in. We must always keep in the forefront of our minds that pain is temporary but quitting is, indeed, forever.

U.S. and Europe Alienated?

In last Wednesday’s Today Show, a new poll was discussed. 8,000 people outside the U.S. had been questioned, and the results were quite alarming. According to the poll, only 37% of the French and only 38% of the German peoples view the politics of the United States in a favorable light. 82% of the French and 69% of the German peoples believe that the governments of the United States and Great Britain lied about the existence of weapons of mass destruction prior to the Iraq war (which began one year ago this Saturday, March 20).

Many commentators feel that a change in U.S. administration will also change the negative European feelings and create a more friendly relationship between those two power blocs. However, this assessment may prove too optimistic, even if a change were to occur. Most Europeans have not forgotten that the Democratic challenger of Mr. Bush, Senator John Kerry, voted for U.S. intervention in Iraq, and that he recently stated that he did not regret his vote.

Some commentators have recently shared their belief that many Europeans are not just anti-Bush, but anti-American. The widening rift between the two power blocs can also be seen in a recent development, dealing with the sharing of air data. Reuters reported on March 18, 2004, that “Key EU lawmakers dealt a blow to Washington’s air security strategy Thursday by rejecting a U.S.-EU accord on handing over passengers’ personal details. Citing civil rights concerns, the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee voted by a large majority to condemn the European Commission for agreeing to pass on data, such as credit card numbers and phone numbers, which Washington says it needs to spot potential terrorists… The committee asked the Commission to change its decision or face a legal challenge in the EU’s top court, the European Court of Justice. The full parliament will vote at the end of the month on whether it supports its committee’s view. The parliament’s opinion has no legal force, but the Commission will find it difficult to ignore such a strong political signal from the EU’s elected assembly, officials said.”

Does Terror Bring Europe Together?

As A.P. reported on March 15, “the European Union will hold high-level security talks on Friday [at EU headquarters in Brussels] to assess what additional anti-terrorism measures to take in the wake of the bombings in Madrid.” The countries will be discussing a “solidarity clause” committing nations to help each other in response to terror attacks, the appointment of a special EU official to coordinate counterterrorism operations in Europe, and improved intelligence sharing.

Israel and Palestine

Recent events have proven, once again, that the road map to peace between Israelis and Palestinians is currently nothing more than a concept of wishful thinking. As AP reported on March 15, “Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Monday ruled out peace negotiations with the Palestinians, charging they were doing nothing to stop attacks against Israelis.” Sharon made those statements, following Sunday’s double suicide bombings in the Israeli port of Ashdod, which killed 10 people. Subsequently, Israel retaliated by firing missiles at two suspected Hamas weapons workshops in Gaza City, causing some damage, but no injuries. USA Today added:

“Sunday’s bombing was the fourth attack carried out jointly by Al Aqsa and Hamas in recent weeks… Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat condemned Sunday’s attack on behalf of the Palestinian Authority and expressed regret that Israel canceled the summit” with the Palestinians, which had been scheduled for last Tuesday.

Iraq — now!

ABCNEWS published on March 14 a report on Iraq — almost one year after the war began. It titled its report, “Where Things Stand.”

Five teams of reporters from ABCNEWS, the BBC and TIME magazine assessed the situation. Here is their finding:

“By nearly every quantifiable measure, the situation has improved since before the war… However, the one exception — security — also happens to be the yardstick that Iraqis say matters most. Iraqis by a wide margin express optimism for the future — and believe democracy can take hold; they are less certain that the country is ready for elections.

“Any credit or praise for the U.S. is heavily tempered; roughly 8 in 10 Iraqis told us the Americans have not kept their promises — and they frequently told our reporters they blame the United States for problems in their lives. Traffic and other transportation problems have become a major concern. In central Iraq, people ranked this their second-highest priority. Interestingly, two seminal events since our last visit — the capture of Saddam Hussein and the announcement of a political handover on June 30 — get limited attention. And even when Iraqis acknowledge and appreciate progress, they do not necessarily credit the United States for the change. One year later, attitudes toward the U.S. are fraught with contradictions. Many people who cheered the capture of Saddam Hussein are deplored by the ‘humiliating’ way it was carried out. Iraqis often say they do not like seeing U.S. soldiers on their streets — but many would also agree with the crude assessment a 66-year-old tailor in Kut gave the TIME magazine’s Terry Mc Carthy: ‘If the Americans leave now, everyone will start eating each other.'”

But even with the Americans in Iraq, bloodshed continues. Reuters reported on March 18, 2004:

“At least seven civilians were killed in two separate bomb and gun attacks in Iraq on Thursday, doubling the death toll in a bloody 24 hours as U.S. forces prepared to mark the first anniversary of their invasion. A British military spokesman in Basra said four Iraqis were killed in an explosion outside the southern city’s Mirbabd Hotel. A child was one of at least two people wounded, witnesses said. The Basra attack came less than a day after a suicide car bomber killed seven people, including a British engineer, at a hotel in Baghdad [the Mount Lebanon hotel] on Wednesday evening. U.S. officials blamed that attack on Muslim militants, possibly linked to al Qaeda. Three employees of a U.S.-funded television station were shot dead at Baquba, northeast of the capital, and two Iraqis, including a child, died in fighting between guerrillas and U.S. troops in another restive town, Falluja… On Wednesday, two U.S. soldiers had also been killed in separate mortar attacks.Troops are on alert for an increase in violence ahead of Saturday’s anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion on March 20 last year which toppled Saddam Hussein… The bloodshed marred a U.S. campaign ahead of the invasion anniversary to stress progress made in the year since the war.”

