Greetings from Charlotte,
Mario Bais reports that the Spanish equivalent to the Tomorrow's World telecast, El Mundo de Mañana, reached a milestone this week, surpassing 6 million visits to our Spanish YouTube Channel, with over 27,500 subscribers. We need to understand that a visit does not mean someone watched a telecast all the way through, but it is evidence that we have introduced the program to a significant number of new individuals. Mr. Bais does the voiceover for the program, allowing our television presenters to seemingly speak in the Spanish language. Dr. Winnail conducted Tomorrow's World Presentations in Pretoria and Johannesburg, South Africa for 167 members and 108 guests. Mr. Michael Gill spoke to 35 members and 39 guests at a presentation in Mawson Lakes, near Adelaide, Australia. Mr. Ames comes into the office each day and looks well again, but he does get tired more easily and is still consulting with doctors regarding his recent stroke. Your prayers for Mr. Ames and Dr. Meredith are much appreciated by each of them.—GEW
Church Administration
Charlotte BRiC Weekend (Memorial Day Weekend)—An Opportunity for Singles
Registration for the BRiC Weekend (May 26–29) is now open! Building Relationships in Christ is a wonderful opportunity for singles in God's Church! Come to Charlotte and be a part of this year's BRiC Weekend. There will be dancing, dinner, sports, and of course BRiC Talks! You can register online by visiting charlottelcg.org/bric—password bric. Please register for the weekend and the activities you plan to attend. If you have any questions regarding accommodations, housing with local brethren, or other details concerning the weekend, please contact me ([email protected]) for more information.—Jacob Hall
Passover Requests
Important Notice to All Pastors: If you need to submit to Headquarters any further Passover requests for individuals, please include the PIN (if known) of the member, to help speed up processing.
Adirondack Family Cycling Trip—Repeat Announcement
Last summer, we had an awesome trip canoeing and hiking. This year, we'll re-visit the Adirondacks, but on two wheels instead of in canoes! We will be cycling approximately 300 miles through mountains, valleys, and beside beautiful lakes and forests, making a loop through the heart of the Adirondacks. The trip will begin on June 25, and conclude on July 1. This activity is open to all who are up to cycling 300 miles. Those who would like to come along and support the cyclists by helping to set up, prepare meals, and provide first aid and maintenance are welcome as well. Together, we'll build bonds of brotherhood with brethren of all ages. Most importantly, we'll learn about God's word, applying the daily Bible lessons directly to the activities of the day.
We will gather at Moreau Lake State Park, just south of Glens Falls, NY, on Sunday, June 25, between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. If you are flying into the Albany airport, transportation can be arranged to the park. Friday afternoon, we will arrive at the Sacandaga Campground on the Sacandaga River, and our last day together will be the Sabbath, July 1. Plan to travel home on Sunday, July 2. If you are making flight plans, please arrange to depart Albany on Sunday afternoon.
Cost: $150 per person. Bike rental is available for an additional $120 for the week. Physical requirements: Although we are encouraging people of all ages to come, be prepared for a physically challenging environment and sleeping in tents at campgrounds. We will be cycling in whatever weather conditions we face, for six days in a row.
For more details and information, including route, a map, what to bring, and how to register, please go to www.nelcg.org and click on the ADK Cycling 2017 selection under the "Northeast Region" tab at the top of the page. Or, you may go directly to this link. To go directly to the registration page, just go to this link (these are not official LCG Web sites).—Jonathan McNair
Feast of Tabernacles
4,224 Have Registered So Far
Festival registration opened last Sunday, March 12. As of March 16, more than 4,200 have successfully registered. If you have not yet registered, we invite you to do so at your earliest convenience. Go to lcg.org, click on "Feast of Tabernacles," and follow the links.
If You Have Not Yet Received a Transfer Approval
If you applied to transfer to a site and you have not yet received e-mail approval of your transfer, that means you are on a waiting list. The Festival Office is going through the waiting lists as fast as we can, but we must make sure we have sufficient seating for those desiring to attend each site. Thank you for your patience as we work this out and go through the lists.
