Greetings from Charlotte,
Last Sabbath we held Tomorrow's World Presentations in Binghamton, New York; Charleston, West Virginia; and Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada; with a combined total of 57 guests and 79 members. A follow-up to a presentation given a week earlier was held in Auckland, New Zealand, with 29 guests returning. We are pleased to see a number of former Worldwide members trying to reconnect with the Church and who are checking us out. There are also a number of brand new people who express great enthusiasm when learning we actually have services nearby. How many follow through on that enthusiasm is always the big question. This weekend we have TWPs scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland; Rockford, Illinois; St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada; and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Living University classes began this past week with approximately 170 online students and eight on-campus students. I finished a co-worker letter and a letter regarding the fall Holy Day offerings, which you should be receiving shortly. Mr. Ames continues to do well and shows no outward signs of the stroke he suffered earlier this year. We have contracted for a new station in New Mexico and are looking at another one in the Tampa, Florida area. Budget limitations hold us back from doing much more.
On another note, brethren, let us make sure we do not get caught up in the spirit of hatred that is descending on the United States at this time and will become more apparent all over this world in the near future. We are members of the Family of God and must never become distracted from the big picture.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Saratoga Family Weekend
More than 50 brethren gathered at the Riviera Lodge on the banks of the North Platte River for the Saratoga Family Weekend. Spiritual and physical food were in abundance for everyone. Mrs. Ben Whitfield started things off with her famous "White Chili," followed by a moving Friday evening Bible Study by Mr. Whitfield, on developing Christian character attributes and what God looks for in all of us who make up His Church.
Sabbath morning greetings were met by hot coffee, fellowship, and a delightful brunch. Regional Pastor Jeff Fall brought a thought-provoking sermon on character. We greatly appreciated his insight and thoughtful direction. After church services, all enjoyed a delicious Sabbath Western steak dinner, with Carol Johns' homemade ice cream for dessert. This was not a weekend to think about a diet! Later, Dr. Fall shared some insight on fulfilled prophecy, followed by relaxing fellowship well into the night. Some ventured outside to see an August meteor shower.
After we all enjoyed a hearty breakfast on Sunday morning, Dr. Fall concluded the weekend with a workshop on Leadership and the Work. We all parted ways with smiles on our faces and delightful memories, and we all look forward to next year.
Feast of Tabernacles
Activity Registration and Payment Now Open!—Repeat Announcement
Activity Registration is now open for most Feast of Tabernacles sites, so members and guests may register for activities. Payments for activities can also be made for most sites. (Please note that activity registration is not yet open for a few Feast sites, because details are still being finalized—if you have any questions, contact your Festival Site Coordinator.) Simply go to www.lcg.org, and click on the "Feast of Tabernacles" link to gain access to registration and payment pages. If you have any questions, please contact your Festival Site Coordinator.
Sermon CDs for Those Who Can't Attend the Feast—Repeat Announcement
Attention Pastors: The U.S. deadline is September 1 for sending the Church Administration Department ([email protected]) the names of those in your congregation(s) who will be unable to attend the Feast and wish to receive a set of the Feast of Tabernacles sermons on CD. Sermons are available in English, French or Spanish. International requests should already have been turned in. Note: For those who have Internet access, one sermon will be uploaded each day during the Feast at www.lcg.org. The French sermons will be uploaded to www.eglisedieuvivant.org.
