I will most likely discontinue this site due to the NING platform changing and, in my opinion, deteriorating. What started out as free in 2007 has now gone up to $69 a month starting October 1st. Read this link and especially read the comments below it from long time NING network creators.If anyone wants to take ownership of this site that can be arranged. Otherwise it will be cancelled soon. If no one wants to assume the responsibility that is understandable. Everything has its time.
Before this site goes away I recommend that you copy any items you may want from among over 7,500 pictures, hundreds of blog posts, memorial posts and other documents you may find. You can also make screen shots of any given screen you are on using Windows own Snipping Tool for example. I may continue the site for a few months to allow others to make copies.
I started this site about 9 years ago before FaceBook was a thing. The idea was to have a neutral place where a few of us could have some fun and socialize and keep in touch while leaving aside the all the usual religious bickering that would no doubt accompany a site like this. Whatever I did seemed to have struck a nerve at the time. There are almost 1,700 members on this site now including 2 new ones who joined today.
To The Way Ministry and President Rivenbark, I am sure you will be glad to see this site go away as it may be a reminder of your failures and mismanagement resulting in hurt that was caused to many good people. Managing this site has enabled me to collect a treasure trove of memorabilia including music, pictures, videos and documents from those bygone days. It seems you would rather discount them as "old wine skins" as you told us they were. I consider them fine wine. Maybe you are now the old wine skin? It is WE who made the good things and good times happen in our years in The Way Corps, in spite of you.
As site Administrator, I have been able to have personal conversations with people from across all eras of The Way Ministry. Many have moved on to other successful walks of life and are now enjoying their families, children and grandchildren. It's been so much fun to have this experience! I will forever treasure these moments on this site and will never forget some of the greatest people I have ever known.....that would be you!
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Dear John,
Those first two words seem a little strange, in light of your potentially closing this site. But this is not a "Dear John Letter," I have so much to say here and I just must get to it.
First of all, I appreciate the heads-up email informing us of your intentions.
I am not sure if you have explored other options, but I have several sites and I pay for them yearly. All of them in total, cost no way even close to the $69 a month, Bing now demands. Memory is pretty cheap. You might look into godaddy.com to transfer the domain name and see if it is possible to migrate this to something comparable that they could host for you?
Next, I want you to know that I personally understand how much work setting up and maintaining such a site is! From me to you, Thank You! I have spent nearly three days now, going through pretty much this entire site, saving pictures, files and wording that is meaningful to me and here is another, Thank You, for making this all available! It has been an incredible trip down memory lane, for me and sad too, to learn of many I have known over the years that have passed. I have not been to this site for quite some time and I have noticed, not too many people post here with too much regularity nor much seems to be very current? Perhaps we are all too busy with life and living and other media crave our attention and our devices cry out in competition, to Tweet on Twitter and Post on Facebook, and etc. Sometimes, I think my own websites are just memorials to what I have done in the past. Traffic is sparse, but like your own grown-up children, you just don't want to let them go. A lot of time, heart and effort has gone into this site. I 'm pretty confident you have paid all or most of the costs too?
I think I am about done here, but I would like to wrap this up with what I believe to be the most extraordinary thing about your site.
Obviously, your site was set up for the 6th Corps, but there is a lot more here than that! Many of our beloved have left us, one way or another. Some left the Way Ministry and some remain. Some that left are on their own, started their own ministries and there are those that have gone back to what they believed before, The Way International. But the point is, all of us that have come here, are logged on now, and have come here in the past, have one thing in common. We have all been touched in one way or another, by The Way International. To each their own to decide the affects it has had and has on their lives. I did not finish the 6th Corps. I was asked to leave the ministry around 1996? Still, that was over 20 years and NOTHING before 1974, had kept my attention for this long! For me, the day I was asked to leave was like being expected to stop breathing, but I didn't. I have gone through a lot personally with family and friends. Some, we are restored and some, we are still separated and may stay that way until the Gathering Together. But to say I was hurt would be an understatement, but to say I ever became bitter, IMPOSSIBLE! Did people screw up, hurt people and trash the Word of God? Yes. I just remembered something that Dr. Wierwille said, If a man or a woman stands on the Word of God even for a day, the world is a better place! This is what I think about, about every man, woman and child that has ever been a part of the Way, now dead, dying, or living a lie or in all manner of pain. My trip here, these past several days, down memory lane has made it crystal clear that from whenever our entry into the Way was (1974 for me), and for however long we stood, we each were a part of something EXTRAORDINARY!!! My time then, my time recently here and my 45 years since 1974, remain like I was one of those on the rode to Emmaus, "And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" LUke 24:32 KJV
I am also quite confident that many people that have come here have been healed or at least, blessed! For me, I'm like one of the 10 lepers Jesus Christ healed, and here to say to you, THANK YOU! God Bless You, I Do Love You and You ARE the BEST!
Still One of His Kids,
Dahni Hayden
Like many others, just want to Thank You for your service and work on this through the years!....Even if it made me cry and miss "those days".....So Thankful! Great God, great friends!..........God Bless! You're The Best!!
John, thank you so much for having the foresight and love to start this site. I will forever be grateful! Thanks for the heads-up, too, that sadly it will close. <3 See you at The Return if I don't ever get to meet you here on earth. When other WC grads I chat, we all agree that the WC Training of Service exists no where else on earth, not even in other Christian Universities. I've served with several different christian orgs and I always find myself teaching the practical and spiritual lessons I learned while in the WC and with The Way... it's always eye-opening for them. Serve in Love (agape), no one else really teaches it. Nothing that imperfect man does is ever perfect. It will have errors and mistakes. However, nothing like the WC and we have to ensure to teach our children the same principles. Did I meet and work with hateful peops in the WC, yes. But there was MORE good in the WC than anywhere else. I will never regret my time with The Way/WC.
John, God bless you, Brother. Thank you so much for making this site for terrific saints who appreciate the many fabulous memories of the photos, music and each other. We're going to spend eternity with each other, but this has been fun to have while we await the return of our lord Jesus Christ.
I'm just glad that I wasn't in the Sick Corps, as was my cousin...but, come to think of it, he turned out OK!
Love in Christ,
Jerry
Amen! John, just realized you have given us a personal email address to reach you, so will do that to discuss what donation I could make, if you do consider maintaining the site.
John,
This site satisfied a great need. After the implosion, I had no way to discover where people were, where their hearts are, and the places they have gone. It was a great joy when you opened this venue. I’ve found so many people I care a lot about. Thank you for your gift.
I especially appreciate the attitude of the members, allowing us to communicate without judgment. If it closes, I am thankful for the avenues it opened. If another person rises up to take over, I’ll be grateful. If subscriptions or donations help keep it alive, I’m in.
Thanks again John. You’ve blessed a lot of people.
Last thought - can the site be archived and accessible?