From the Presiding Evangelist
Dear Brethren and Fellow Servants of God,
I would like to deeply thank each and every one of you who have sent such encouraging e-mails, cards and letters to me over the last three weeks. Wow!! Almost every evening I am able to enjoy reading these heartfelt and loving communications from brethren all over the world. While I am very weak, I am able to study God's word throughout the day, and read and "watch" world and national events in the news, as I hope and pray you are all doing.
Also, I deeply appreciate the effectiveness and loyalty with which Mr. Weston, Mr. Ames and our other leading ministers are carrying on the Work. I'm sure that God will bless and empower us more than ever if we steadfastly continue to move forward through both this trial with my health, and the increasing upheavals in world events, with love and loyalty.
Thank you, dear brethren, for all of your help and your fervent prayers.
With Christian Love,
Roderick C. Meredith
Greetings from Charlotte,
World events continue to move in the direction of biblical prophecy. We are seeing a more independent spirit moving the EU away from America and Britain, and at the same time seeking help from Vatican City to salvage the European experiment. Sweden, which is not a NATO member, has reinstated a modest military draft. Meanwhile, this was a very productive week for the Work of God here and around the world. Living University held its first Founders Day Luncheon celebrating its 10th anniversary. A large professional-quality photo portrait of Dr. Meredith, the founder of Living University, was presented to his great-granddaughter in his absence and later presented to him at home before being hung in the University library. Several Regional Directors mentioned during a WebEx Council of Elders Conference that they have seen an up-tick in GOTO's (individuals seeking ministerial contact to attend services, ask questions, or be baptized). Updates were also given on the need for manpower in a number of areas. A separate meeting was held earlier with the U.K. office relating to challenges they are facing, and we held a very productive LU student development meeting. Wyatt Cieselka and Wallace Smith attended the National Religious Broadcasters annual conference. This has been a very profitable conference for the Work over the last several years as it gives us the opportunity to learn about new technologies, as well as touch base with agents and stations.—GEW
Church Administration
Ministerial Visit to French Guiana and Surinam
My wife and I visited brethren and prospective members in French Guiana and Surinam from February 16 to 23. On Sabbath morning, I gave the sermon at services in the home of the one LCG member-family in French Guiana, and in the afternoon gave a Bible Study at our hotel to six new people who responded to an invitation sent to 33 subscribers in the area. One of the visitors goes back to WCG, three are members of the Church of God Seventh Day but are very interested in what we teach, and two are very new ladies. The exchanges with them were very interesting. The next day, accompanied by the member couple and one of their children, we drove three hours to visit a man who had asked us to bring plenty of spiritual nourishment because he has trouble receiving publications in the mail. We will begin supplying his literature from France, as French Guiana is a department of France and the postal connections are much better with France than with the USA. He was very happy to meet the members who were with us, as he is a long way from any brethren. Crossing by ferry into Surinam, we drove three more hours to visit a relative of the members who were with us. This lady had turned her back on her decades of religious practice when her daughter was baptized into the Church, and she wanted to learn more of the Truth and a true Christian life. Other relatives and even some neighbors and friends were also interested, so we stayed there three days, answering questions about the Work, the Church, the doctrines, the Sabbath and Holy Days, God's Law, etc. These came from eight adults. The exchanges were in English and French and our members also translated into a local dialect and into Dutch, as needed. It was very inspiring for all of us. While there and since returning to Martinique, we have heard of two more individuals who want to "know more about the true Church of God." It is amazing to see all the interest in this region.—Etienne Duval
Church-Wide Fast on March 18—Repeat Announcement
To all Living Church of God Congregations: Dr. Meredith called a Church-wide fast for March 18, 2017. As indicated in our original announcement, we see the world divided and spinning out of control, and recognize our need to draw close to God as we move closer to end-time events. The service on that day will be livestreamed and all LCG congregations and members are invited to watch this live service. Please note that our plan is to stream the entire Sabbath service (opening hymns, opening prayer, etc.) beginning at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time/1800 GMT. Simultaneous translation into French and Spanish will also be provided.
