This paper is designed to assist Feast Coordinators in their planning for the Feasts. It is expected that many tasks will be delegated to others. It is also anticipated that many people coming to a Feast for the first time do not know what is expected of them or what is involved in planning and conducting a Feast. Some flexibility may be required in relation to the needs of different groups and nations when organising a Feast site.

Email: secretary@ccg.org

This paper is available from the World Wide Web page:
http://www.logon.org and http://www.ccg.org

The success of any Feast site depends on the teamwork of the coordinator, the speakers, assistants, and all personnel who have been requested, or who have volunteered, to take responsibility for any part of the Feast management, however small or large their component of the task. We are there to both serve and to be served in love and fellowship.

Three times a year God’s people are commanded to leave their dwellings and go to the place where God places His name (Ex. 23:14-17; Lev. 23:1-44; Deut. 16:1-16). We go to the Feast to learn how to worship and fear God (Deut. 4:10; 10:12,13; 14:23; 17:19; 31:12). We go with our menservants and maidservants so all may learn how to obey God more correctly (Deut.12:7,12; 14:29; 16:11-14).

Who are our menservants and maidservants today? Many people today do not have servants, so who are we talking of here? Basically, it is anyone we employ to assist us. This is one of the reasons why we do not go to restaurants during Sabbaths, because as they serve us they effectively become our manservant or maidservant. Those in our employ, if they are of the faith, would come with us to the Feasts. However, we should not be asking people to serve us during times God would normally expect them to be worshipping Him. Their ignorance or disobedience is no reason for us to be making use of them for our convenience.

In the Christian Churches of God we keep God’s calendar as God’s people have done for ages. For more information see the paper God's Calendar (No. 156) and related papers.

Before each Feast the men may spend many hours preparing their sermons and sermonettes (1Cor. 14:34,35; 1Tim. 2:8-15). Women have various other roles and duties, such as child rearing and instruction, tending to the sick and infirm, as well as participating in Bible studies and discussions. For more information on the roles and duties of a woman see the paper Role of Christian Woman (No. 62). It is typically the role of women at the Feast to ensure that members have a physically enjoyable Feast.

Feast site coordinators should arrange the location well in advance, ensuring adequate, comfortable, clean accommodation, taking into account the likely financial resources of attendees. The meeting hall and kitchen must be of adequate size and have facilities to accommodate the expected numbers. Notice of location and expected costs should be provided to attendees as soon as possible and well in advance of the Feast. If possible, the coordinator and/or his delegate should familiarise themselves with the local area. This would probably include the location of the hospital, and other essential services and possible attractions for activities, etc.

The Feast coordinator must also ensure that speakers are well prepared and the subject matters for discussion make up a well-balanced study.

Attendees must confirm their attendance early, and immediately inform the Feast coordinator of any change in plans. If anyone requires to be picked up from airports etc., they must request such assistance as early as possible so that airport pickup runs can be coordinated. When making bookings allow for delays while waiting to be picked up, as it may be necessary to wait for the next incoming flight for another attendee. Adequate time should be allowed to ensure everyone is at the site in time to be properly prepared for the first service. We should be aware that if we are run late, then we might force someone else to be late also. It is each person’s responsibility to ensure that adequate time is allowed for travel.

Anyone requiring financial assistance should discuss this with his or her local coordinator.

Anyone with dietary or other special needs should inform the Feast coordinator so that he can ensure those delegated to the various duties can be informed.

Pagan or idolatrous objects should be removed from the meeting room (and personal accommodations).

The sound system needs to be set up and tested, not forgetting the mother’s room.

The floor should be swept and chairs and tables arranged as appropriate.

Announcements should be made daily to ensure everyone knows the program for the day and to deal with any matters that may arise.

Emergency exit plan, fire procedures and First Aid kit location need to be explained and, if necessary, floor plans placed on a notice board.

A schedule should be posted on the notice board with copies available for individuals. This would include day and times for services and/or Bible studies, group activities and locations for meals and meal times.

Where possible, a room is provided for mothers needing to feed babies and attend to the needs of young children. It may also be used for children’s Bible classes and to settle restless or noisy children. A sound system is provided when possible to ensure mothers miss as little of the messages as possible.

Ministerial coordinators are generally responsible for ensuring the hall is prepared and all matters pertaining to the service are properly prepared and ready.