If You Have Questions
If you have questions about any particular Feast site, please make use of the Festival Web site. You can find it by going to lcg.org, clicking on "Feast of Tabernacles," and following the links. Much effort by the Festival Site Coordinators and the Festival Office has gone into providing information that will answer most questions you have. Of course, you can contact the coordinator with inquiries if you cannot find the answer to your question. But be sure to check out the Web site—it probably has the answer you're looking for. Go to lcg.org, click on Feast of Tabernacles, and follow the links.
If You Are Going To Chiang Mai, Thailand
Please Note: The Malaysian Office is currently in the process of finalizing the accommodation booking method with the Hotel management team. The Furama Hotel Chiang Mai has offered a special discount for our Church members and we hope to have all the relevant information regarding the accommodation reservations, etc., made available to our overseas members as soon as possible, by the second week of April at the latest. Please do bear with us as we are trying to simplify the booking and payment processes for our Church members. Just check your e-mail regularly for any further communication from the Festival office or me regarding the Chiang Mai site. We plan to visit Thailand at the end of the month to finalize everything, and will keep you updated.—Rajan Moses, Festival Site Coordinator
Living Youth Program
Friday Evening Online Teen Bible Study
The online Teen Bible Study on Friday evening, March 24, will be on "The Mystery of Israel." If you haven't had the opportunity to join us for one of the online Bible Studies, we encourage you to do so. It is a wonderful way to start the Sabbath day.
The Bible Study runs from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. (Eastern time) and the chat room will be open for a half hour before and after the study. You can find instructions for joining the Bible Study, and also access it, at livingyouth.org. We hope as many of our youth as possible will join us for this wonderful opportunity for godly fellowship and learning. For those of you who are unable to make it to the study, archives of previous Living Youth Bible Studies, including last evening's on "The Mystery of Civilization," can be found on the Living Youth Web site.—Sheldon Monson
Texas Teen Camp
Acceptance packet mailings for campers and staff at the Texas Teen Camp will begin next week. Thank you for your patience. Many changes and additions needed to be made.
Adventure Camp Camper Acceptances Being Sent—Repeat Announcement
Registration for the upcoming Adventure Camp trip in Mount Rainier National Park has exceeded maximum capacity and is now closed. Last week, the first batch of acceptance notices was sent out to the campers who have completed the initial application process. If you applied to Adventure Camp as a camper (13-20 years old), and you have not received an acceptance notification, please make sure that your application is complete. We may be waiting to receive further information from you or your pastor. You can check your application status at https://camp.livingyouth.org or e-mail [email protected]. As in past years, we have more camper and staff applications than we have openings on the trip. Staff acceptances for the hike will follow soon.
Registration for LYP Camps—Repeat Announcement
We are still accepting registrations for the remaining four North American LYP Camps. If you're seeking information regarding the camps, or wish to register for one or more of them, visit https://camp.livingyouth.org.
Comments
Examination, Not Condemnation
I recently took our vehicle in for the required annual emissions inspection. It was "routine" until the technicians discovered a leak in the steering mechanism. My frustration only increased when I saw the estimated cost of the replacement! After getting over the initial shock (and getting a second opinion), I decided to fix the problem.
With the passage of time, and a little more perspective, I've come to appreciate that routine inspection. The mechanic was not telling me that I or my vehicle was a failure! The message was only that a part needed to be replaced. And left unchecked, a small problem could lead to a total steering system failure. If that happened on a busy highway, the result could be disastrous.
Think about Passover examination. The message we are to take away is not that we are failures! No, examination is not condemnation. Instead, we fast to humble ourselves and see what parts of our life need to be fixed (or replaced). We judge ourselves not to condemn ourselves, but so we WON'T be condemned. "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup… For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world" (1 Corinthians 11:28, 31-32).