Although this Sabbath service will be streamed live and will be hosted from the headquarters studio, this will be a "regular" Sabbath service, and as such is a private, by-invitation assembly. To access the Internet broadcast, please visit www.lcg.org and click on the large "March 18 live Sabbath service" graphic that will be placed at the top of the page that day. Or, go to www.lcgwebcast.org. Under "Stream Site," select "March 18, 2017 Sermon," in English, French or Spanish. Enter the password (the password will be provided to the local ministers). If you are connecting for your local congregation, then please enter your congregation name and the number of people viewing. If you are connecting from home, then please enter your family name and the number of people viewing.
A DVD sermon is also being mailed out to those who will not be able to connect over the Internet and as a back-up in case of Internet difficulties. Each congregation should have in place a back-up plan.
Passover 2017—Repeat Announcement
Important Notice to All Pastors: In 2017, the Passover Service will be observed on Sunday evening, April 9. Please let us know as soon as possible if any of the congregations you serve will need additional Passover Service supplies (bread trays and/or wine trays or glasses) or a copy of the Passover Service recording and letter instructions (available in English, French and Spanish). The Passover Service recording for 2017 has been made by Mr. Peter Nathan. To ensure timely delivery and to save on shipping costs, we need this information before Monday, March 13 for U.S. congregations.
Also, please let us know of any scattered members who are unable to keep the Passover with a congregation and who need to receive the Passover Service recording and letter instructions for observing it at home. U.S. requests should be received before March 13. Please direct your requests to the Church Administration Department at [email protected] as soon as possible.
Portuguese Translators Needed—Repeat Announcement
Members proficient in the Portuguese language, who have translation skills and would like to volunteer occasionally with translations for the Work, are encouraged to contact their Area Pastors. Pastors, please forward the names of the volunteers in your areas to [email protected]. We are in need of skilled Portuguese translators to help us fulfill the commission of preaching the Gospel as a witness to all the world and make disciples of all nations.
Charlotte BRiC Weekend—An Opportunity for Singles—Repeat Announcement
Plans are well underway for the upcoming Charlotte BRiC Weekend! Singles can begin making plans to join us in Charlotte during the Memorial Day Weekend (May 26–29). This opportunity to Build Relationships in Christ through fun-filled activities and spiritually focused messages will begin Friday evening. Check-in starts at 5:30 p.m. Activities will include Bible Studies, BRiC talks, games, a bonfire, and more! Registration for the weekend will open soon. Upcoming announcements will provide more details. If you have any questions regarding the weekend, then please contact Mr. Jacob Hall ([email protected]) for more information.
Feast of Tabernacles
Congregation Assignments, Transfers, and Festival Advisor Forms
Festival Registration is scheduled to open on Sunday, March 12, at 12:00 noon EDT (Eastern Daylight Time, USA). Please note the USA congregations below, and the Feast sites they are assigned to. For international areas, contact your Regional Office for information on your Feast site. Brethren may request transfers to sites other than their assigned site.
If you do not have Internet access, please contact your Festival Advisor to print off information for any site(s) you are interested in attending. Information on each Feast site can be found on the Festival Web site by going to lcg.org and clicking on the Feast of Tabernacles link.
Please do not make housing reservations until you have registered and have been approved for your choice of site. Also, note that March 12 is the day when clocks in the Eastern Time Zone (USA) move forward by one hour to accommodate Daylight Savings Time.
Festival Advisors: In preparation for Festival registration, all Festival Advisors should have access to Registration and Volunteer Forms, as well as the Festival Site Guide 2017, which has detailed descriptions of each Feast site, on the MyLCG Web site (www.cogl.org). These documents are necessary for you to print, copy, and distribute to brethren who need your assistance in registering. Reminder: Festival Registration begins on Sunday, March 12.
