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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, December 12, 1979
Page 4
FROM MINISTERIAL SERVICES
Member's Right to Observe Holy Days Upheld
On Monday, December 10, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by a
California school district which involved a member of God's Church.
Thomas E. Byars, a member since 1971 and an elementary school teacher in
a small school district north of Bakersfield, California, must be permitted
to take time off to observe the holy days. That decision
came
from the
California Supreme Court last May and was based on state constitutional
law. Thus the decision is binding on all city, county and state govern
ment employers in California.
There have been a number of similar legal disputes around the country and
the California Supreme Court decision has often been cited.
However, the
school district appealed the state Supreme Court's decision to the U.S.
Supreme Court. The highest court in the land has just decided to dismiss
the school district's appeal. The justices, in a 6-3 vote, refused to
hear the matter on the grounds that the case didn't contain a "substantial
federal question."
Essentially, this matter involved whether the state requirement that the
school uistrict accommodate Byar's observance of the holy days was in
violation of the U.S. Constitution's ban on "establishment of religion."
Not only will members of God's Church in California benefit from the
California Supreme Court decision, but so will other religiou� faiths
that celebrate their religious holidays at times when most Americans are
working.
Public Bible Lectures to Resume
Mr. Armstrong is very enthusiastic about moving ahead with the Public
Bible Lectures. As you know, these lectures are given by the local
Pastors in their own areas. We are pleased to announce that these men
have already scheduled lectures for the near future:
CITY
*Tampa, FL
Cumberland, R.I.
Concord, MA
Worchester, MA
Aptos, CA
Moultrie, GA
Saginaw, MI
Kawkawlin, MI
DATE
2/3/80
1/16/80
2/20/80
1/02/80
2/06/80
3/05/80
1/09/80
2/13/80
1/16/80
12/11/79
12/12/79
12/06/79
10/24/79
NUMBER
INVITED
unknown
1,165
2,000
688
395
97
427
224
MINISTER
Ron Lohr
Jim Franks
Jim Franks
Jim Franks
Ronald Reedy
Rick Beam
Gerald Weston
Gerald Weston
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