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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, DECEMBER
16, 1986
PAGE
7
Ministerial Feast Transfers
for
1987
All ministers employed by the
Church are expected to attend their assigned Feast sites with their
local congregations. The Feast of Tabernacles is considered a part of
your routine responsibilities in serving the brethren, even though you
may have no specific assigned duties at the site your congregation will
be attending.
Only those who are requested to fill a need at another site will be
permitted to transfer. However, if you feel there are special or
extenuating circumstances in your case, please send a written request
and explanation to Church Administration for consideration. Please also
inform the coordinator of your assigned Festival site that you have
requested a transfer. All international ministers requesting transfers
should send their requests to their Regional Director.
Note:
A l l
ministerial requests for transfer to United States or
international sites must
--
be received
Q
March
-
1.
Question and Answer
Q.
Is it proper to perform weddings for members on the Sabbath, and may
members attend weddings outside of the Church on this day?
A,
Here in Pasadena, we have discouraged people from planning to have
their weddings on the Sabbath because the preparation involved often
detracts from the spirit of the Sabbath. For instance, it would be
difficult for the bride to properly keep this day if her mind is on her
wedding preparations,
'
However, this
is
not a hard-and-fast rule. A
wedding could be performed after services for a couple who want a simple
ceremony, but would like the congregation to have an opportunity to
attend. After the ceremony, a simple reception would be appropriate.
The fellowship,
of
course, should be in keeping with the Sabbath.
It
is
permissible for members to attend and even participate in weddings
outside the Church on the Sabbath as long as this does not interfere
with properly keeping the day, including attending services.
Q.
How should Ambassador College students figure their third-tithe
cycles?
A,
This applies to Ambassador College students only: Third-tithe
cycles are normally counted from the Passover or Feast of Tabernacles
closest to either the date of one's baptism or the time one comes to the
knowledge of third tithing. Even though students of Ambassador College
do not pay third tithe, attending Ambassador College
--
does not alter
their cycles.
For example, if someone who has not previously begun a third-tithe cycle
enters Ambassador College and
is
baptized soon after the Feast of
Tabernacles of his freshman year, he would begin his third-tithe cycle
from that Feast. This means that the third year
of
his cycle would
begin with the Feast of Tabernacles of his junior year at College. He
would not, however, actually pay third tithe until the sixth year of
his
cycle, which would be after graduation.