Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California • Page 33

Religion In The News Friday, April 2, 1982 Santa Cruz Sentinel 29 credits. The letters were being distributed to Congress members and President Reagan. I'JP" 1 ri i INS IV I I L'7 I I i i i 1 A i I i i i "CaroIs (or the seasons" Robert St. Pierre next to the 50-foot-by-l 6-foot structure he soys will enable him to talk to God Move Over, Raiders' This Ark Is For Real, Says Bishop iRlL unu-M uii i iivj upiu SUNDAY AFTERNOON 4pm NEW YORK (AP) Numerous church groups are set to converge on Washington next week to protest President Reagan's proposed new budget, which they see as depriving the poor of basic needs. The "Easter Week Mobilization" was organized by the National Council of Churches, which said delegations of local church people from across the country plan meetings with lawmakers considered holding pivotal votes on budget issues.

Council General SEcretary Claire Randall says the church delegations will voice "deep concern about the fate of poor people under the proposed budget" and about the shift of funds from social welfare programs to armaments. PRINCETON, N. J. (AP) The proportion of American adults in church or synagogue each week has inched up to 41 percent, says the latest Gallup poll figures. This is 1 percent above the 40 percent weekly attendance for the previous year.

Church going has remained relatively constant since 1969, varying less than 2 percentage points. The highest average attendance registered was 49 percent in 1955 and 1958. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Although urged by the Reagan administration to decline, evangelist Billy Graham has accepted an invitation to preach in Moscow in May. "We feel it is a God-given opportunity to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ," Graham said. The invitation came from Patriarch Pimen, primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, and leaders of the All-Union Council of Evangelical Christian-Baptists of the Soviet Union.

"My purpose in going is spiritual, and it is not my intention to become involved in political or ideological issues," he said. NEW YORK (AP) Hassidic Jews this Sunday are celebrating the 80th birthday of Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, leader of the Lubavitcher community in Brooklyn and of followers in many other lands. An address by Schneerson on Sunday night is to be transmitted via satellite to cable TV stations across the United States and beamed to other countries. VATICAN CITY (AP) The Vatican reports that a projected $25 milllion deficit in Roman Catholicism's central operating budget for 1981 was wiped out by increased contributions from dioceses around the world. However, figures for 1982 project a deficit of $30 million.

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) Research conducted by the Institute for American Church Growth indicates that most people who are active in local churches joined as a direct result of influence by a friend or relative already a member. A survey of 15,000 lay people found that more than 70 percent trace their "spiritual roots" to prior relationship with a church member. WASHINGTON (AP) A 45-foot trailer truck bearing about 750,000 letters from New York State Catholics rolled into the nation's capital this week in behalf of tuition tax credits for parents of church-school pupils. The letter-writing campaign was organized by the New York State Federation of Catholic School Parents to dramatize grassroots support for such COMMUNITY BOYS CHOIR Sponsored by chApei of the foua seasons 10M Cayugl Sunt Sinta Cruz.

96062- 423-5721 IRVIN M. SMITH II Ooonilt and ChoirmaMtr Multiple hundreds of people are finding purpose and spiritual direction to their lives at Christian Life Center. If you are seeking spiritual vitality and you don't have a church home, you are cordially invited to worship with us in a church that is alive and vital and growing. 9:30 A.M.&11:G0A.m. "HOW TO MAT Off AN0T1IR SH A RCKl WORLD!" Luke 19 I Corinthians 16 From the series: "The Church Before the Watching World" Pastor Pageit speaking :00 "THE LIVING LORD'S SUPPER" 1 St.

Pierre said that when the tabernacle is complete, he will wear protection, without the gems, when he tries to establish communication with God. "Electrocution is a very real possibility, that's why no one will ever be allowed near the tabernacle except me," he said. Such statements prompted questions by county officials, and St. Pierre, who has moved with his wife to a cabin near the site of the tabernacle, said he has just completed discussions with county fire department and building and safety officials. St.

Pierre said he has agreed to apply for a building permit. St. Pierre is taking some cost shortcuts in constructing the tabernacle and ark. The Israelites were told to plate the originals with gold and silver. St.