The hall should be prepared in advance and kept clean and tidy. Papers should be distributed prior to the commencement of services.

The sound system should be checked and operational.

Appropriate hymns, hymnals, and music should be planned and ready.

Any announcements should be handed to the song leader or appropriate person and then placed on the notice board for those who may have missed them.

Special music may be planned and scheduled as appropriate.

Services should begin at the stated time with all preparations completed.

The catering coordinator would ensure that water is available for the speakers and that water is also set up at the back of the hall for anyone who may require it.

The Christian Churches of God believe we should eat together. Many brethren of the Churches of God would expect to eat together on the Night of Watching. In Deuteronomy 16:17 we are told to cook and eat in the place God commands. On the Night of Watching a small child asks, "What is the meaning of this?" Yet, many have not been out of their dwellings, and assisted with cooking the meal in the place God has chosen. For more information of how to keep the Night of Watching correctly, see the paper Preparation for the Passover Meal on the Night of Watching (No. 93). In the following texts in Deuteronomy we will read what God commands of us at each of Feasts.

See also Deuteronomy12:6-8 and17-18.

We are provided with spiritually rich food throughout the Feast. For many of us it takes months to fully digest and understand all of what was presented. The physical food also needs to be of a high standard. The physical food needs to be special, satisfying, balanced and nutritious. Many very interesting and rewarding studies have occurred between the brethren during a meal conversation. We need to make the dining experience just as special and memorable as the spiritual food.

We are not allowed to eat within our gates (Ex. 23:17; Deut. 16:16) except in the third year (Deut. 26:12), when our second tithe is given in the third year of the seven-year cycle into the tithe fund for the widows and orphans (Deut. 14:28-29, 26:12,13). The Scripture indicates we may eat within our gates in the third year, but it is not a command. If there are brethren in our area, it is quite permissible to keep the Feast with them within our gates in the 3^rd year. Scattered brethren might find it rewarding to consider saving some of their 2^nd tithe from other years, so that they have enough funds to travel and keep the feast with others in the 3^rd year.

God placed such importance on us getting to the Feast and enjoying the fat and drinking the sweet (Neh. 8:10), that He provided a system that ensures all peoples are provided for at the Feast if we obey Him.

God is a God of law and order. He does things decently and in order (1Cor. 14:40). He is the author of peace (1Cor. 14:33). We are to become like Him (1Jn. 3:2). Therefore, we too should do things decently and in order and have peace in all we do. Food preparation requires a lot of organisation to make the Feast physically enjoyable for all parties. Usually the Church designates an individual to coordinate the meals at each of the Feast sites. As, with all things in life, this involves organisation, planning, and prayer as the most important concepts. We will now review what the basic responsibilities are for organising festival meals.

How each Feast site is organised depends on the numbers in attendance, availability of resources, and individual site goals. For example, if numerous people are flying in from various locations, it may be easier for one person to plan the entire menu and do the majority of shopping. Others can then assist with the meal preparation once they arrive at the site and throughout the Feast. Another option is to ask various ladies to plan and coordinate one or two days of meals at the Feast. This allows those of us who may not have cooked for large numbers before to develop new skills. This also assists in developing and training meal coordinators for future sites. It also encourages all to be able to take over tasks and work as a functional unit in case one person has to deal with an emergency. A person can still function as coordinator to ensure the various daily menu plans come together in an organised and balanced fashion. She can also assist with proportion sizes, shopping lists, and as a point of reference if needed.

The Church officers will appoint catering coordinators for each site. Those involved will need to get food handlers certificates.

The members of Christian Churches of God believe in keeping the food laws found in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. For more information on the concept of clean foods see The Food Laws (No. 15). This of course means ensuring that the food laws are followed at the feasts. Extra care needs to be taken when shopping and purchasing items. Today’s labelling can be deceptive and one needs to especially check the ingredients on boxed cakes, cookies (biscuits), breads, and canned beans. Even something as simple as one brand of turkey sausage made in America which is made with turkey but put in pork casings; thereby making it unclean. One cannot be too careful because when others assist with shopping sometimes they do not check labels. Therefore, it is helpful to check labels when items are brought into the kitchen in case they were not checked properly in the store.

