January 13, 2022
Dear Brethren and Co-workers with Christ,
What a year 2021 was! We are all happy that it is now in our rearview mirror, as we were when 2020 ended. But what is ahead for this year? What twists and turns will it hold for us as we hurtle toward the climax of the ages and the return of Jesus Christ to save mankind from its insanity? Be sure to avail yourself of Tomorrow’s World magazine and all our resources to keep up with what the Bible teaches about this unique time in history. And if you have not discovered the Tomorrow’s World telecast, look for it in your area on one of many stations listed in the back of our magazine. You may also watch it 24/7 at our website TomorrowsWorld.org.
I have already shared with our Living Church of God members something that we did recently, but I want to share this with you who are co-workers with us. As many of you know, a series of terrible tornados last month cut across the central part of the United States. One plowed across the landscape for 227 miles, destroying everything in its path, including several small towns. Mayfield and Dawson Springs, Kentucky, were especially hard hit, and I think we all desired to do something to help the individuals whose lives will never be the same.
We know that we cannot rebuild houses or replace destroyed vehicles, nor can we help everyone who suffered a loss. We also know that our primary calling is to preach the good news of Christ’s Second Coming and warn the world of what will happen if we do not change directions. At the same time, we have the example of the Good Samaritan, and when we see a specific need to do what we reasonably can without jeopardizing our primary mission, we should do so.
Several of us discussed how we could provide some direct help and concluded that we could offer a small amount of financial assistance to Tomorrow’s World subscribers to cover some incidentals they may need in the aftermath. This offer went out to 93 individual households. Only a handful of grateful people have so far responded, and the amounts we give for this come out of our Disaster Relief Fund, so this will not impact our primary commission. And, by the way, my mention of this fund is not a veiled request to contribute to it as we have sufficient resources from past member contributions, and we do not want to tie up funds in an account restricted to only one use, as this special account is. And on another note, we will not announce any of this to the world, but I want to share this with those of you who are in our inner circle of members and co-workers.
Just as I was writing this, my secretary sent me another request for help. An elderly woman and her daughter were in their mobile home when it “exploded” from the tornado. They are in separate hospitals with serious injuries and have lost everything. FEMA will give the kind of help that we cannot, but we will help with a modest amount to cover incidentals that inevitably arise from these disasters, and our minister for the area will make contact, as requested, to provide counseling and comfort. Our hearts go out to all who have suffered losses and been traumatized by this and other disasters.
On the other side of the world, Typhoon Rai devastated parts of the Philippines on December 16. Thousands lost their homes, crops, and other means of making a living, with more than 400 dead and dozens missing. Our Australian and Philippine offices will coordinate to help our members in need at this time.
Despite the difficult times in which we are living, God has certainly blessed our Work these past two years. Regular income for 2021, not including legacies and other special donations, ended up 6 percent over 2020. Thank you to all of you for your part in this. As you know, inflation is currently running at a higher rate, but some of our expenses were held down due to COVID lockdowns, thus offsetting some of the inflation.
Looking forward, we have an ambitious Tomorrow’s World Presentation schedule for 2022. This is where we invite subscribers to in-person meetings where they hear from one of our telecast presenters or other leading ministers. The theme this year will again be “Signs of Christ’s Return.” Last weekend, Tomorrow’s World telecast presenter Mr. Richard Ames gave presentations in Jacksonville and Ocala, Florida, where 32 and 65 guests, respectively, came to hear his message and ask questions. Members from the local areas were also in attendance. Another of our longtime ministers, Mr. Jonathan McNair, gave presentations in Spokane and Tacoma, Washington, to a total of 26 guests, plus local members. This week telecast presenter Mr. Rod McNair is scheduled to be in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and I am scheduled to be in El Paso, Texas, for presentations.
These presentations give our subscribers the opportunity to meet us, to hear a message relevant to the times in which we live, and to receive answers to their questions. We look forward to meeting our members, co-workers, and subscribers in this way, so be sure to come see us when we are in your area. We will send you an invitation letter to any event near you, and the Tomorrow’s World website lists cities where upcoming presentations are planned for the next few months.
Looking back on last year, we had 3,200,000 views on our English-language YouTube channel, another 7,100,000 views on our Spanish channel, and we added 62,000 YouTube subscribers between the two. More than 139,000 people started our printed Bible Study Course during the year, and when we add the online version, it makes for a total of over 150,000. This was an increase of 45 percent over a strong 2020.
All of this was made possible by the blessings of God as He moved you to give of your prayers, your tithes, and your offerings. We can do nothing of ourselves, but we are pleased to see that God is blessing us. At the same time, we must not become complacent in our thinking. As Dr. Roderick Meredith, our former Presiding Evangelist, would say, we move forward on our knees. Our humble prayers make a difference, for it is difficult to explain from a physical perspective the significant growth that has taken place over the last couple years.
Thank you, dear brethren and co-workers, for your dedication and zeal. It is a big world, and you are making a difference in it.
Sincerely, in Christ’s service,
Gerald E. Weston