Significant Events in the History of The Assembly

[Margaret]

Thanks, Dave. I hope it will be helpful fo your presentation. But not only that. Readers of ga.com seem to really like reminiscences and anecdotes, too. It helps people gain perspective on the whole thing.

Correction to the timeline: Someone remembers that the MTT team went to the Olympics in LA in 1982, so it seems  a team went to SLO in 1983, after which SLO started breaking bread in 1983 and Keith and Gay were sent there.

[Margaret]

More additions to the Assembly Timeline and to individual Assembly pages have been made from your posts and emails. The Assembly History section is now up for view, but not literally what you would call "running", as it is still very weak and emaciated. Please be patient, guys, we were out of town last weekend after you all flooded us with info, so I'm working through all your emails and slowly getting stuff posted. Please keep the info coming. Dave Mauldin also gave me three more seminar pix, so watch for them coming soon.

Margaret

[Margaret]

Final updates of major events from the 1993-2001 Believers' Prayer Letters have been added to the Assembly timeline, Assembly locations, and seminar titles. Steve commented to me, "Wouldn't George just love to see his great ministry being documented like this!" I'm sure he would. And I hope it may lure him and Betty and continuing Assembly members to the website. I also hope that what comes out of this is not only Dave Mauldin's oral history project, but some thoughtful observations and more objective analysis of the Geftakys ministry as we approach the 5th anniversary of its demise.

Based on information in the prayer letters, we've added the following paragraph to "Introductory Articles": "It must be noted that not all Geftakys Assemblies and outreaches were the same. This introduction describes most closely the Assemblies in the USA, Canada and Nigeria. New outreaches, and Assemblies in other countries are not primarily addressed here."

What do you think?

[doug]

That is unfortunate the the MTT went to the olympics in LA in 1982 since they were held in 1984.

[Mark C.]

Thanks Margaret!

  You are doing great work over at the Reflections site and I have found your articles, posts, and blog very, very helpful to me.

  As to remembering the seminars:  I came to the group in a mystical fog and remained in that condition for at least the early years (school, job, and marriage seemed to help me come out of the mist in the later years).

 I can't remember exact dates, but I can remember some of the seminars that seemed to have the greatest impact on me.

 Jesus is the Son of God:  This one is the first one I remember and must have been around 1971 or 1972  (I don't see it in your list).  I was "caught up into the heavenlies" and my appetite for "deep spiritual experiences with God" was whetted as a result.  I prayed with all my heart that God would give me a "pure heart so that I could experience God's presence in my life."

    The conflict between my deep desire for revelatory experiences set against my own human imperfections and needs was formative for my entire stay with the group.  "I" was the problem and trying to crucify my "self life" made me the perfect cult member.  Anyway, this seminar set me up for my 20 year or so sojourn with GG and company.

 The God And Father Of Our Lord Jesus Christ: This seminar was in the same vein as the previous, and I believed just followed it.  It was more of the same:  ie, "want to pursue the depths of God---- pay the price of self annihilation!

   The Fountain of Life:  This one was on I JN, and it deeply disturbed me.  It was given some years later and really stirred me to question GG teaching.  GG was basically teaching a version of sinless perfection in this one (which he denies doing).  By this time I was realizing that "putting self to death" was not working very well, and the reality of my humanity was quite a contradiction to GG's overcomer theology.

   I really do hope that considering our Assembly history does invoke "thoughtful observations" and help us understand what it really means to trust in Christ.

                                                           God Bless,  Mark C.
 

[Margaret]

Thanks, Mark. I've added the seminars with question marks.

[DavidM]

  I am planning to talk to Dr. Hansen about the project Monday!

[matthew r. sciaini]

The only "first" I can remember for sure at this point was the first Teen Team....

It was the summer of 1993.....we had four teenage males staying with us at the Millers'.

I can remember Tim Geftakys talking a few months beforehand (informally), saying "the Lord is doing great things".

I also remember Ginger at some time later on fondly communicating about how the bonds between the West Coast Assemblies and the Midwest Assemblies would be strengthened through these endeavors(e.g. "their sons will marry our daughters and our sons shall marry their daughters).

During my time in the Assembly, and especially toward the end (the last few years), I was dwelling more on the "last things".

(This is in response to a request for the firsts in the Assembly, dated several months ago.)

Matt Sciaini