By Edna BarrBy Edna Barr
ATLANTA, Georgia--Carn and Joyce Catherwood attended combined services here April 11 and 12.
Mr. Catherwood led reconciliation services Saturday, and a resurrection service Sunday.
Nearly 500 members listened to Mr. Catherwood rehearse his upbringing in Canada, his history in the WCG, and the emptiness he experienced before the new covenant emphasis on Jesus Christ.
Mr. Catherwood said that the core of the gospel is a message of reconciliation. It is the promise of reconciliation between a Holy God and sinful people. This makes reconciliation possible between people.
Grace begets grace, he said. Christians will begin to seek reconciliation with others as they begin to experience God's grace.
Mr. Catherwood told of picturing himself at the foot of the cross during his experience of coming to Christ.
As Christians, the cross overshadows our lives and gives us a new identity, Mr. Catherwood said.
Although we remain members of different ethnic groups or nationalities, the common relationship--the blood kinship through the blood of Jesus--is much stronger than those things that divide us. The things that make us different are to be celebrated, not looked down on. We are to love one another and learn to work together while maintaining our diversity, he said.
Two services took place Saturday. In the morning, African-American members told of their experiences with racism and discrimination in this country and some in the church.
Many Caucasian as well as African-American brethren expressed their appreciation for the enlightenment of the reconciliation program, and for the way in which it was presented. They received a heightened awareness of what prejudice is, and how it hurts people.
Members also left with an appreciation for the many areas in which the WCG has exhibited leadership with its policies of inclusiveness at a time when it was not the general rule in our nation.
One of our distinctives is that we are a multi-ethnic worldwide church. Mr. Catherwood believes that racial reconciliation is a part of the mandate given to the WCG.
As a church, we have not been faultless in this area, he said, and that was acknowledged. Apologies on behalf of whole racial groups were made and accepted.
On Sunday a resurrection service focused on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the meaning of the empty tomb and our oneness at the foot of the cross. Services ended with many tears and hugs and better understanding among the brethren.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1998