Pierre is using gold foil and aluminum foil and the fur roof will be off-color badger furs from Minnesota "because they're cheap." The church that St. Pierre heads doesn't believe in preaching the gospel, he said. They do not solicit funds. The tabernacle is being constructed on profits from the sale of St. Pierre's book, "The God-Moses Connection." That is also St.

Pierre's sole source of income until the tabernacle is built. He said it will be a temporary structure; once it's been shown to work, it will be dismantled. "It will take some testing. The ark was suspended in the tabernacle. It'll take awhile to determine at what point it is charged enough.

When everything is proper, we'll try io establish communication," he said. He acknowledged that God didn't use the ark and tabernacle to talk to Moses on Mt. Sinai and give him the construction instructions. "We all know that a communication device is not needed to speak to God," St. Pierre said.

"Regardless, God gave Moses a detailed set of instructions to build one and He used it .1 don't know why He did, but we're rebuilding it in the hope of finding out." St. Pierre believes the ancient Israelites had no understanding of electrical charges. He said they simply followed the instructions and what they got was a giant, 10-million volt battery. Insulation is provided by a three-layer lining of linen curtains, a woven goat's hair curtain and a covering of red leather. St.

Pierre says the curtains serve as insulators of static electricity separating the fur roof from the oil-covered metallic walls. lie says the static electricity is produced when the dry desert winds blow across the fur roof. "It's like walking across a carpet on a dry day. You get an electric shock," he said. Greasy smoke, from burning fatty meats on the altar, along with salted incense, produces an ionized gas in the electrical field inside the tabernacle, St.

Pierre says. It is from that cloud that the voice of God comes, he said. By LAURINDA KEYS LLANO, Calif. (AP) Moses didn't have to worry about snow and rain when he followed God's intructions to build the ark of the covenant and its tabernacle in the Sinai desert. And he didn't need a building permit.

But Robert St. Pierre, elected bishop of a 12-member non-denominational church that meets in members' homes in the San Fernando Valley, has had all those problems in trying to build duplicates of the ancient Israelite sacred objects in the Antelope Valley. The Old Testament book of Exodus tells how God gave specific instructions to Moses on how to construct the ark and its tabernacle, a tent that the Hebrews carried with them during their 40 years of wandering in the desert. No Biblical mention is made of the ark after 586 B.C. and there has been speculation that it was hidden away or carried and melted down by the Babylonians who sacked Jerusalem.

Such speculations were dramatized in "Raiders of the Lost Ark," a movie nominated for best picture of the year. But St. Pierre believes that the ark was not primarily a sacred object, but a communication device, and he hopes to be talking to God through a similar device by the end of the summer. Snow and rain in the mountains of northern Los Angeles County have halted construction of the tabernacle for the winter, St. Pierre said.

The structure is now a long wooden box, 50 feet long by 16 feet wide, sitting on the desert floor in Llano, fenced in and labeled, "St. Peter's Church." The church was named after St. Pierre. He said it was begun in 1977 by a group of people interested in studying the Bible and trying to prove it is true. "There is such controversy among Christians and evolutionists debating the validity of the Bible that this is one instance in which the Bible gives us solid, hard information to work from that can be corroborated scientifically, to prove the Bible is indeed true," he said.

St. Pierre believes that the instruction on constructing the tabernacle and the gold ark inside were specific because the result was to be an electrical energy field, from which the voice of God would emerge. St. Pierre is not the first to propose the theory that the ark or the tabernacle or both were electrical conductors. He points out that the Old Testament records the deaths of people who handled the sacred objects incorrectly.

