Seeking Approval for Activities Involving Several Church Areas

Seeking Approval for Activities Involving Several Church Areas

Pastor's Report Staff

There seems to be a trend toward holding activities which involve several church areas. These are usually invitational where a hosting church invites members from surrounding areas. One example would be a singles weekend to which the hosting church invites people from churches within three or four hundred miles.

When an activity is being planned which involves more than just a neighboring church area, Ministerial Services should be informed. There are two reasons for this. First of all, Mr. Armstrong holds Ministerial Services responsible to be aware of the type and scope of any such church activity to be conducted. And secondly, if there should be a need for address labels in order to mail invitations to a number of pastors to be read in their areas, the release of these labels must be approved by Ministerial Services, as well as any other labels or listings needed by the field ministry.

In addition, we need to be careful when planning a combined church activity that we don't require the invited members to travel excessive distances on the Sabbath. It's easily possible, depending on the areas invited, that some members could end up driving longer distances than they should. Such excessive travel should be avoided on God's holy Sabbath.

Also, members should not be made to feel that they are somehow disloyal or second class members if they choose not to attend an activity at a distant church for financial or other reasons. We do not want to put a financial hardship or any other undue burden on someone because of social activities sponsored by the Church.

So please remember to contact Ministerial Services and consider the travel involved whenever you are planning a major activity which involves more than just a neighboring church area.