Greetings brethren,
According to reports, Pentecost was a very positive and spiritually uplifting Holy Day for brethren all over. We hope it was inspiring for you to experience God's power on the Holy Day commemorating the giving of His Spirit. While God's Work surges forward, let's not forget the misery this world is undergoing. Last Sunday, an ISIS sympathizer shot and killed 49 patrons of a homosexual nightclub in Orlando, Florida—the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. We thank God that the moral depravity and hateful violence of this world will soon be a thing of the past.
This week, Dr. Meredith returned after conducting Pentecost services in Kansas City, and completed the June co-worker letter. Mr. and Mrs. Ames have returned after a successful Pentecost visit to Minneapolis and Duluth, Minnesota. Dr. Douglas Winnail was in Auckland for Pentecost, and returned to Charlotte last evening after his multi-week visit to Australia and New Zealand. Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Weston are preparing for their move to North Carolina, scheduled to take place on July 15. The 2016 summer camp programs in the USA are now beginning, with the North Carolina Preteen camp starting Sunday. This weekend there will also be a Tomorrow's World Presentation in Binghamton, New York. Mr. Ben Whitfield is out of the hospital after a successful heart operation last week, has returned home, and hopes to be back to work soon. Thank you for your prayers for all of God's people, and all aspects of the Work God is doing all over this earth!—RMc
Church Administration
Fourth Annual Rocky Mountain July 4th Family Weekend—July 1–3—Repeat Announcement
The Fourth Annual Rocky Mountain Family Weekend is scheduled for July 1-3! Join us for our summer get-together for both spiritual and physical food, fun and fellowship! Our special guests this year will be Regional Pastor, Dr. Jeffrey Fall and Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Susan Meredith from Headquarters. You won't want to miss the chance to visit with them!
Activities this year include:
- Friday, July 1 – Evening fellowship with refreshments beginning at 5:30, followed by a Bible Study by guest speaker Dr. Jeffrey Fall at 7:00 p.m.
- Sabbath, July 2 – Sabbath Services at 1:00 p.m., followed by a covered-dish meal, then hear guest speaker Mr. Jim Meredith. The evening entertainment is so special and so secret that it can't be revealed at this time!
- Sunday, July 3 – Picnic at Castlewood Canyon State Park, from 10:00 a.m. until whenever we get tired! We've reserved a covered shelter which can easily accommodate 70 people, with sinks, grills and electrical outlets. Facilities include horseshoe pits, a volleyball court, restrooms and a playground. Castlewood Canyon also has over 14 miles of hiking trails for those who feel the need to "work off" the picnic calories! The park is at 2989 CO Hwy 83, Franktown, CO 80116. Requested donations for the picnic are $20 per person (ages 12 and older) to cover the cost of the pavilion rental and the main portion of the meal plus a side dish to share (to be coordinated on the sign-up list). If you cannot afford the donation—please come anyway!
You may sign up by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Please indicate the type of picnic side dish you plan to bring. Donations for the picnic are requested by Friday, June 24, and can be payable to Shawn or Peggy McMillin and mailed to them at 41479 Countryside Circle, Parker, CO 80138.
It's going to be a lot of fun—and we hope to see you there!—Ben Whitfield
Omaha Congregation Hosts Brethren During "Railroad Days 2016," July 16-17—Repeat Announcement
All aboard for a fun-filled weekend, exploring six unique railroad-themed attractions! The Omaha congregation is hosting a weekend of spiritual fellowship and fun in conjunction with the celebration of our region's rich railroad heritage during Railroad Days 2016, July 16 and 17.
Join us on the Sabbath for a special Bible Study and then Sabbath services, followed by a covered-dish meal. On Sunday, brethren will be able to enjoy the attractions of their choice and then meet for a grill and picnic lunch provided at Bayless Park in the historic town square center of Council Bluffs, Iowa. A $15 family pass (good for two adults and their dependent children), includes admission to and transportation between all six Railroad Days locations. A $5 pass is also available for one additional adult with the purchase of a family pass. Lauritzen Gardens, The Durham Museum, and the General Dodge House are among the six attractions and more details can be found on the Railroad Days 2016 Web site http://www.omaharailroaddays.com/.
