If you were starting your own church, what would you call it? That's a bit difficult, you might say-all the names are taken! For some ideas you could try looking through a handbook of denominations where there are certainly close to 300 different names of churches. From time to time I have heard: Why do we need anything other than simply Church of God? On the face of it that would seem to be a reasonable question until one considers another question. With so many groups using the term Church of God, how would the various governments and people with whom one does business in this society know the difference between one group and another?

The consensus that was reached in 1995 was to use the name United Church of God. The use of the word United actually says a lot. There is first of all a reminder of what we are and of what we should be. It is also a constant reminder to individuals as to what their attitude should be to one another within the Church at large and within the local church specifically. It seems that we sometimes forget the first verse of the 133rd Psalm: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity."

All too often, however, the adversary slips in and, using our human nature against us, influences us so that hard feelings well up between those who are brothers and sisters in God's family. Some years ago we were in Pasadena for the Feast of Tabernacles. A theme for the Feast had been set: "We are family!" On the day of a picnic, balloons were given out in the hundreds with each one bearing those words. I'm sure there may have been some people who thought this was a bit contrived, maybe a bit "over the top." The theme certainly did focus on the point that God's people are God's family. It was a lovely day with a great warmth of spirit and attitude.

It doesn't do any of us in the United Church of God any harm to be reminded how, as members of the body of Christ that Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 12, we are family. A family is to practice unity, to foster unity and to say nothing and do nothing that would cause unity to break down or be damaged. In 1 Corinthians 12:25 Paul says there should be no schism in the body. That says to me that none of us will do anything that results in schism. So we are to actively work at unity in order that the rest of verse 25 might be fulfilled. That is, that the members of the body should have the same care for one another. Then verse 26 tells us in easily understood words how members of the body will be so united that they will know when another member is suffering in some way or has a particular reason to rejoice. We are then able to help bear the burden of the sufferings and able to share in the rejoicing.

The person who has no one to share his or her sufferings with and no one with whom to share reasons for rejoicing can be a very lonely person. The saying that no man is an island is very true. Do you recall the attitude Cain showed towards God after he had murdered Abel? In Genesis 4:9 he says to God, "Am I my brother's keeper?" In effect he was saying to his Creator, how should I know where Abel is and why should I care anyway! God's family will care!

Seeing the Council at Work

Before being appointed to the Council of Elders I wondered on occasion why meetings were so long, and why did they take so many days? I have now attended the meetings in Tyler, Texas, in January as a guest, then the meetings in March following the annual general conference as an appointee, and now I have attended my first council meetings as a member in office. As a very new member I can tell you that there is an excellent spirit within the Council. There is a deep concern for God's people and a desire to serve the Church and the members with sensitivity, with love and an attitude of humility. Issues are thoroughly discussed at length in order that a decision may be a right one, with every Council member listened to with care, respect and without interruption. That's why the meetings are so long.

I have found the spirit and attitude very much that of Solomon's as outlined in 2 Chronicles 1:10 where Solomon says to God, "Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this your people, that is so great?" God's people are a great people. We still have lessons to learn though. The Council does! It isn't perfect. It doesn't always get things right. It has, I believe, been regrettable that hostility and negative criticism has been directed overtly and covertly at the Council since United came together. It is fine to draw attention to a perceived problem, to make suggestions or to present a different course of action, but let's do it with grace and kindness one to the other. The alternative is that we become part of the problem and no longer a solution.

It is no mistake that the apostle Paul used the example of the body in 1 Corinthians 12. We tend to think of our bodies only when there is a problem—an injury perhaps. If we would find out a little about those same bodies we would discover some remarkable facts. For example, just to pick up a pencil requires a number of different muscles working together and in varying combinations. At the same time nerves are relaying information back to the brain. They tell the brain where the muscle is, whether it's working properly and whether it's in pain.

It takes team effort to move bones as they usually work in groups. This group action requires each member of that group to fulfill its role. If a muscle is not working properly for some reason and it isn't contracting or releasing as it should, then its team partners can't function as they should. The pencil may not be picked up or, if it is, it may slip from the grip of the fingers.

Like a Soccer Team

One could also liken the body to a football, or soccer as Americans call it, team. In soccer in England many teams are called United, for example: Manchester United, Leeds United, Sheffield United, and so on. They play as a team dedicated to winning. In soccer if a player is injured, he can't play efficiently as part of the team. Similarly if a player "hogs" the ball or is always spending more time shouting at his teammates than working with them, the whole team is affected and the match may be lost as a result.

Do I need to spell out the conclusion? I don't think I do. We already know it; we just sometimes forget what it is we are a part of. We forget we are all in this together; that we are to work together in unity. We can only do this effectively if we avoid backbiting and use an approach of kindness and love. This is spelled out so clearly in 2 Peter 1:1-10, especially verses 7-9. Verse 7 tells us to add "to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love." Get it right and we all, as it says in verse 10, shall never fall.