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Tragedy puts spotlight on obscure church
Organization's leaders stunned by slayings of members, longtime pastor
By DAVE UMHOEFER
dumhoefer@journalsentinel.com
Posted: March 12, 2005
The Living Church of God, a relatively new organization born of a split over religious doctrine, counts only several thousand members worldwide but spreads its word through weekly telecasts on 150 stations in several countries.

Hotel Shooting

Photo/Mary Jo Walicki

The Sheraton Hotel is just off of Interstate 94 next to the Brookfield Square Mall.

Photo/Jeffrey Phelps

A grieving woman is escorted from the hotel by authorities hours after the shootings.

Photo/Jeffrey Phelps

Memorials are placed in a snow bank near the hotel Saturday evening.

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Living Church of God

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Saturday's shootings in Brookfield brought the relatively obscure church into the spotlight in a tragic way.

The slayings came on Saturday, the church's day of worship as practiced in the time of the Old Testament. Members, who believe the Bible is the literal word of God, were gathering as they do throughout the country in small groups at rented halls, hotels and other locations.

The non-denominational church dates only to the 1990s, a spiritual descendant of the Worldwide Church of God, which was established by the late Herbert W. Armstrong. In 2003, when it moved its headquarters to Charlotte, N.C., from San Diego, it listed 6,300 members at some 200 congregations in 40 countries. Many of its members are from the Southern United States.

The church produces a TV program, "Tomorrow's World," that is seen around the world. A church Web site lists Wausau as the only Wisconsin city receiving the broadcast. The show airs on WGN from Chicago early on Sunday mornings. Recent episodes have included "A Nation of Adulterers?" and "Prophetic Milestones Ahead."

The church's beliefs are rooted in the Bible. It cites its mission as preaching the true gospel of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.

According to a piece by the church's Presiding Evangelist Roderick C. Meredith that is posted online, the Living Church of God is where "the full truth of the Bible is taught and practiced."

Members believe that the "Great Tribulation" - war and famine as prophesied in the Bible - is nearing and that Christ will return as "King of kings."

The Worldwide Church of God splintered over disagreements on doctrine. The Living Church of God is the second largest group that formed from that split, said Jim King, a longtime member in Omaha, Neb., who is active in choir direction. He said the United Church of God was the largest new religious organization to form from the breakup.

Church leaders and members from around the country struggled to take in the stunning news Saturday.

"This is pretty shocking," King said.

"We're still trying to put it all together. This is such a shock," said Charles E. Bryce, director of administration for the church at its North Carolina headquarters. Bryce said he would fly to Milwaukee today to learn more about the violence.

One of the victims of Saturday's shootings in Brookfield was Randy L. Gregory, a 50-year-old Gurnee, Ill., resident who church members say has served as a regional pastor for Living Church of God congregations for many years.

"He is a very fine man," said King, who said he met and worked alongside Gregory last fall in Missouri at the church's Feast of Tabernacles, a holy week for the church. "He's very committed and dedicated to his work."

Bryce, a close friend of Gregory's, described the congregation that meets at the Sheraton hotel in Brookfield as "a wonderful group."

Gregory, a veteran pastor in the church, traveled in the Midwest serving various congregations. His wife, Marjean, accompanied him to the Feast of Tabernacles, according to King, who joined the Worldwide Church in 1970. Gregory coordinated the feast.

Gregory often coordinated outings for youth groups, and was planning a camp for pre-teens in Missouri.

Gregory lived with his family off a quiet cul-de-sac in Gurnee in a modest, two-story home with basketball hoop. Neighbors said he, his wife and two sons were friendly but reserved.

"He was very quiet, almost overly so," said a friend and neighbor, Toni D'Amore, a dental hygienist. She said Gregory was seen walking in the neighborhood daily.

Moved from Texas
D'Amore said the family had moved to Gurnee from Texas approximately five years ago and chose the city because it was midway between Milwaukee and Chicago, where Randy Gregory also had a congregation.

The couple's younger son, James, is a junior at Warren Township High School, she said. Jonathan, the older of the two sons, had recently completed studies at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The family would take trips with the congregation to such places as France and Canada, she said.

The split in the Worldwide Church of God has had serious side effects, with lingering disputes over doctrine and finger-pointing between people who used to worship together but are now apart, King noted.

According to its Web site, the Worldwide Church of God is a Christian denomination with about 64,000 members worshipping in 860 congregations in about 90 nations. It is headquartered in Pasadena, Calif. That church is a member of the National Association of Evangelicals.

Meredith was one of the original evangelists ordained by Armstrong, the Worldwide Church of God founder.

Journal Sentinel reporters Graeme Zielinski in Gurnee, Ill., and Marie Rohde in Milwaukee contributed to this report.