We keep the Days of Unleavened Bread (Ex. 12:8,15,19; 13:3; 34:18; Deut. 16:1-8). During Unleavened Bread it is the meal coordinator’s responsibility to ensure that unleavened bread is provided every day of the Feast. We are commanded to eat unleavened bread for seven days (Ex.12:15; 13:3; 34:18; Deut.16:3,8). For specific recipe ideas see paper Recipes for the Days of Unleavened Bread (No. R2). It is also the meal coordinator’s responsibility to ensure all leaven products are put out of the kitchen before dark at the beginning of the 15^th of the first lunar month (Ex. 12:15, 19, Deut. 16:4). She would also ensure no leaven products are served to God’s people during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The meals should be a balanced variety of clean meats, vegetables, fruit, grains and dairy products.

Fruit juice should be available at all times for everyone, especially the children.

Alcohol is permitted and is generally the responsibility of the individual, and those who can afford it help provide for those who cannot. This is a matter for each individual.

The meal coordinator should also ensure all are fed at the Feast. At times this may involve getting a meal to someone’s cabin if that person is ill. The meal coordinator should also be able to answer any questions related to what was prepared in case of allergies etc. Attendees are requested to advise the catering coordinator of any special needs well in advance of the Feast.

We believe in obeying God and His laws; therefore we do not work or buy and sell on the Sabbath day (Num.13:32-36; Neh.10:28-31, 13:15-21; Jer.17:21-22). This of course also follows when we are gathered together for the Feast. Therefore, care and consideration needs to be given for Sabbaths or back-to-back Sabbaths. This has never historically been a problem, it just involves planning the menu and shopping accordingly. At the Feast we typically prepare more food than we would at home for our normal families, but then we have many more people who can help in the preparation.

In the Appendix there is a sample volunteer sign up list. The tentative menu and sign up lists can be posted at the information table. It has also been helpful to keep a copy posted in the kitchen. It is beneficial to refer to the menu as tentative. Sometimes one is not able to get the meat that is listed on the menu in the quantities needed etc. One needs to be flexible and make adjustments as necessary. Should the meal coordinator, or daily coordinator, need to be gone for part of the day, they should feel comfortable asking someone else to step in and function in their capacity to ensure God’s people get the necessary meals on time.

There can be a job for anyone who wants to help. The daily coordinator just needs to be familiar with the menu for the day and assign the tasks accordingly. For example, if an elderly woman would like to assist, ask her to do a job such as shredding lettuce or something she can do sitting down that is not physically demanding. Or if someone would like to assist who is in a wheelchair, bring the supplies she needs to her workstation and check with her periodically to see if she needs anything. We truly are all one family and all part of the Body of Christ. We need to love and care for our brother and try to have as many help in the preparation and clean up as possible. The teenagers and young people can be very useful in carrying in the multitude of groceries. Some evening an individual can offer to assist the children with baking cookies and bars that can be used for Sabbath lunches and dinners. To add some variety, at times the men can be asked to barbecue the meat on outside grills. Living with each other for 8 days is a tremendous blessing and extremely rewarding when all are able to participate in making the Feast a success.

When using commercial kitchens it may be a requirement that all those handling food have been trained and accredited in food hygiene and handling. Therefore, it is worthwhile for anyone who wishes to be of assistance in the kitchen to attend the appropriate courses of their nation. Even without this being a condition of use of the kitchen facilities in the nation concerned, it is a service to the brethren as a whole to attend these courses, as this will limit any potential problems.

Each nation needs to comply with the catering laws within the nation or state in which the Feast is taking place.

We observe the quarantine laws of Leviticus 13:45-46 and Numbers 5:1-4. Even if a person is on the schedule to coordinate or assist with preparation of a meal, if she or her children become sick, she should not assist in meal preparation.

This also applies to attendance at services. Where there is any risk of passing illness on to another person, we should isolate ourselves until well again.

