Greetings from Charlotte,
This has been a shortened work week here in Charlotte with the United States celebration of Independence Day, but much has been accomplished here and abroad. The Teen camp in Texas begins Monday and a number of personnel are traveling there to work at the camp and to transport needed items. We reviewed a special Roderick C. Meredith memorial telecast to be aired the week of August 3-9. We had a productive meeting over lunch in my office with two of our television agents: one from Canada and the other from here locally, to discuss future options to carry Tomorrow's World to our two countries. The question, "Dr. Livingston, I presume?" could rightfully be applied to Rees Ellis, as it's hard to keep up with where he is on the African continent. We are hearing of very productive contacts he's making and look forward to a full report when he returns. Simon and Susan Roberts finished their annual tour to visit a very small number of members and prospective members in Scandinavia, and are happy to report a baptism in Finland. The Canadian-produced Viewpoint webcasts are reaching a much younger demographic of outsiders. Please check out these short videos at www.youtube.com/tomorrowsworld/viewpoint. Also be sure to remember the Living Youth Program in Texas in your prayers.—Gerald Weston
Feast of Tabernacles
Feast Sites Closed to Further Transfers
The Feast sites in Anchorage, Alaska; Panama City, Florida; and Hilton Head, South Carolina, are now closed to further incoming transfers. If you have registered to attend the Feast at any of these sites and have not yet received a transfer approval, please re-register at another site. As a reminder, the site in Northern Kentucky is also closed to further transfers.
Festival (Second Tithe) Assistance Requests—U.S. Only—Repeat Announcement
Attention U.S. Pastors: The deadline to submit Festival Assistance Request forms to the Church Administration Department is Monday, July 17. All forms should be properly completed by the members requesting second tithe assistance to attend the Feast this year. Then, the Area Pastors should write their recommendations/comments on the forms before submitting them to CAD. Festival Assistance Request forms are available to ministers on the MyLCG website (www.cogl.org).—Festival Office
Living Youth Program
Texas Teen Camp: Christian Living Live Streaming and Contact Information
Teen Camp will be getting underway this coming week! We're excited to be having our largest camp ever, and also to be at our new camp venue in Athens, Texas. Camp begins on Monday, July 10 and runs through July 23. We appreciate your prayers for God's blessings on the entire event.
We're also excited to be able to announce the return of live streaming of the Christian Living classes from camp! To join, you will need the password. It's the same one used for Mr. Monson's Friday evening Bible Studies and is given on the MyLCG page, or, you can simply contact [email protected] and we'll be able to help you. The classes will be linked from the Living Youth website at http://www.livingyouth.org, and also from the Living Youth Programs Facebook page. The classes will be presented each morning at 9:00 a.m. Central time.
Parents who wish to send a care package may send it to [child's name], c/o LYP Camp, 6829 FM 317, Athens, TX 75752.
If you need to contact the camp, please call one of the following phone numbers: 980-254-0132(Jenny Penman), 903-830-0198 (Lori Forrestier), or 704-519-5371 (Joshua Penman). E-mail the office staff at [email protected].
Texas Teen Camp Visitors
Sabbath Services on July 15 and July 22 are open to guests at the Teen Camp in Athens, Texas. Please check in at the office to receive a Guest Pass when you arrive. Sabbath services will begin at 2:30 p.m. both weekends. Mr. Rand Millich will be the guest speaker on the first weekend and Mr. Gerald Weston on the final Sabbath. Snacks and drinks will be available in the dining hall after Sabbath Services. However, we are unable to provide dinner for guests because of limitations of space and budget.
No guests are allowed to stay overnight on campus unless they have submitted a camp application, a background check has been made, and they have been approved to stay.
The Country Western Dance and the Formal Dance are for campers and staff only. Any exceptions must be approved by the Camp Director.—Sheldon Monson, Camp Director
Missouri Preteen Camp 2017
The Missouri Preteen camp started last Sunday evening beneath clear skies and moderate breezes at Nob Noster State Park in central Missouri. Sixty-one campers and 56 staff settled in under the direction of Camp Director Gene Hilgenberg. Campers have enjoyed a fun-filled week of Godly Christian Living instruction and activities such as gaga ball, archery, riflery, music, and etiquette. The entire camp was disappointed to hear that the pool had to be closed for repairs, but the good thing is that our creative swim instructors developed great team-building exercises. Our high temperatures peak in the mid-eighties. Evening activities during this week included a local wildlife lecture from a state wildlife conservationist, a Bible bowl, a sing-along/camp cookout, and a talent show. Be sure to check us out on our Facebook page.
Adventure Camp at Mount Rainier—Repeat Clarification
All those planning to attend the Adventure Camp at Mount Rainier need to bring a backpack in addition to a small daypack. Please bring both.
Living University
Registration for First (Fall) Semester
As Living University prepares for its eleventh year of operation, we are excited to announce that registration for classes is now underway. The semester will begin Wednesday, August 16. Students may register for classes and order textbooks anytime before the start of classes. Those who have never taken a Living University course will need to enroll in the University first, and then register for their selected course(s). Please note that Living University has lowered its tuition cost by nearly 30 percent for the 2017-2018 academic year. To make application to Living University, to register for courses, and to find out more, please visit the www.livinguniv.com website. For additional information, please contact Assistant Registrar Mrs. Michelle Broussard at [email protected] or 704-708-2294. Watch for LU course descriptions in future issues of The World Ahead. Below you will find examples of classes to be offered this coming semester. For a full list of classes, visit the "Fall 2017 Class Schedule" (Spring in the Southern Hemisphere) link on the Living University website.
