December 11, 1998

Dear Brethren,

Greetings from San Diego!

Thank you so much for your loyalty and encouragement. Thousands of you have responded to our call to "rescue" the Work of the Living God from four dissident Board members. Again, the vast majority of the ministry and membership see through the coup d'etat these misguided men pulled off and are backing our team of loyal ministers in doing the Work of God.

The new "team" of dedicated ministers here at Headquarters consists of Mr. Carl McNair as Director of Church Administration, Mr. Dick Ames as Director of Media and Publishing, Mr. Fred Dattolo (who is not a minister) as Business Manager and Treasurer, Mr. Don Davis as General Manager and many other dedicated men and women. Mr. Dibar Apartian will lead the French Work and Mr. Mario Hernandez the Spanish Work. Also, most of the International Directors and brethren around the world are solidly behind us.

I am tempted to answer all the allegations and stories that the dissidents are getting out (many of them are truly wild and unbelievable!), but I deeply feel that I can better serve you and the Living God if I simply go forward and "do the Work" and not try to indulge in repeated verbal jousting and character assassination. Let's leave that to others. We know who we are. And we know the "fruits" of those who have been faithful to God. The attitudes of hate, jealously and vindictiveness do not befit true servants of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As we reported to you in an e-mail message that was read in many of the churches and video groups, last Thursday we completed two days of wonderful and inspiring meetings with our new Council of Elders and Regional Pastors. This group of outstanding leaders includes Messrs. Dick Ames, Dibar Apartian, Charles Bryce, Don Davis, Jeff Fall, Lambert Greer, Mario Hernandez, Carl McNair, John Ogwyn, Gerald Weston, Doug Winnail and me. All of our Regional Pastors are on this Council and we are including Mr. Apartian and Mr. Hernandez to give us the perspective and input from the International areas of the Work.

By the way, if I am such a dictator and "bad guy," how is that all of these very experienced and dedicated ministers are backing me in this effort? Remember that several of these men were on either the previous Council or Board and they saw and heard what was going on and know why my present actions became vitally necessary! Now we intend to move forward and strengthen the body of Christ and do the Work.

I can now announce to you that we are continuing on most of our public access stations with a new television program which, as before, will be presented by Dick Ames and me. We hope to reserve time on superstation WGN, and I now ask you for your fervent prayers that God will open up a good time slot on that station!

Within a few weeks, we hope to have a new church magazine in your hands with inspiring news about the Work, about local church activities and containing powerful, heartfelt articles about Christian living and about preparing for our high calling as kings and priests in Christ's soon-coming Kingdom. New booklets are being prepared and a correspondence course is envisioned within a few months. Through these written materials and through the sermons of our dedicated, loyal ministry, we want to help and inspire all of you brethren to grow, "unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13).

I'm sure that you all realize that now - more than ever -we have a group of wonderful ministers out there who have truly been "tried with fire" and have proved themselves loyal and faithful. But these men and their dedicated wives are certainly "spread thin" in trying to handle several churches and video groups each. And they surely need and deserve your love and loyalty, your encouragement and support in every way. Brethren, as prophesied events speed up, we really do need to SHAKE the nations of the world with the powerful Message Jesus Christ brought and the end-time prophecies. For prophesied events are certainly speeding up! The new European currency, the "euro," is coming on stream in just a couple of weeks. The eleven European nations committed to the monetary union have already coordinated with each other in lowering their interest rates. As Europe unites politically as well as monetarily, it will soon become the GREATEST power on the face of the earth. And men and women will, in effect, stand in awe of and "worship" this coming religious, political and military power! (Rev. 13:4). As happened when the Eastern European nations suddenly broke away from the Soviet Union back in 1989-90, so now events may begin to cascade forward, one event impacting and speeding up the other in a kind of domino effect. We need to be "ready." Each of us needs to be truly surrendered to the Living Jesus Christ, yielding to Him daily and even hourly so that He can live His life within us. He can transform our lives and give us a sense of zeal and purpose that unconverted people have never experienced.

Remember, brethren, that we are now in the process of incorporating as the "LIVING CHURCH OF GOD." Please make all tithe and offering checks to the name of the Church from now on. We have that name and an ID number reserved so are assured that all donations can be legally deducted from your taxable income here in the United States. As December 31 draws near, many of you may wish to send extra donations so that they may be deducted from your 1998 taxable income. Believe me, we are working as hard as we can in this situation of having to "start all over"! We need to let you brethren know that presently we are not in an office and are having to work out of our individual homes. Obviously, we do not have an office phone either. Please pray about this. We deeply appreciate the love and support thousands of you have shown - and are showing -i n this effort to continue the Work of God. May God bless, guide and encourage all of you as you faithfully serve Him. Let us all pray fervently for one another at this critical time.

With Christian love,

Roderick C. Meredith

PS: Please share this letter with any of our scattered brethren that may not have received it in the mail. We are currently constructing a mailing list and may not yet have every one of the names and addresses of those who wish to be counted among those doing the Work of God. Again, address all mail to the Living Church of God, P.O. Box 501304, San Diego, CA 92150-1304