All brethren: Please make sure your MyLCG account is working. This will be necessary for you to register online. To test it, go to www.cogl.org and sign in to MyLCG with your username and password. If you don't have one, you will have the option of creating one. If you have any problems logging into MyLCG, please e-mail [email protected].—Festival Office
U.S. Congregations and Feast Site Assignments
To find out what Feast site your local congregation is assigned to, consult the following list:
Anchorage, Alaska
Alaska: Anchorage, Homer
Hilton Head, South Carolina
Georgia: Atlanta, Augusta, Blairsville, Braselton, Macon
North Carolina: Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Jacksonville, Raleigh, Statesville, Sylva
South Carolina: Anderson, Walterboro
Virginia: Bristol, Norfolk, Richmond, Williamsburg, Winchester
Lake Conroe, Texas
Louisiana: Shreveport
Texas: Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Beaumont, Big Sandy, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Houston, Lufkin, Midland, San Antonio, Temple, The Valley
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Illinois: Chicago, Joliet, Peoria, Springfield
Minnesota: Duluth, Minneapolis
North Dakota: Bismarck
Wisconsin: Appleton, Merrill, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dells
South Dakota:
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
Arkansas: El Dorado, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Harrison, Little Rock, Russellville
Iowa: Des Moines, Dubuque
Kansas: Chanute, Wichita
Missouri: Columbia, Joplin, Kansas City, Rolla, Springfield, St. Joseph, St. Louis
Nebraska: Omaha
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa
Tennessee: Memphis
Mount Snow, Vermont
Connecticut: Danbury
DC: Washington
Delaware:
Maine: Waterville
Massachusetts: Auburn
Maryland: Baltimore, Salisbury
New Hampshire: Tilton
New Jersey: Cranford, Hammonton
New York: Albany, Binghamton, Corning, New York City, Plainview, Rochester, Syracuse
Pennsylvania: Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Tannersville
Rhode Island: Providence
Northern Kentucky
Indiana: Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Knox, Terre Haute
Kentucky: Berea, Louisville
Michigan: Kalamazoo, Lansing, Traverse City
Ohio: Akron, Cincinnati, Columbus, Lima
Tennessee: Chattanooga, Clarksville, Crossville, Etowah, Knoxville, Nashville
West Virginia: Bluefield, Logan, Ripley
Panama City, Florida
Alabama: Athens, Birmingham, Montgomery
Florida: Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Lake City, Melbourne, Ocala, Pensacola, Tampa
Georgia: Columbus, Thomasville
Louisiana: Baton Rouge, Ferriday, Lafayette, Monroe, New Orleans
Mississippi: Columbus, Jackson, Laurel, Ocean Springs
Puerto Rico: San Juan
San Diego, California
Arizona: Kingman, Phoenix, Prescott Valley, Tucson
California: Banning, Concord, Eureka, Fresno, Garden Grove, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego
Nevada: Las Vegas, Reno
Seaside, Oregon
Montana: Great Falls, Helena
Oregon: Myrtle Creek, Portland
Washington: Richland, Seattle/Tacoma, Tonasket
Snow Mass, Colorado
Colorado: Colorado Springs, Denver, Grand Junction
Idaho: Boise
New Mexico: Albuquerque, Santa Fe
Utah: Layton
Wyoming: Casper, Saratoga, Thermopolis, Wheatland
Living Youth Program
Friday Evening Online Teen Bible Study
The online Teen Bible Study on Friday evening, March 10, will be on "The Mystery of Man." 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 Angels and Evil Spirits," can be found on the Living Youth Web site.—Sheldon Monson
Comments
Wisdom with Words: We live in an age when people say "whatever they think" in personal conversations or on the Internet—and everyone has an opinion to express! However the Bible offers very different advice. Long ago, Solomon observed that "a fool's voice is known by his many words" (Ecclesiastes 5:3), and "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise" (Proverbs 10:19). We are also told that "A prudent man conceals [is reluctant to display] knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims foolishness" (Proverbs 12:23), and "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles" (Proverbs 21:23). I once had an English teacher who was fond of saying, "Make sure you engage your brain, before putting your mouth in gear"—which is the same advice we find in Proverbs 16:23, "The heart [the mind] of the wise teaches his mouth and adds learning to his lips." In order to speak wise words and avoid troubles, we need to remember the admonition of King David who wrote, "The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice" because "the law of his God is in his heart" (Psalm 37:30-31). The book of James offers this advice: "be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:19-20). This is sound advice concerning wisdom with words.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—March 2, 2017