We worship God by being at His commanded assemblies (Ex. 23:14, 34:22-24; Deut.16:16). God’s plan provides a source of revenue for each individual member to get to the Feast. Each individual member needs to faithfully save and manage his or her second tithe through the 7-year cycle (Deut. 14:22-23). By doing this we will be prepared to attend God’s Feasts in the third year and the seventh year when we do not have the "yearly second tithe". In the third year our second tithe is converted to the Third Year Tithe for the widows and fatherless (Deut. 14:28-29; 26:12-13). See Christian Churches of God Calendar for the tithing chart. Therefore, we must plan and manage our second tithe account to ensure we are able to attend the Feasts being by dutiful stewards. It is best to keep our second tithe in a separate non-interest bearing account (Ex. 22:25; Lev. 25:36; Deut. 23:19,20). The Terumah of 2%, which we are commanded to keep, can be added to our second tithe (Ezek. 45:14-17). For more information on the Terumah see the Sabbath message Part B, dated 12/5/26/120 by James Dailley http://www.ccg.org/_domain/ccg.org/Sabbath/2003/S_08_09_03b.htm and the papers Tithing (No. 161) and The Juma’ah: Preparing for the Sabbath (No. 285). For more information on the tithe of the tithe at Nehemiah 10:38, see the Constitution (No. A2) and Tithing (No.161).

Though people have their second tithe and Temurah to attend the Feasts, this is still money set aside by God for the individual’s use at the Feast. It is the meal coordinator’s role to ensure the meals on Sabbath are Sabbath quality meals and the meals during the remainder of the Feast are also adequate. But there is a certain aspect of balance in all things. Some of the meals need to be a bit more cost effective to balance out the cost of the Sabbath meals or other more expensive meals.

For some of God’s people, their second tithe may not cover their travel costs and accommodation so there is little, if any, left over for a food budget. Typically meals at the Feasts in the United States average US$7.00-$10.00 per adult. We cover the cost of those under twenty years of age in the charge for the adults. Midway through the Feast an announcement is made regarding the cost of the meals. Please remember we should give what we are able, to cover the food budget. There will always be the poor among us (Mat. 26:11; Mark 14:7; John 12:8). Therefore, if someone has extra and wants to help cover the costs for those who do not have the money that is a great blessing. The rich should be generous to the poor (Deut. 15:7-11). The Church will cover the cost of the meals if we are short on meeting our bills, but better for us to assist in covering our own costs rather than taking what was given for preaching the Gospel to cover our food bill.

It is such a blessing to go where God places His name to learn to worship and fear Him. Let us all try to keep the Feast in the right attitude, always being a servant to each other to assist at the Feast in a rewarding and enjoyable fashion. Let us all count it a blessing to be among God’s elect and keep and live the Law of Eloah (Ezra 7:14).

Have an updated list of attendees. The coordinator should know whom to notify in case of emergency. Maybe use emergency cards?

Accommodation Allocation: [The coordinator should know who is in which cabin/room, etc. in case of emergencies, fire etc.]

Special Needs: This kind of sensitive information should only be provided to individuals on a need to know basis. The Coordinator may need to know if someone has sought financial assistance to attend the Feast so he can ensure his or her needs are met.

Delegate tasks to appropriate members prior to Feast in order to ensure they have time to be properly prepared, e.g. bring requested items, prepare sermons, prepare menus, child minding – especially for the Lord’s Supper.

Have volunteer lists posted on a community board so that anyone can put his/her name down for preferred tasks, e.g. kitchen help, set-up & clean-up crews; activity coordinators.

Wave Sheaf: Start service by 9 AM.

Pentcost: Start by 9AM (take in account Daylight Saving Time).

Refer to Ingathering list

Trash should be disposed of each time receptacle is full and at the end of each day. It is helpful to keep an extra trash bag in the bottom of the receptacle so a trash bag is always easily attainable.

Appliances: Make sure all appliances such as stoves, coffee pots, etc. are turned off, especially at the end of the day. If using crock-pots etc. with surge bars check to make sure surge bar is on. At times people attempt to be helpful by turning ovens, etc off when they were actually on for a reason.

Note: as stated previously people handling food at the Feasts must have the appropriate food handler’s certificate or accreditation as is appropriate for their particular state or nation. Anyone without this qualification should only assist with kitchen duty tasks under the supervision and direction of a certificate holder.

Christian Churches of God

E-mail:   CCG Secretary

Copyright:   The papers on this site may be freely copied and distributed provided they are copied in total with no alterations or deletions. The publisher's name and address and the copyright notice must be included. No charge may be levied on recipients of distributed copies. Brief quotations may be embodied in critical articles and reviews without breaching copyright.

| Search | Alphabetic Index | Long Catalogue | Home Page | Webmaster | Additional |