HONORING MOTHERS ON MOTHER'S DAY
This Sunday, May 13, is Mother's Day in the United States, and we wish all our lovely mothers a happy Mother's Day! Mothers fulfill a vital role in a successful family, and it's not an easy role. From pregnancy and giving birth and onward, motherhood requires much sacrifice and hard work. Let's all be sure to express our love and appreciation to our mothers. Even if our mothers are not living, we can remember all they meant to us when they were alive. Husbands should also express appreciation to their wives for being the mother of their children. Happy Mother's Day to all our wonderful mothers!

ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN CINCINNATI
The General Conference of Elders (GCE) of the United Church of God is this weekend, May 5-7. Ministers and their wives travel from around the world to participate in this annual conference. Please pray for safe travel and a very productive conference! The theme of the conference this year is "Transforming Lives through the Spirit and Word of God" (John:6:63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.). We will explore and examine several aspects and ways in which the lives of God's people are being transformed by the Spirit and Word of God. "The inward man is being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians:4:16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.), resulting in a new creation as a Son of God.

ENCOURAGING REPORT FROM SOUTHERN AFRICA
During the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, Dennis Luker, United Church of God President, and Victor Kubik, manager for Ministerial and Member Services, and their wives visited UCG brethren in South Africa, Malawi, and Zambia. They found that the brethren and congregations in these countries are robust and growing. The trip was ambitious in that they had nine stops in 18 days. They met with hundreds of brethren on the Holy Days, at Sabbath services, and in their homes. There are about 400 in attendance in Zambia alone, where five deacons were ordained. It's exciting to see God's work in this part of the world. Be sure to watch a 20-minute online video from Mr. Luker about the trip - you can find the video report at http://members.ucg.org.

GROWING SPIRITUALLY
Many scriptures exhort us to grow spiritually. We are to grow in grace, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, love, faith, zeal, good works, patience, etc. How can we grow? Certainly regular prayer, Bible study, meditation, and fasting are necessary for spiritual growth. We can increase our rate of spiritual growth, as we receive more of the power of the Holy Spirit. How can we receive more of the Holy Spirit? Simply ask God for more of it - He is eager to "give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him" (Luke:11:13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?). When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will be growing spiritually in godly character, and God will be glorified as we bear much fruit (John:15:8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.)!

THE FIRSTFRUIT MUST BE HOLY
These past eight days God's Church has been obediently keeping the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. These two annual festivals are the perfect solution for sin. Upon heartfelt repentance, sins are freely forgiven through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, and then we must go on to purge out "the leaven of sin and wickedness" by keeping the laws of God (1 Corinthians:5:8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.). After Christ returns, all nations will be keeping the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. Meanwhile, it is very important for the "firstfruit" and the "root" to be holy (those called today), in order that the "lump" and the "branches" (the rest of mankind) may be holy in their day of salvation (Romans:11:16For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.).

FROM SLAVES OF SIN TO SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
The spring Holy Days began with the Passover on Thursday night (April 5), and this Sabbath (April 7) is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Now that our Father has reconciled us through the Passover Lamb, the days of Unleavened Bread show us becoming "slaves of righteousness" instead of "slaves of sin" (Romans:6:16-22[16]Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?[17]But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.[18]Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.[19]I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.[20]For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.[21]What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.[22]But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. NKJV). These seven days of eating the unleavened bread portray our continuing commitment to the righteousness of God. It isn't an easy process, but through the Holy Spirit God's righteous laws are being slowly engraved into our hearts (2 Corinthians:3:2-3[2]Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:[3]Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.), as we become "partakers of (God's) divine nature" (2 Peter:1:4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.).

PASSOVER: RECONCILING HUMANITY, ENDEARING A FAMILY
Through the sacrifice of His Son, God has reconciled the world to Himself, as Paul wrote: "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them" (2 Corinthians:5:19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.). Our iniquities had separated us from God (Isaiah:59:2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.), but our Father provided total reconciliation through the sacrifice of His Son. In doing so, He "demonstates His love toward us" (Romans:5:8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.), and He is endearing His family to Himself forever. Through the Passover we grow in comprehending God's love more deeply, and in our personal endearment to our Father and to our Savior!

PREPARATION FOR THE PASSOVER
This Sabbath, March 24, is the first day of the sacred calendar, and the Passover is less than two weeks away. The Passover commemorates "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John:1:29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.). Our sins are taken away by "the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot…foreordained before the foundation of the world" (1 Peter:1:19-20[19]But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:[20]Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,). Who needs the Lamb of God? Every human being, since "all have sinned" (Romans:3:23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;). Without God's grace through the sacrifice of Jesus, we could not be heirs with Christ in the family of God. As we approach the Passover, we are admonished to carefully examine ourselves before partaking of the bread and wine (1 Corinthians:11:27-29[27]Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.[28]But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.[29]For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.). There are many verses in the Bible that we can prayerfully read and study. This Passover, may we all grow in more deeply comprehending and appreciating the Lamb of God!

SPRING HOLY DAYS ARE NEAR!
The spring equinox occurs this coming Tuesday, March 20, and the first day of the sacred calendar is just a week away, next Sabbath, March 24. That means the spring Holy Days are near, just three weeks away, and it is time to begin our personal preparation and self-examination. Be sure to study and meditate on scriptures pertaining to the Passover and days of Unleavened Bread. You can find many of these verses in our booklet, "God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind." As we observe the spring Holy Days, let's make it our goal to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter:3:18But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.).

"STEPPING OUT ON FAITH" - by David Mills
At the recent Council of Elders meetings on February 27 to March 1, the Council agreed to include a "faith line" in the budget for the coming fiscal year. A "faith line" in the budget means stepping out on faith, going through open doors as God opens them, trusting that God will provide the means to finance these efforts. Our current income will not supply all our needs, so we are asking God to call new people into the Church to help support His work. There has been a "faith line" in the current fiscal year budget, and God has not let us down. We have been able to do more with less. We want to continue increasing the scope of the work of the Church on television, on the internet, with our printed literature, seminars, etc., trusting God to provide the means. His work, like always, is a work of faith.