Two-Speed Europe Involving the Pope? The concept of a two-speed Europe is back in the news again (Wall Street Journal, March 2, 2017). This week Joseph Muscat, the Prime Minister of Malta and current EU president revived the call for a two-speed Europe where nations ready to move forward without the others can do so! At the same time, he called for greater involvement from the Roman Catholic pope in determining the future Europe (EU Observer, February 27, 2017). Mr. Muscat noted that the pope's "insight will be extremely important for Europe's future… [He] is the ultimate world leader who has the skills and vision to say things that transcend banalities" (ibid.). As confidence in the EU wanes at home and abroad, EU leaders are looking to the Roman Catholic pope to "provide things other politicians miss" or cannot provide (ibid.). The London Daily Expressnoted the appeal to Europe's religious roots and ran a headline "Divine Intervention! EU leaders will turn to the POPE over plans to revive struggling bloc" (March 1, 2017). The Bible predicts that a strong spiritual leader will work alongside a charismatic political figure to play a major role in the end-time configuration of European nations known in the Bible as the beast (see Revelation 13 and 17). The growing populist feelings against the EU are nudging Europe's leaders to look in another, and potentially significant, direction. To learn more about what Bible prophecy has long revealed about Europe's future, read or listen to The Beast of Revelation!
Netanyahu Warmly Welcomed in Australia: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was warmly welcomed on a recent visit by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. During the visit Mr. Turnbull expressed a great deal of praise and support for Mr. Netanyahu and Israel. "Mr Turnbull received a round of applause after denouncing a recent UN resolution condemning settlements in the occupied West Bank. He said Australia 'deplored' the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement… designed 'to delegitimise the Jewish state'" (SkyNews, February 22, 2017). Mr. Turnbull also noted, "We do not support one-sided resolutions which condemn or criticise Israel" (ibid.). Mr. Netanyahu has invited Mr. Turnbull to visit Israel in October (ibid.). In recent months, the United States, Britain and Israel have begun to tighten their ties to each other. Now Australia is joining the group as well. Bible prophecies state that at the end of the age just before the return of Jesus Christ, these Israelite-descended nations will feel threatened together as they are abandoned by former allies (Hosea 5:5; Jeremiah 30:14). For more details as to why and how this will happen, be sure to read or listen to The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy.
Benefits of Marriage: A recent study published by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University indicates that married people experience lower stress levels (on average) than those not yet married or previously married (Time, February 16, 2017). Basing their conclusions on lower cortisol levels among married couples, researchers hypothesize that the lower cortisol levels may lead not only to lower stress, but also to lower levels of heart problems, cancer, diabetes, and improved immunity (ibid.). The study controlled for personality traits that might have influenced their findings—adding to the credibility of the conclusions (ibid.). Long ago, the God of the Bible stated that it is "not good" for a man to be alone—that a man was incomplete by himself, and that a woman was created to help complete or complement a man (Genesis 2:18-24). God's purpose was for a man and woman to marry (v. 24), and that marriage should be a benefit and a blessing for them both. It is encouraging to see scientific studies that support the instructions that have been in the Bible for thousands of years. To experience more of the blessings of a happy marriage, be sure to read God's Plan for Happy Marriage.—Scott Winnail, Deborah Lincoln-Strange, Charles Moore, and Chris Sookdeo