Living Youth Program
Adventure Trip 2017—Mount Rainier National Park
Forty campers and staff members have returned home safely from Mount Rainier National Park. Clear blue skies and daytime temperatures in the 80s and low 90s made cooling off in glacial mountain streams refreshing and enjoyable, and cool evening temperatures in the 60s made sleeping in the outdoors very comfortable. An abundance of mountain wildflowers and trails lined with huckleberries added to the backcountry experience, even though hikers were daily challenged by elevation changes of thousands of feet. The hike on Friday was especially challenging! After hiking for five days in the park, we spent a day whitewater rafting on the White Salmon River and then the final day was at Mount St. Helens. As usual, we began each day with a Christian Living Class/Bible Study and breakfast. The inspiring Sabbath service was enjoyed in the great outdoors. We thank God for another opportunity to spend time in His awesome creation. Be sure to check out photos that have been posted.—Sheldon Monson
Comments
Gentleness Is Godliness: The Scriptures state that Christians are called to become kings and priests—civil and religious leaders—in the coming Kingdom of God. Yet today, leaders often feel they must exert control over others to show who is in charge! Jesus indicated clearly that this human tendency to "lord it over" others will not be tolerated in the Kingdom (Matthew 20:25-28). God is looking for individuals who desire to serve others and who are able to lead in a gentle—but not weak—manner. David recorded how God dealt gently with him (Psalm 18:35). Solomon observed that patience and gentle words can persuade difficult people (Proverbs 25:15). The Apostle Paul mentioned that instead of making demands and issuing orders, he dealt gently with brethren (1 Thessalonians 2:6-7). Paul also urged Christians to be humble, gentle and patient when dealing with others (Ephesians 4:1-2). Bible prophecies indicate that while Jesus Christ will return and rule with a "strong hand," He will gather His flock as a shepherd and "gently lead those who are with young" (Isaiah 40:10-11). These biblical instructions about leadership stand in contrast to the models we see today. Anyone who hopes to lead in the Kingdom of God needs to remember that gentleness is a trait of real Godly leaders.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—August 17, 2017
Watch the German Election! On September 24, Germans will participate in a federal election to select their chancellor. Many wonder if Chancellor Angela Merkel will be able to retain the office she has held since 2005. Her critics abound. One opponent, in an attempt to discredit her, commented that the election will be "a vote on whether Germany remains a peaceful power or joins Trump's weapons madness"—referring to Chancellor Merkel's pledge to greatly increase the German defense budget (Politico, August 14, 2017). Another rival of Mrs. Merkel commented, "It drives me up the wall the way waiters in Berlin restaurants only speak English"—referring to a trend in certain parts of the city. Speaking German in Germany is becoming far more of a political issue as of late (BBC, August 14, 2017). It will be interesting to see how the German election plays out. The outcome will have an important impact on the future of Europe and the nations of the West as Germany continues to take an increasing role as a global leader. Bible prophecy indicates that Germany (referred to as Assyria in end-time prophecies) will play a powerful role in end-time events, not only in Europe and the Holy Land, but also globally. For a biblical perspective on today's news, which is missing in the modern media, be sure to read our thought-provoking article "Resurgent Germany: A Fourth Reich?"
Bubonic Plague in Arizona: U.S. public health officials have discovered fleas infected with the bubonic plague—sometimes called the "Black Death"—in the state of Arizona. This is the same bacterium that killed millions of people in Europe in the fourteenth century. Infected fleas transmit the plague to animals, usually rodents, and either a rodent or flea bite can transfer the disease to humans (IB Times, August 14, 2017). Fleas and rodents carrying forms of the plague are not uncommon in rural areas of the American Southwest, and in parts of Africa, Asia, and South America, several thousand people have been infected and more than 500 have died since 2010 (who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs267/en/, April 2017). This recent episode of bubonic plague in Arizona will probably not spread very far this year, but it is instructive from the perspective of Bible prophecy. Jesus Christ prophesied that one of the signs of the end of the age would be "pestilences" or disease epidemics (Luke 21:11). When we hear of small incidences of diseases stemming from deadly microorganisms, it should be a reminder that the potential for a major outbreak and the fulfillment of end-time prophecies is lurking just beneath the surface. Given the right timing and conditions, a large-scale outbreak could happen quickly. For information on other signs of the end of the age prophesied by Jesus Christ and His prophets, watch "Seven Prophetic Keys for 2017."
Global Weather Extremes: Due to an unusually hot and dry summer, Portugal has requested help from Europe to combat forest fires on a scale not seen in recent memory. Thousands of firefighters are battling hundreds of blazes around the nation (Reuters, August 13, 2017). Across the Middle East, unusually hot temperatures have soared to over 120ºF (50ºC) (IB Times, August 11, 2017). However, in West Africa's Sierra Leone, thousands have lost their homes and hundreds are feared dead as a result of mudslides triggered by flooding rains (The Guardian, August 14, 2017). In the Southeast Asian nations of India, Nepal and Bangladesh, nearly 200 people are dead and over 50,000 homes in Nepal alone have been destroyed by rains and floods. In one province in India, over 200,000 people are now homeless (Deutsche Welle, August 14, 2017). The human suffering brought about by these weather extremes should concern us all. While some always blame such weather extremes on natural or human causes, Bible prophecies offer an additional perspective. To learn more about the unrecognized divine element in some weather extremes, be sure to listen to or read our informative booklet, Who Controls the Weather?—Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, Ron Ramsingh, and Chris Sookdeo