In a weekend where botanical meets mechanical, come celebrate the past, present and future of the railroad, the National Park Service, and six local attractions at Railroad Days 2016. This year marks the centennial of the National Park Service. Many parks, secluded and pristine by design, could be reached by the general public only by rail and the railroads constructed lodging and public facilities at the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, and other parks.
Watch for additional details to come in The World Ahead.—Brian Pomicter
Internet Department
Roku Update
This week our Tomorrow's World Roku advertising will surpass 1,000,000 ad views. The targeted advertising we have been doing on Roku over the past few months has generated many thousands of additional channel installs, bringing our total Roku subscriber count to just under 39,000! The Tomorrow's World Roku channel contains our extensive telecast and Webcast library, and generates literature requests and new subscribers from all around the world. Please continue to pray for the success of this and all of our media efforts.—Wyatt Ciesielka
Feast of Tabernacles
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 Friday, July 15. 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 Web site (www.cogl.org).—Festival Office
Festival Service Recommendations Survey
Pastors: If you have not replied to the Festival Service Recommendations Survey, please reply as soon as possible. Thank you for your help on this!
"Unregistered" Festival Report—Repeat Announcement
Pastors: Last week we sent you an e-mail with a list of those members in your pastorate who are not yet registered for the Feast of Tabernacles. It is the "Unregistered Festival Report" of your congregations. Please use this report to encourage brethren in your congregations to register for the Feast. Or, you may wish to ask your Festival Advisor to take care of this responsibility. Thank you.
Great Transfer Feast Site at Kalutara, Sri Lanka—Repeat Announcement
This year we are again blessed to have the same tropical beachfront Feast site as we enjoyed last year. It proved to be one of the best sites that God has opened up to us. This site is ideal for visitors from overseas to enjoy a peaceful, unhurried setting and concentrate on the real meaning of God's soon-coming Kingdom away from the hassles of the world. The Feast in Sri Lanka is at the Hibiscus Beach Hotel (www.hibiscusbeachhotel.com), located on the southwest coast at Kalutara, a village south of the capital city of Colombo. The hotel is in a quiet garden setting, surrounded by coconut palms and greenery, which extends to the golden beach sands. A restaurant, two freshwater swimming pools, and a gymnasium are some of the amenities. Your room costs will include a hearty breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.
One of the highlights of the Feast is the fine fellowship that you can enjoy with all the brethren, beginning with an early morning leisurely walk along the beach sands and finishing off with the evening activities with brethren of like mind. During the Feast, a number of activities are being planned, including a trip to the turtle hatchery or a boat trip through the overarching mangrove tunnels where crocodiles and other wildlife can be seen. A side trip after the Feast has been planned to visit the Ratnapura, the "City of Gems," the mountain country of Nuwara Eliya, which is often referred in Sri Lanka as "Little England," stop at a famous tea plantation, stay in the ancient inland city of Kandy, feed the elephants at Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage where you will see dozens of elephants bathing and then climb the Sigiriya rock, the UNESCO-declared "eighth wonder" of the world.
Please visit the Festival Web site for more details or e-mail the Festival Site Coordinator Mr. Zig Svalbe, [email protected].
Comments
Working with Dad
When I was a boy, I loved this time of year. The weather was warm, school was out and endless hours were spent playing baseball, swimming, riding our bikes, and just having fun. But summer was also time to work. I didn't always love it at the time, working in the heat and humidity of rural Wisconsin. But now, looking back, I deeply value the time working outside, often with my Dad. Whether it was hoeing beans or weeding tomatoes, fetching a wrench while he tinkered with an engine, or holding a deck post while he leveled it and nailed it into place—these times were memorable and meaningful. I treasure them. I treasure the conversations we had while working. And I know my siblings do as well.
This Sunday marks the official observance of "Father's Day" in the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, India, and the Netherlands. Other nations observe it other times in the year. When I remember my father, I appreciate the times we worked together. If you are a father, take the time to work—really work—with your children. In an age of abundant leisure time and self-indulgence, the concept of working together as a family is being lost. And few activities build strong emotional bonds like simply working together. If you are a son or daughter still living at home, appreciate the time you are sharing with your father. He wants to teach and train you in useful skills. But, more importantly, he wants to spend time with you.
