Dear Friend,

A very exciting opportunity is now a step closer to fruition! After months of planning and legwork, our goal of using the converging technologies of television and the Internet to powerfully reach people with God's message of hope is now closer to reality.

The United Church of God, publisher of The Good News magazine, desires whenever possible to take advantage of the latest technology for preaching the good news of God's Kingdom. We have planned for several years to build and furnish a video-recording studio when funds became available. During a recent teleconference, church board members approved the creation of a special restricted fund for the construction and equipping of a "media center" at our home office in Cincinnati. Since the new facility will be more than just a "video studio," we have labeled the area a "media center"—a term that more aptly describes the multifunctional capabilities of the proposed space.

An artists rendering of how the media center might look.

This new facility will help us capitalize on the increasing capabilities of the cost-effective medium of the Internet. As you may know, the Internet and television are converging—with many users accessing television programs on the Internet and vice versa. Broadband Internet technology is currently available to the average consumer. It is projected that by 2007, 70 percent of U.S. households will have broadband Internet access—making real-time, full-frame streaming video a reality. Also, an advanced version of the Internet is on the horizon—with speeds hundreds of times faster than are currently available.

Considering these factors, we feel it is important we maximize the Internet to make known Christ's gospel around the entire world. Having a video-recording environment will enable us to provide content for a 24/7/365 video/TV Web site with commentaries and programs on many subjects relating to the good news of the Kingdom of God. In addition, timely commentaries, even at the moment of breaking news, can be uploaded immediately to the Web. As programming is completed, it can be made available to the public around the world at virtually no cost.

It is critical that we continue preaching and publishing the gospel until Jesus Christ returns. Video production for the World Wide Web is another vital means to accomplish this responsibility, adding to the important and helpful content we already provide on our Web sites. You are welcome to check out the many publications, news commentaries, video sermons and more on gnmagazine.org and ucg.org. If you are interested in learning more about the plans for the new media center, click on the following link: www.ucg.org/about/homeoffice/letters/pres07_15_04.htm.

Sincerely,

Roy Holladay
President
United Church of God, an International Association