my assembly experience part I

Seeking the Survivors of George’s Ministry in Canada and US
Part I (too long otherwise)

   During the second world war, many individuals were displaced, hauled away
to concentration camps, left orphaned or unable to find their kin when the war ended.
My grandmother was one of these people. I am lucky to have her still alive. I cherish
her stories; they help me to understand my own experiences.

   I left the assembly in Canada about ten years ago. I had the unique experience
of living in all three locations (Estevan, Ottawa and Calgary) going to all three
assemblies over the course of seven years. This morning my sister phoned and got me
out of bed. She told me to get on a search engine and check out what was on line
about George Geftakys and his ministry (God’s ministry - or so we too believed,
once). I checked out several web sites and then phoned another former assembly
member, to whom I hadn’t spoken in years. And to my surprise, I cried, for hours.
Why? I left! Was I sad that the assembly had been shattered? Not at all, and yet,
absolutely, yes. But heartbroken too.
   I knew when I left fellowship that people who leave the assembly walk into
darkness. I knew, because I’d been taught that. I knew, because I believed. I’d
embraced those labels George knitted feverishly and circulated (we now know, to
save himself) - apostate, fallen, disobedient, lost - they were called, those people who
left the assembly. For years since I left the absolute Christian fundamentalist of
George, I’ve gone back and forth with my confidence in anything having to do with
faith. I was totally screwed up: confusion - that’s what George predicted.
   To read the accounts of others who too have experienced what I did of the
political wrangling - abuse, and manipulation (in Ottawa at least) - was both
validating and painful. I am still healing but I think mostly because I was in
‘fellowship’ from the beginning to justify my existence as a human being.