Haider — a Dragon?

An interesting comparison was made last week in Austria’s magazine “Profil,” in regard to Joerg Haider’s sweeping election victory. The magazine stated: “[Austrian Chancellor] Schuessel’s favorite… thesis that he had become the ‘dragon slayer,’ that is the conqueror of Joerg Haider, became history last Sunday. The dragon is alive.”

Are Gay Rights Civil Rights?

This interesting question was asked in an article by ABCNEWS, published on March 13. The article quoted several black ministers claiming that “gay rights” have nothing to do with “civil rights” — that it is “offensive” to make such a comparison. Bishop Gilbert Thompson of Atlanta was quoted as saying: “I was born black. I was born male. Homosexuals are not born, they’re made. They don’t qualify.”

The article continued: “For many African Americans, who began the civil rights movement in the black churches of the conservative South, gay and lesbian Americans are people of poor behavior.” Pastor Garland Hunt of Atlanta stated: “Same-sex marriage has nothing to do with civil rights, this is an issue of morality.”

Spain’s Uncertain Future

Momentous events are occurring in Spain! Following the worst terror attack in Spain’s history, which killed over 200 and injured over 1,500 people in Thursday’s train bombings, the Spanish government was ousted by the voters Sunday and replaced by a new Socialist leader. The main causes for this startling development and the “protest vote” were (1) the support by the former Spanish government of the Iraq war, (2) the terror attack that was perceived as having been launched by al-Qaeda in direct consequence of the support of the war, and (3) the perceived inept and dishonest handling by the former Spanish government of the aftermath of the terror attack in Spain, by initially denying any involvement of al-Qaeda and blaming instead the armed Basque separist group ETA for the train bombings.

The new Spanish leader, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, already pledged to withdraw 1,300 Spanish troops from Iraq by June 30, if the United Nations does not assume control of the peacekeeping operation in Iraq by that time.

The European press treated the defeat of the Spanish government as a terrible blow for President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair. As Bild Online commented, “they must now fear that other nations will follow Spain’s example.” Spiegel Online added that “Zapatero’s announcement constitutes a late victory for the anti-war movement, which could become problematic for the United States — as well as for the rest of the world.” The magazine stated that Poland, which has now become more and more isolated in Europe, was asked to replace Spain’s military position in Iraq, but that Poland may not be able to do so. It speculated that the United States will try to send in more troops, which may prove to be “problematic in the long run.”

AFP reported on March 15 that “Britain stuck to its tough line on terrorism as Prime Minister Tony Blair sought to take the electoral humiliation of his best European ally on Iraq in his stride… The verdict of Spain’s voters is unlikely to shake Blair’s conviction, shared with Bush, that pre-emptive action might need to be taken to deal with the twin menace of rogue states and global terrorists.”

Another remarkable consequence of the new leadership in Spain may be a closer alliance between France, Germany and Spain. As Der Spiegel Online reported on March 15, Spain’s new leader stated that he will no longer oppose a European constitution. This means that Poland is becoming isolated in Europe on this issue as well.

Realizing this fact, Poland might be trying to strengthen its ties with continental Europe. A.P. reported on March 18, 2004, about remarks by Poland’s President Aleksander Kwasniewski to the effect that Poland was “misled” about the threat from Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction. The article continued: “The remarks… were his first hint of such criticism at the United States and Britain.”

President Bush quickly congratulated the new leader of Spain, Zapatero, on his victory. Zapatero later said that he will listen to President Bush’s viewpoints, but that he will not change his position on Iraq.

We are glad to.

First of all, we need to understand that the Jews were recipients of the “law” (Romans 9:4) and the “oracles” (Romans 3:2). They were entrusted by God to preserve the written Old Testament Scriptures as well as, for example, the knowledge of the week and the Hebrew Calendar (compare our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days,” pp. 2-3). Christ also told the Jews of His time to do what the scribes and the Pharisees told them to do, as they were sitting “in Moses’ seat,” warning them at the same time not to “do according to their works” (Matthew 23:1-3). In other words, the people were not to follow the leadership if they were to teach and act contrary to God’s law, either by adding or by deleting something (compare Deuteronomy 4:2). Christ chided the Pharisees and the scribes repeatedly for “laying aside the commandment of God,” while holding “the tradition of men” (Mark 7:1, 8-13). He made clear that His disciples were not obligated to follow those human traditions. Later, the apostles refused to obey the high priest and the Sadducees, when their command was contrary to God’s will (Acts 5:17, 27-29, 40-42).