THL 211 – Old Testament Survey I. In the first of two classes, Dr. Douglas Winnail and Mr. Peter Nathan review the books of the Bible and their background in detail. This class covers the Law, the Former Prophets and the Major Prophets, focusing on background, content, structure, geography, teachings, and basic meaning of each book and outstanding people and events. Emphasis is on the Old Testament Scriptures as the background and foundation for understanding the New Testament.
ACCT 251 – Principles of Financial Accounting. This course introduces students to business decision-making using accounting information systems. Emphasis is on analyzing, summarizing, reporting, and interpreting financial information. The class will teach students to prepare financial statements, understand the role of financial information in decision-making and address ethical considerations. This is a very helpful class for anyone working in or planning to work in small business or the business field.
ANTH 230/230L – Biological Anthropology (and lab). This is a course in the field of physical (biological) anthropology, an examination of human biology from an anthropological perspective, which is to say from a cross-cultural, developmental, prehistoric and historic perspective. It includes human genetics, genetic forces (microevolution), what it is to be human and human variation and adaption (including human nutrition, growth and development, health and demography).
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The Only Way to Peace: Most people in the world want to live a peaceful life free from fear—yet violence, strife and war plague the world. Wars have been fought to "make the world safe for democracy." Chairman Mao once said that peace comes out of a gun barrel. More recently, misguided fanatics have nearly destroyed parts of the Middle East and other countries in an attempt to establish peace on their own terms. The United Nations sends armed "peacekeepers" to trouble spots around the world, but wars continue. World leaders talk about peace and religious leaders urge prayers for peace. Yet, there is no peace. God reveals in His word that human beings do not know the "way to peace" (Isaiah 59:8), and "ambassadors of peace shall weep" because they have the wrong approach (Isaiah 33:7). However, David records the way to peace involves learning to live by the laws of God: "Great peace have those who love Your law" (Psalm 119:165). Isaiah 32:17 tells us, "The work of righteousness [obeying God's laws, Psalm 119:172] will be peace." The Bible reveals that real peace will only come when Jesus Christ—the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6-7)—returns to set up His Kingdom and the law of God goes forth from Jerusalem to all the earth (Isaiah 2:2-4). We look forward to that day!
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—July 6, 2017
America's Fading Reputation: According to a new Pew Research Center poll in 37 nations, "More than three-quarters of the world has little or no confidence in Donald Trump's global leadership and his signature policies, with support for the American presidency collapsing fastest among America's traditional allies in Europe… The poll suggests that Angela Merkel has replaced the American president as the politician to whom the world's people look for leadership" (Guardian, June 26, 2017). Many see America's president as arrogant, unpredictable and lacking concern for the average person. Germans reported the lowest confidence in President Trump of all nations polled (ibid.). The United States and its president have long been seen as leading the world. Yet, this loss of confidence was prophesied long ago. The Bible clearly states that if the Israelite-descended nations fail to keep God first, they will cease being the "head" and will become the "tail" (Deuteronomy 28:44). The prophet Jeremiah warned, "'If you will return, O Israel,' says the LORD, 'return to Me; and if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, then you shall not be moved'" (Jeremiah 4:1). As long as the Israelite-descended nations of Western Europe, the UK, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and others continue to reject God and His ways, we should expect to see their decline. For the good news about the future of these nations, be sure to read or listen to The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy.
No More War! Suffering is ever-present in the human condition. In the nation of Yemen—torn by war and subsequent famine—parents and children know the effects of war in detail. Cholera and the crumbling health care system are impacting children especially! "With low immunity, poor nutritional intake and unsanitary living conditions, these children are sitting on the cusp of infection and disease. The collapsing health system—where doctors haven't been paid and basic medical supplies are in extreme shortage—is making matters worse" (UNICEF, June 23, 2017). Parents who cannot afford treatment for their children or do not have access to medical care are forced to watch their infants and children simply die. The country also faces a shortage of safe water and medical supplies, which is making the situation worse (ibid.). War and suffering are the ultimate result of world societies overseen by a powerful spirit being known as "the god of this age"—Satan the devil (2 Corinthians 4:4). But war and suffering will not always exist. One day there will be no more war (Isaiah 2:3–4; Revelation 21:4). For more on a world without war, read or listen to "The End of War?"
The Genetic Impact of Nighttime Sleep: God gives sleep to those He loves (Psalm 127:2). God also created the human body to require daily sleep for healing and rebuilding. Recent research continues to demonstrate the benefits, power and importance of regular, nightly sleep. The loss of regular, nightly sleep is also being shown to cause major health detriments. "The link between working at night and poor health has been known for several years, with those who work after dark more likely to suffer diabetes, obesity, poor fertility, heart attacks and tumours" (Telegraph, June 26, 2017). New research demonstrates that people who work night shifts experience far less DNA tissue repair than those who work day shifts and sleep at night. The long-term result of failing to repair DNA includes an increased risk of cancer (ibid.). God "fearfully and wonderfully" made the human body (Psalm 139:14). He designed the body not only to need sleep, but He designed it to experience the most restorative sleep at night! For more keys to remaining healthy, read "Bible Principles of Health."—Scott Winnail, Chris Sookdeo, and Francine Prater