Weekly Update

September 28th, 2017

Greetings from Charlotte,

This Sabbath we will observe the Day of Atonement that pictures another major step in God's Great Plan of Salvation—the binding of Satan who is the cause of all the evils and suffering in the world. As we humble ourselves with fasting (Psalm 35:13) and review the meaning of this Holy Day, let's strive to develop the mind of Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself to become a sacrifice for our sins and the sins of mankind (Philippians 2:5-10). Let's also ask God to help us recognize and resist the efforts of Satan to tempt us (2 Peter 5:8-9) with the attitude of pride that led to his downfall (Isaiah 14:14-15; Ezekiel 28:17) and still continues to be a fundamental cause of so many problems in this world. It appears from the reports that we have received that all of our brethren in the hurricane-affected areas in Texas, Florida and the Caribbean are safe. Our elder from Martinique, Mr. Etienne Duval, was able to visit our scattered members on St. Martin, and he reports they are all OK, but without power and telephone (see below). Puerto Rico is also currently without power and water and has very limited telecommunication. Mr. and Mrs. Weston will meet with brethren in Manila, Philippines for Atonement and then travel on to New Zealand and Australia for the Feast. Many others from Charlotte will be heading to other destinations. Please pray that God will protect His people as they travel to the Festivals, and inspire the services and activities at the 52 Feast sites around the world.—DSW

Church Administration

Contact Made with Members and Prospective Members on St. Martin

I was able to go to St. Martin yesterday, Wednesday, September 27, on an early flight which arrived at 9:00 a.m. The trip went very smoothly and I even rented a car at the airport. Because of a lot of garbage (roofs, electric or telephone poles, cables, fences, broken cars, etc.) on the roads, driving was not always easy.

I was pleased to be able to visit our members and prospective members; they have not suffered physical injury and have no specific needs. Given the general state of the country (desolation), it can no doubt be said that God protected them. I was able to visit most people in person and made contact with one by phone. They are doing well, without any major problems but without electricity and telephone. They were repairing their generator and I hope they will then be able to use the DVD of the Feast messages that I carried to them. I also visited a couple of French-speaking prospective members who also are well and have very little damage at home.

We can thank God for having protected them and we also appreciate having been spared both in Guadeloupe and Martinique, because in my life, despite the many hurricanes that I have known, I have never seen such devastation, such desolation! I returned to Martinique last night. It was a safe trip, many thanks for your prayers and support.—Etienne Duval

Recording of Dr. Meredith's Funeral Service Sent to Congregations

A copy of "Memorial Service: Roderick C. Meredith," the recording of Dr. Meredith's funeral, has been sent to each congregation to be made available in the church library. It was sent with August's DVD sermons shipment.

Ministerial Bulletin Index

Pastors and Elders: Please note that an updated Ministerial Bulletin index has been uploaded for ministers on the MyLCG website. You can access it by going to cogl.org.

Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast Begins… Next Week!

It's hard to believe, but the Feast is just days away! As this highlight of the year draws near, here are some important things to be aware of: 

Opening Night Service

The Opening Night service is Wednesday, October 4. Brethren are encouraged to make every effort to arrive at their Feast site in plenty of time to attend this opening service Wednesday evening, the beginning of the Holy Day which is the first day of the Feast. There will also be a special DVD welcome message from Mr. Weston during this service. Check with your Festival Site Coordinator for the time of the Opening Night service at your site.

Instructions for Accessing Feast Services by Internet and Telephone

While many of us prepare to leave our homes to attend this annual highlight of the year, let us not forget those who cannot attend the Feast because of health reasons. Our shut-ins will be in our thoughts and prayers during this Feast, that they may be uplifted and inspired, though under less-than-ideal circumstances. If you will not be able to attend the Feast, please take note that many of our Festival sites will offer remote, live services to shut-ins in the areas assigned to that Feast site. Some sites will offer either live stream (Internet), telephone hook-up, or both. Here are instructions for connecting to video or audio live streaming:

Live-Stream Access to Services During the Feast

  1. Go to the Web site: www.lcgwebcast.org
  2. Click on the "Request Password" link in the top center of the page.
  3. Find your assigned Feast site and select the password contact for your site. Please e-mail him at the e-mail address listed to request a password.
  4. Once you receive the password, go back to www.lcgwebcast.org and click on your Feast site from the list of Feast sites, then enter the password to access services. Please follow the instructions to enter your full name and the number of people viewing the services.

Telephone Access to Services during the Feast

Some sites will be offering telephone hook-up services for those assigned to their site, but who cannot attend. For information on how to connect to services, contact the Festival Site Coordinator directly. The names and contact information for the USA Festival Site Coordinators are below. For international sites, please contact your Regional Office.

Living Youth Program

Adventure Camp Photo Contest Winners—Repeat Announcement

Responses have been tabulated, judges' scores factored in, and the boy and girl winners for the Mount Rainer Adventure Camp 2017 Photo Contest have been selected. They will each receive a $100 gift card to an REI outdoors store. Visit the Living Youth Program Facebook page to see who the winners are!

