| This is one of those rare occasions | | | | ministers." Hmmm, I wish I had |
| where the irony of something compels me | | | | researched the meaning of "take care of" |
| to just write to process my own | | | | as the Church and it's legal department |
| experience as a pastor now having moved | | | | understood the term. Well actually I do |
| on. The irony of life sometimes is | | | | feel taken care of, but not in the way I |
| overwhelming at times.Today coming into | | | | had envisioned by the phrase at the |
| work at the local hospital on Kentucky | | | | time. I later learned that meant, "loyal |
| Derby Day, I heard a wonderful story of | | | | ministers," which of course, I was not. |
| a man who spent years betting on horses, | | | | I have been assured that I would have |
| now taking up the cause of horses that | | | | been fired in time anyway over any |
| no longer could run and provide great | | | | number of life issues and wouldn't have |
| revenues for their owners. He had | | | | deserved it anyway. I managed to |
| learned of one great race horse that, | | | | outgrow the small box most |
| after the useful days had passed, had | | | | fundamentalist and evangelical |
| been shipped and processed as food in | | | | Christians stay in theologically, and |
| Japan! Finding this to be absolutely | | | | also mishandled, at times, the stress |
| unacceptable, he started retirement | | | | put upon the ministry by that |
| farms for former race horses to make | | | | organization through the years with |
| their last days more kind and to save | | | | their own way of being.I take |
| them from the overseas food market. I | | | | responsibility for my life and I wish |
| guess the idea of Secretariat Steaks was | | | | they took responsibility for their and |
| too much. Wow! I wish I had been a race | | | | how it has affected mine. I guess that |
| horse instead of a Pastor with the | | | | can be said all around on lots of |
| Worldwide Church of God! This kind man | | | | topics. I truly believe that my dad, |
| even had 16 horses already shipped to | | | | who has been retired now from Eastman |
| the rendering plant in Japan returned to | | | | Kodak for 28 years, yes he's 90, would |
| the States and put on his retirement | | | | not have been thrown off Kodak |
| farms to live happily ever after for | | | | retirement if he had dared to buy Fuji |
| services rendered.When I was 22 years | | | | film. Not so with the Worldwide Church |
| old and heading out into the ministry to | | | | of God and the effect their |
| my first Church assignment, I was handed | | | | irresponsible change has had on their |
| a paper to sign by the Personnel | | | | perspectives. If there ever was an |
| Department. It was a release from | | | | organization that could say "be warmed |
| paying social security on my pastoral | | | | and be filled, but gives not of that |
| paycheck. I was young and since the | | | | which is needed," it would be WCG.In |
| organization, then known as the | | | | reality, the great Jesus sent changes |
| Worldwide Church of God said not to be | | | | are merely reckless change inflicted |
| concerned and that "we will take care of | | | | upon very sincere. loyal, hope filled, |
| you," I signed it. Churches can do that | | | | and faith-full members and ministers |
| with income they provide for Pastors. | | | | alike. It's a case of horse owners who |
| It is a savings to them as well I am | | | | didn't like the track, tearing it down |
| sure. Like I say, I was 22 and thought | | | | without asking the fans, sending the |
| that since God had called me to pastor | | | | race horses off to the grinder, at a |
| and feed the sheep, so to speak, "we | | | | personal profit to themselves, selling |
| will take care of you" actually meant, | | | | the grounds, switching over to NASCAR, |
| well, we will take care of you, feed my | | | | and then wondering why that may not have |
| sheep.How ironic that my experience as a | | | | gone over too well. One would think it |
| Pastor, who "inspired" the giving by | | | | would have been them that the board of |
| tithers in 5 states and 13 congregations | | | | horse racing might demand to move out |
| over 26 years in excess of 50 million | | | | and on, instead of destroying that |
| dollars receives not so much as a bag of | | | | particular kind of racing. Interesting |
| oats! Race horses are saved from being | | | | the harm that not speaking up can do in |
| ground up as food for services rendered | | | | our world. I hope the Republicans are |
| to their owners and put in horse heaven | | | | listening too. I have said elsewhere, I |
| on earth for their years of service. On | | | | came in my youth to play hockey and they |
| the other hand, most former ministers | | | | melted the ice halfway through the game, |
| of the Worldwide Church of God, (long | | | | put up hoops and demanded I now play and |
| story), are sent to Japan to be rendered | | | | coach basketball. Oh well, I guess that |
| for their years of service! One has to | | | | analogy is a horse of a different |
| love God's sense of humor! Not only did | | | | color.Well,I feel better, I think. I am |
| WCG not provide for basic pastoral | | | | happy for the horses that get to avoid |
| social security considerations, because | | | | being rendered in Japan for their years |
| they didn't have to, but also gave no | | | | of services to their owners. I regret |
| church sponsored retirement for those | | | | being one of the ones that gets rendered |
| with decades of service unless they were | | | | for years of service by the Church.What |
| "loyal" to all the malarky they came up | | | | a nice guy to find a way to make the |
| with as "a miracle from Jesus."I | | | | lives of hard working horses a bit |
| remember well into my ministry at a | | | | easier. They do retire races horses |
| minister's conference in Pasadena, | | | | after all! Sorry to say, the Worldwide |
| asking about retirement issues for the | | | | Church of God still just shoots and |
| ministry and again being told, "don't | | | | renders them for years of service. |
| worry, we will take care of all you fine | | | | |