As we fast as a worldwide body this Sabbath, let's be grateful for what our Father and our Elder Brother Jesus Christ were willing to do to eradicate sin (John 3:17). We are not condemned—if we are willing to examine ourselves and make appropriate changes (James 1:23-25).
Have an encouraging Sabbath,
Rod McNair
News and Prophecy—March 16, 2017
South China Sea Heats Up! As China persists in its claim of islands in the South China Sea, "Japan plans to dispatch its largest warship on a three-month tour through the South China Sea beginning in May… in its biggest show of naval force in the region since World War Two" (Reuters, March 14, 2017). "'The aim is to test the capability of the [carrier] Izumo by sending it out on an extended mission,' said one of the sources who have knowledge of the plan. 'It will train with the U.S. Navy in the South China Sea'" (ibid.). Meanwhile, "As the USS Carl Vinson plowed through seas off South Korea on Tuesday, rival North Korea warned the United States of 'merciless' attacks if the carrier infringes on its sovereignty or dignity during U.S.-South Korean drills. F-18 fighter jets took off from the flight deck of the nuclear-powered carrier in a dramatic display of U.S. firepower amid rising tension with the North, which has alarmed its neighbors with two nuclear tests and a series of missile launches since last year" (Reuters, March 14, 2017). The future of the Asian region is uncertain, especially given the volatility of North Korea. With North Korea's nuclear threats and increasing tensions between China and several Asian nations over the South China Sea, rumors of wars are certainly spinning (Matthew 24:5-6). Students of prophecy should be sure to read "Who Will Rule the Waves?" for more insights into the history of this pivotal region of the world!
Massive Starvation in Africa: "UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said that more than 20 million people faced the threat of starvation and famine in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria. Unicef has already warned 1.4m children could starve to death this year" (BBC, March 11, 2017). The crisis has been called the "largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the United Nations" (ibid.). According to Mr. O'Brien, if the disaster is not averted the world will witness "Children stunted and out of school. Livelihoods, futures and hope will be lost. Communities' resilience rapidly wilting away. Development gains reversed. Many will be displaced and will continue to move in search for survival, creating ever more instability across entire regions" (ibid.). The famine and starvation in this region of Africa are due to both weather and war. Long ago God warned that the governments of mankind will not lead to peace and prosperity for all (Proverbs 14:12). It will take the return of Christ and His perfect government to bring about real, lasting abundance and true peace. The Bible foretells this bountiful future: "'Behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it'" (Amos 9:13). This is a time all true Christians must yearn and pray for. God speed the return of His Son and the end of suffering! For more on this topic, read or listen to "The Origin and Future of Suffering."
Fate of the World's Children: "The number of children maimed, killed or recruited to fight in the Syria conflict has increased dramatically over the past year, with children as young as seven forced to act as frontline fighters, prison guards, suicide bombers and executioners," according to a UNICEF report (The Guardian, March 12, 2017). A UNICEF spokeswoman stated, "The past year has been the worst since the crisis began, with children pushed right to the brink—being recruited at an ever younger age, being used to man checkpoints, being trained to use weapons, serving as prison guards. We also have reports of sexual abuse of girls by underage children, so it's very grim" (ibid.). "Nearly 6 million Syrian children are now dependent on humanitarian assistance… with the most vulnerable the 2.8 million children in hard-to-reach areas. Almost 300,000 children are living under siege and are largely cut off from humanitarian aid" (ibid.). God's original intent was for children to grow up in safe, peaceful, loving and supportive family environments where their parents protect, love and guide them in His ways. One day when Christ returns and establishes His perfect government on the earth, God's original intent will finally play out for families and children. Notice God's promised vision of the future: "The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets" (Zechariah 8:5). These children will mingle safely with adults of all ages (v. 4). For more encouraging information about children, read "Children and the Future."—Scott Winnail, Chris Sookdeo, and Francine Prater