Based on this background, we need to carefully evaluate the Jewish definition of what constitutes “leaven” that needs to be removed from our houses during the seven Days of Unleavened Bread (compare Exodus 13:6-7). The Jewish definition does not have to be accepted by God’s Church, if it is, in effect, adding to, or deleting from the revealed purpose and spirit of God’s commandment. We must also realize that Christ came to make the law more honorable (Isaiah 42:21), and to teach His followers the spiritual applications of the law (compare Matthew 5:21-48) — going beyond the application of the letter (Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6).

It has been the long-standing teaching of the Church of God that in certain respects, the spiritual concept of leaven is both broader and narrower than the Jewish understanding.

To quote from the Broadman Bible Commentary, on Exodus 13, p. 360, let us notice the somewhat stringent and extreme interpretation of “leaven” in “later Judaism”:

“These must be removed at Passover: Babylonian porridge, Median beer, Edomite vinegar, and Egyptian Barley-beer, also dyers’ pulp, cooks’ starch-flour, and writers’ paste. R. Eliezer says: Also women’s cosmetics. This is the general rule: whatsoever is made from any kind of grain must be removed at passover’ (Perashim 3:1)…”

The Church of God never taught that beverages or items not meant or fit for human consumption are to be removed. The Good News wrote on March, 1981: “There is nothing in the entirety of Scripture [as distinguished from human traditions!] to indicate any restriction on the kind of beverages we consume during the Days of Unleavened Bread — no mention of these being the ‘Days of Unleavened Beverages.’ The fact is that in all cases where the Days of Unleavened Bread are mentioned, the reference is always to the example set by the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt without any leaven in their dough (see Exodus 12:39). There is no reference to the invisible yeast or result of it in either beer, wine or other beverages… If God had intended a ban on fermented beverages during the Days of Unleavened Bread, it would undoubtedly have been mentioned. In fact, such mention would have been necessary.”

An old letter from the Letter Answering Department of the Worldwide Church of God adds the following:

“Items such as bread, cake, crackers, cookies, and prepared cereals and pies which contain leavening, of course, must be put out. Doing so is symbolic of putting both the visible and the hidden sins out of our lives. It is true, however, that leavening agents are also found in a number of products other than baked goods. Among these are beer, wine, and antacids, and some medications, bath powders, toothpastes, and dog foods. Even fire extinguishers contain forms of leavening agents. But, all these need not be discarded.”

In addition, though, the Church of God has consistently preached and taught that certain “leavening agents,” which the Jews don’t remove, SHOULD BE removed. These leavening agents include baking soda and baking powder, but not “brewer’s yeast,” “yeast extracts,” or “cream of tartar.”

In regard to baking soda and baking powder, it has been said that these agents are dead, unable to puff up the dough. Whether or not this is true from a biological-chemical standpoint, note, how these agents are defined in encyclopedias. For instance, the Grosse Brockhaus defines “baking powder” as “baking leavening, to loose the dough, used in replacement of yeast.” The WebBible Encyclopedia defines “leaven” as an “agent used to raise bread or other flour foods. Physical leavens include water vapor, which is released as steam at high temperatures (as in popovers), and air, which is incorporated by beating. CHEMICAL LEAVEN (BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA) and biological leavens (yeasts and certain bacteria) raise the mixture by the formation of carbon dioxide gas, which is expanded by heat.” The Encyclopedia Britannica adds that baking powder is “a prepared mixture to replace yeast in baking.”

Based on the foregoing, the Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates have determined to uphold the long-standing Church teaching to include baking powder and baking soda as leavening agents that are to be removed during the Days of Unleavened Bread. Whether active agents or not, they would clearly be used, in any event, as a substitute for leavening to puff up any flour or meal product, thereby violating the spirit of God’s commands.

For any additional use of leavening agents, or agents used as a substitute for leavening, let us quote again with approval from the above-cited letter of the Letter Answering Department of the Worldwide Church of God:

“… it is a matter of personal conscience between the individual Christian and God as to whether the product should be thrown out. If having any of these or similar products in your home during the Days of Unleavened Bread defiles your conscience, it would be best to get rid of them during the festival (Romans 14:23).” In addition, we must also be careful not to offend others and their conscience. If we know that a member would be offended if we were to bring products into his house, or to Church services, which the member considers “leavened,” we should refrain from doing so (compare the principle in 1 Corinthians 10:23-33).

A member letter was sent out this week, reporting on the ministerial conference and addressing Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. You can find a version of the letter at: http://www.eternalgod.org/lit/letters/brethren-20040318.pdf

Ian Willis, of the San Diego, CA congregation, was ordained as a deacon during Sabbath on March 6, 2004, by Edwin Pope, with the assistance of Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier and Brian Gale.

We are pleased to announce that Kalon Mitchell, of the San Diego, California, congregation, was baptized on March 13, 2004, in the presence of most of the San Diego brethren, as well as some brethren from Colorado and England. The baptism was conducted by Norbert Link, with the assistance of Brian Gale. Congratulations to Kalon.