"What was going on is they were being electrocuted," he said. "The ark was, in fact, a very sophisticated electrostatically powered communication terminal." He notes that only Moses' brother, Aaron, and other priests, were allowed to enter the tabernacle, and they were protected by chest and head coverings of gold and gems. Z5 SIBIGLES For Christian Fellowship 1 I An outstanding reproduction of The Last Supper" the Lord Jesus had with His Disciples before the crucial events that led to His death and resurrection. The presentation is stirring Holy Communion will be served. featuring EMIL AUTHELET with the Guitar, DON SUTHERLAND SINGULAR FELLOWSHIP Sundays 9:30 to 10:30 SINGULAR FOCUS Tuesday Nights 7:30 to 9:30 Child Care.

bun. Divorce Recovery Counseling and Christian Love Singular Fellowship Singular Focus are Non-Denominational Groups that Meet at FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF SANTA CRUZ 411 Roias Street 423-1080 or 427-3453 1 B. A 4 April P.M. DR. FRANCIS SCiiAEFFER "What Is Humanism" CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTER PRESENTS -FIRST- BM'T'f i.p'i.l.i.rW'l!.,f"A,"1 Oil 'I II i'-'Hiill I Bft unmiwwuTMtiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiriMwiHiiiii'ii win inn SUNDAY, APRIL 4 9:30 A.M.

BIBLE SCHOOL (All Ages) BtiOADWAY AM FREDERICK SJUU CRUZ Lutherans Eye Reunion NEW YORK (AP) U.S. Lutherans, for the most part, have hit the road toward unity. They have been widely fragmented in the past, a congeries of differing Old World descent, Swedes, Norwegians, Germans, Danes and others, but they have gradually coalesced in America. Now, after many a start, hesitation and stop, they mostly seem ready to get together. A "new Luthran church," their leaders call the goal, an uniting of three separate denominations, two of which only 20 years ago were divided into seven different denominations.

10:45 A.M. WORSHIP SERVICE "THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE" Pastor Kopper will be continuing from his series of messages on The Holy Spirit. 6 P.M. EVENING SERVICE "THE SYMBOLS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT" Pastor Kopper will be preaching from his series. jamb-- f-y a PI '-fl ri t-: i a a -39 U.

PALM SUNDAY 9:45 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Worship "WHAT'S THE GOOD NEWS?" I Corinthians 15: 1-11 6:30 p.m. Concert The Biggs Family John V. Heberling, Minister Li AI SO COMMUNION WILL BE OBSKKVKU.

IQI tfiltij UNITY TEMPLE 407 Broadway Santa Cruz Phono: 433-8533 WEDNESDAY 7 P.M. "FESTIVAL OF PRAISE" Nursery care provided for all services. il I rii 'iefrit'hiitrlMi Mien JAitWitaiaa'HW' mu" LIVIH5 WAY Sunday Service 1 1 a.m. "JOURNEY INTO LIGHT" April 9th, Cood Fridny Service Nion to 2:30 p.m. Sunday School Nursery Care I a.m.

Open Mon thru Fri 10-4 p.m. DI AL-A-OAILY WORD! 426-1 200 ArHUAff-D WITH UNITY SCHOOL OF CHRISTIANITY UNITY VII I ACF MO Scnta Cruz County Chapter of Gospel Ousinsss Men's Fellowship I FOUIISQOAE church 1 101 Bay Street Santa Cruz invites yon to hear: Dr. C. J. Winterfefd, D.C.

i Speaker Dr. C.J. Winterfeld, D.C, as a chiropractor, 1 through prayer and laying on of hands sees many miracles happen in his office, as well as deliverences from alcohol and decisions for Christ. Good Friday-April 9 SPECIAL CGfiOT with "SPMKY" EasterSund0y.APril II CHUKCH 9:00 a.m. Church School 10:00 a.m.

Coffee Hour 10:30 a.m. Worship Service PALM SUXOAY "LOOK WHO'S Tom Carr, preaching Listen to "Insight" with Tom Carr, KMFO 1540 AM one minute to 5:00 p.m. AiTA CBIS7 CA. Good Food, Inspnalional Singing, loiiies Welcome TUESDAY, AMU 4, 6:30 7.95 pw penoii tai, lip Incl. RSVP 429-1909 or 724-3462 BRING IN THIS AD FOR SI OFF SINGLE S2 OFF COUPLE Mission at Highland 423-8770 TiiMic nrifed fiee 6:00 p.m.

Service Sunday, April 4 1 1 "T' 1 "U-i ji laiiiniu'i'H Pnstor Tom Corr Kent Webber, Associate Pastor.