Jesus Christ set the example of an obedient Son working with His Father. He told the Jews, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working" (John 5:17). Jesus was not doing His own thing and wasting lots of time. No—He and His Father were working side by side. "Most assuredly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner" (John 5:19). He watched His Father, and learned. And both He and His Father were motivated to work together by their deep love for one another. "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel" (John 5:20).
In this time of year, let's appreciate the opportunity we have to work with our sons and daughters. Let's remember the fatherless, who don't have Dads working with them (James 1:27)—and let's do what we can to mentor and invest in them. Let's value the time our fathers spend (or spent) with us. And, most of all, let's treasure the chance to work with our Heavenly Father in the greatest Work of all!
Have a good Sabbath,
Rod McNair
News and Prophecy—June 16, 2016
Why Is Violence Increasing? "Violent crimes—from homicides and rapes to robberies—have been on the rise in many major U.S. cities, yet experts can't point to a single reason why and the jump isn't enough to suggest there's a trend… 'It's being reported on at local levels, but in my view, it's not getting the attention at the national level it deserves,' FBI Director James Comey said recently. 'I don't know what the answer is, but… do we have a problem'" (Associated Press, June 5, 2016). But, why are we seeing this modern surge in violence? To avoid violence, a society must operate on sound moral and ethical standards. Historically, in Israelite nations, that standard has been God's Ten Commandments. It should be no surprise that as a society rejects God's standard of morality, violent crimes have increased. Bible prophecies have long anticipated this state of affairs. "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves… disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving… without self-control, brutal, despisers of good... headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). We are reaping what we have sown (Jeremiah 2:17-19). Yet, the Bible also reveals the good news that Jesus Christ is going to return and establish His Kingdom on the foundation of the Ten Commandments—a set of ancient laws that most today seem to despise. A careful reading of those simple laws reveals the blessings that will come from following those basic instructions. To learn how to apply these God-given laws, be sure to read The Ten Commandments!
Spoiling God's Creation: According to a recent report, "Fish are being killed, and prevented from reaching maturity, by the litter of plastic particles finding their way into the world's oceans… Some young fish have been found to prefer tiny particles of plastic to their natural food sources, effectively starving them before they can reproduce. The growing problem of microplastics—tiny particles of polymer-type materials from modern industry—has been thought for several years to be a peril for fish… Microplastics are near-indestructible in natural environments. They enter the oceans through litter, when waste such as plastic bags, packaging and other convenience materials are discarded. Vast amounts of these end up in the sea…" (The Guardian, June 2, 2016). Long ago, God commissioned mankind (Adam and Eve) to take care of the earth and manage it appropriately (Genesis 1:26-28), but human beings have largely ignored this responsibility in favor of short-term monetary gain. However, the Bible indicates that God is going to render a judgment on this callous disregard of His creation (Revelation 11:18) and that He will put an end to the destructive exploitation of the earth and its creatures (Hosea 2:18; Romans 8:19-22). There is a time coming when humanity will learn to manage and take care of creation in the right ways. Can you imagine a world where creation is cared for as God intended? For a glimpse into this future world, read The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?
Disregard for Human Life: "An Italian woman burned alive by a jealous ex-lover could have been saved if passing motorists had heeded her desperate screams for help, police said. Sara Di Pierantonio, 22, was doused in alcohol and set alight on the side of a road outside Rome by former boyfriend Vincenzo Paduano, 27, according to authorities… Surveillance footage showed at least two cars driving by as the woman screamed for help" (Yahoo News, May 31, 2016). Why would anyone ignore a burning person and not help? Part of the answer is in the pages of your Bible. Describing the "signs" of the end of this age, Jesus foretold, "because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12). Jesus was speaking not only of a lawless society, but also of the lack of "God's law" permeating society. Sadly, our end-time society is filled with people who are "lovers of themselves" (2 Timothy 3:2) and who are absorbed in a world that focuses solely on self. Thankfully, Jesus Christ promised to return (John 14:3) and He will usher in a new society firmly built on His "perfect law of liberty" (James 1:25) where love for one's brother and sister will be paramount. For more on what this world will look like, be sure to read or listen to our eye-opening booklet The Ten Commandments.—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater