Pastor general thanks members for prayers and love, asks them to keep the faith and spread it
By Paul Monteith
In what would prove to be his final messages, Pastor General Joseph W. Tkach spoke to the Pasadena A.M. and P.M. congregations Sept. 9. In the morning, and again in the afternoon, he entered to standing ovations and was visibly cheerful.
Though he had lost weight, he spoke with the same vigor as always.
Mr. Tkach announced the appointment of his son, Joseph Tkach Jr., to the office of deputy pastor general. "I know that God would have me make appropriate provision for the future," he said.
In a more somber moment, he informed the congregations of a bone scan that had revealed some 50 cancerous spots in his body. This cancer is different from the colon cancer and would require radiation treatment.
"This treatment can greatly reduce my pain," he added, "but it would also immobilize me." In light of this, Mr. Tkach said he would forego full treatment at that time, put his life in God's hands and have only localized radiation treatment as and when it was needed. He was responding well to the chemotherapy for his colon cancer, however.
Mr. Tkach added that he was not going into retirement, but that he planned to be in his office working a few hours each day and had almost completed his message for the Festival satellite transmission.
He concluded with an expression of thanks for members around the world for their prayers and love, and asked that we keep the faith and spread it.
Mark McCulley, Festival Administration manager, who attends the Pasadena A.M. congregation, wrote to the Good News Grapevine: "We all know how fragile our hold on life can be, and are praying for him constantly. Yet, at the same time, we at headquarters are united in our faith that, no matter what, God will continue to guide his church since he is the ultimate head of it through Christ.
"Please pray for Mr. Tkach Jr. too. He is cheerful and full of faith, but needs our prayers and support more than ever. I'm sure he will be encouraged by what I feel will be a groundswell of support from the field."
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