Living University

New LU Library Database

The Living University library has recently acquired access to two powerful online databases powered by EBSCO, which will greatly enhance the ability of our distance-learning students and our faculty to conduct meaningful research. One database houses over 2,000 electronic journals with digital articles. The peer-reviewed journals cover a wide variety of topics related to content covered in all of our general education and many of our theology classes. In addition, Living University now has access to over 160,000 books in a digital and downloadable format, essentially expanding our library holdings by ten times. The books cover a wide range of topics. The best part about these new databases is that they can be accessed and used by our students anywhere in the world.

Comments

Thy Kingdom Come: Jesus Christ came to this earth "preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God" (Mark 1:14-15). The Bible reveals that when Jesus returns to rule this earth, "His reward is with Him, and His work before Him" (Isaiah 40:10). The saints, who will be kings and priests in the coming Kingdom of God (Revelation 5:10), will share that reward and that work as they reign with Christ on this earth (Matthew 19:28-30; Revelation 11:18). In the coming Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ and His saints will show the world that God's laws and way of life will lead to peace (Isaiah 2:2-4), justice and righteous government (Isaiah 9:6-7), health and joy in a restored environment (Isaiah 35:1-7), and rain in due season with the abundance that will bring (Leviticus 26:4). When we contrast the Gospel with trends we see today—religious confusion, moral decay, violence, strife, corruption and injustice, sickness and disease, environmental destruction and disasters, frustration and unhappiness—we can certainly sense the urgency of Jesus' instruction to pray "Thy kingdom come."

May you all have a pleasant and profitable Feast,

Douglas S. Winnail

News and Prophecy—September 28, 2017

Wind and Waves Raging: In the past few weeks, thousands around the globe have been traumatized by powerful hurricanes in the Atlantic and typhoons in the Pacific that have caused tremendous devastation and suffering. Numerous islands in the Caribbean were pummeled by two Category 5 hurricanes in a row, and officials have described the after-storm conditions as "apocalyptic," as thousands lost homes and were left without power, water or a means of communication with the outside world (CNN.com, September 24, 2017). According to the experts, "The year 2017 is set to be the stormiest year on record as forecasters are warning of flooding and travel disruption this autumn. A total of seven named storms [some with hurricane-force wind gusts] have been forecast to hit Britain's shores by Christmas"—up from three last year and five in 2015 (The Telegraph, September 17, 2017). Many expect this to be the most expensive hurricane season on record for the U.S. and many other nations (New York Times, September 19, 2017). Jesus Christ prophesied that one of the signs of the end of the age would be "the sea and the waves roaring" (Luke 21:25). While this prophecy is referring to a time yet ahead, we should expect to see greater frequency and intensity of ocean storms as the end of the age approaches. The Bible indicates that God is going to use the weather to get the attention of a world in need of repentance. For more on this pertinent topic, read or listen to Who Controls the Weather?

Elusive World Peace: With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the move toward world peace appeared to take a positive turn. Although there have been conflicts around the globe since then, the major world powers have been at relative peace with each other—at least until very recently. According to the head of NATO, "The world is more dangerous today than it has been in a generation" (The Guardian, September 8, 2017). While Russia prepares its war games, Sweden is also executing its largest military exercise in decades (Reuters, September 13, 2017). War games conducted by the USA and South Korea brought an angry response from North Korea (cbsnews.com, August 21, 2017). Today, the world seems on edge, and war-time rhetoric is emanating from more than one world leader. While many hope and pray for peace, and diplomats shuttle between capitals attempting to negotiate peace agreements, the world seems more divided than ever—just as Jesus Christ predicted nearly two thousand years ago (Matthew 24:6-8). The sobering truth is that real peace will not come until Christ returns and shows the way to peace (Isaiah 59:8 and 2:2-4; Psalm 119:165). To understand why the quest for peace is so elusive, be sure to read "Is Man Capable of Self-Government?"

Plastic Is Everywhere! New research on drinking water demonstrates that microplastic particles are found in tap water all over the world. "The US had the highest contamination rate, at 94%... Lebanon and India had the next highest rates. European nations including the UK, Germany and France had the lowest contamination rate, but this was still 72%" (The Guardian, September 5, 2017). Microplastics have been found in well water, bottled beers, honey and sugar. These microscopic fibers can act as a magnet for bacteria and are now even found in the air we breathe. It seems like there is no escaping these ubiquitous microtoxins. Centuries ago, the Apostle Paul lamented, "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God… [T]he creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now" (Romans 8:19, 21-22). Humanity's attempts at progress and modernization often bring more problems than they solve—hence the plastic plague. However, Jesus Christ is going to return, and He and His glorified saints will begin to clean up the consequences of humanity's short-sighted decision-making. To learn how this will happen and why, read "Why Worry About Waste?"—Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, Chris Sookdeo, and Joe Brown