Member News

Announcements for September 29, 2016

HDO Announcement for Those Traveling Outside the U.S.

Holy day offerings for those traveling internationally: We often receive questions about holy day offerings from members who are either 1) unable to attend the holy days or 2) traveling outside the U.S. for the Feast of Tabernacles. In order to submit your holy day offerings and obtain a tax deduction for your U.S. federal income tax return, you will need to do one of the following:

1. Give your offering online at http://cogwa.org/donate. This is our preferred method, plus it allows you to make your offering on the holy day.

2. Give another family member or friend your offering so that it can be collected at a local congregation or U.S. Feast site.

3. Mail your offering to the donation address in Dallas: COGWA, P.O. Box 731480, Dallas, TX 75373-1480.

This year we have more than 1,000 members registered to attend the Feast of Tabernacles outside the U.S., which includes the large number of brethren attending this year in Victoria, British Columbia. This large number (20 percent of our U.S. attendance) makes it important that each member consider giving the major portion of his or her offering in the U.S. and not at the international site itself. However, we do believe that God expects us to bring an offering with us to the Feast (Deuteronomy 16:16), so we would encourage you to give a portion of your offering in the area where you will be attending.

As you consider what amount to give at the international Feast site you’re visiting, please keep in mind that the headquarters office in Allen, Texas, sends a regular subsidy to most international areas to fund the spreading of the gospel message, the work of the Church and the expenses of the Feast of Tabernacles. In addition, there are some international areas where no subsidy is received, but where we do have employees, primarily ministerial, who are paid directly from the office in Allen.

If you have any questions, please contact Britton Taylor via email at [email protected].