Greetings from Charlotte,
Reports coming into Headquarters indicate the Pentecost weekend was a very inspiring event for God's people around the world. Dr. Meredith gave a powerful sermon here in Charlotte. Mr. and Mrs. Ames were in Montana for the weekend, and a number of ministers from Charlotte were able to travel to other congregations for the Sabbath and the Holy Day. The world certainly needs the outpouring of God's Spirit to counter and eliminate the evil spirit that so permeates this age. This past weekend, the people of Ireland voted to change their constitution to become the first nation to legalize same-sex marriage in that manner. As Israelite nations that did much to preserve and spread a knowledge of the Scriptures continue to turn away from biblical values, we are going to see increasingly severe consequences impact these nations. Please pray that God will bless His Work with the power and resources to provide a clear message of warning and hope to a world that has lost its moral compass.—DSW
Church Administration
Pentecost Weekend Combined Services
The nine congregations of Oklahoma, Southeast Kansas, Southwest Missouri, and Western Arkansas, met together in Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the Pentecost weekend. Many arrived on Friday evening and spent the weekend with joy and fellowship. Mr. Wyatt Ciesielka, Internet and Television Department Manager, was our guest speaker, giving three messages focused on the meaning of Pentecost. The weekend got off to a tremendous start on Friday evening with a baptism. Mr. Ciesielka gave a Bible Study and sermon on the Sabbath, and there were two ordinations on Pentecost: Mr. Mike Loper and Mr. Tim Jablonski from the Tulsa congregation were ordained as deacons. The day was capped off with an outstanding sermon by Mr. Ciesielka. The congregations in attendance were Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Chanute, Joplin, Springfield, Harrison, Fayetteville, Ft. Smith and Mena.—Gene Hilgenberg
Carolina Singles Weekend a Success
Yet again, Charlotte, North Carolina was an exciting place to be over this past Pentecost and Memorial Day weekend! The local "Singles Group" opened up their homes, kitchen cabinets and warm friendship to everyone who gathered for the Carolina Singles Weekend this year. Sixty-five registrants from over twenty different congregations all over North America met together to enjoy a weekend of excitement, fun and depth. The theme of the weekend was "Building Relationships in Christ"—and many messages were geared towards this important topic. Activities included Bible Studies on godly masculinity, godly femininity, and building relationships. Also held were a mixer activity, a Bible trivia game, a dinner/dance, and a scavenger hunt in the park. Some of the favorite activities this year were the three Saturday night "BRiC talks": focused 15-18 minute talks patterned after the world-famous "TED Talks." The topics addressed were: Understanding Others' Perspectives, Godly Romance and Taking Courage. And of course, the capstone of the weekend was Pentecost Holy Day services with the local Charlotte congregation. Christ's hand was evident in the weekend, seen in the positive atmosphere and enthusiastic attitude of everyone in attendance. We are all very thankful for a successful weekend and appreciate all those who participated.—Jonathan Bueno
Adirondack Canoe Trip—Registration Deadline June 1
We've had an excellent response for our Adirondack Canoe Trip 2015 and have only five spaces left. If you'd like to enjoy five days of camping and canoeing in the beautiful Adirondack Region, don't miss this activity! We'll have fun, fellowship, and sharpen our canoeing skills from July 1 through 5. This is a great opportunity to live and work together as family in the beauty of God's creation, and this very affordable activity is open to all ages, young and old. For more information and to register, just go to www.nelcg.org (not an official LCG Web site) and click on the "Adirondack Canoe Trip" tab in the middle of the page. There you will also find information about what to bring and what to expect for the activity as well as learning videos, canoe safety information and more. The registration deadline is June 1.—Jonathan McNair
Feast of Tabernacles
Festival (Second Tithe) Assistance Requests—U.S. Only
Attention U.S. Pastors: The deadline to submit Festival Assistance Request forms to the Church Administration Department is Wednesday, 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
Hawaiian Luau Response Deadline
This is the first year the Feast in Hawaii has been large enough to have a special private luau for Church members only, specifically tailored for our group. We need to know how much interest there is in attending such an event because if we do not have sufficient numbers for the event by June 1, I will probably have to cancel the activity. Almost all who have responded have indicated that they want to attend, but we are still short of the minimum we need to make it happen. If you have not responded yet, please let me know right away whether or not you would attend this activity. Thank you to those who have already let me know your plans. If you did not receive a personal e-mail asking about this (dated April 30 or May 27), please e-mail me at [email protected] and let me know that you didn't receive it.—Jim Meredith
Comments
Are You Filled with the Spirit? In the Scriptures, we read of numerous people who were "filled" with God's Holy Spirit—John the Baptist, his mother Elizabeth and his father Zacharias (Luke 1:15, 41, 67). On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were "all filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4). Later, Peter and Paul were described as being "filled" with the Spirit (Acts 4:8; 9:17; 13:9). Paul admonished the brethren, "do not be drunk with wine… but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). How do we become filled with the Spirit? If we repent, make a commitment at baptism and receive the laying on of hands, we are promised the "gift" of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). God gives His Holy Spirit to those who obey His commandments (John 14:15; Acts 5:32). However, that Spirit must be nourished daily by regular prayer and Bible study if we are to be "filled" with it (2 Corinthians 4:16). Paul's admonition to Timothy to "stir up" the gift of God's Spirit indicates that there are things we can and must do to become "filled" with the Spirit of God (2 Timothy 1:6-7). Let's make sure we are doing our part to nourish and exercise the fruits of God's Spirit so that we can be instruments in His hands.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—May 28, 2015
"Britain Resigns as a World Power" was the sobering title of a recent article in the Washington Post (May 21, 2015). Author Fareed Zakaria observed, "After an extraordinary 300-year run, Britain has essentially resigned as a global power" (ibid.). "Over the next few years, Britain's army will shrink to about 80,000. A report from the Royal United Services Institute predicts that the number could get as low as 50,000, which, the Daily Telegraph points out, would be smaller than at any point since the 1770s" (ibid.)—this would be a number equivalent to the size of the New York City police department (Foreign Policy, May 8, 2015). The author closes with the lament, "It [Britain] is, even now, a country with the talent, history and capacity to shape the international order. Which is why the inward turn of the United Kingdom is a tragedy not just for it but for all of us" (Washington Post). Watching a nation that "essentially created the world we live in" (ibid.) decline is sobering. However, Bible prophecy has long predicted this would happen. God told Moses to warn the Israelite people, "if you do not obey Me… and if you despise My statutes… I will break the pride of your power" (Leviticus 26:14-19). It is no coincidence that Britain's demise as a world power is occurring at the same time the people of Britain are turning away from God and His laws and promoting behaviors that are condemned in the Scriptures. To learn more about Britain's prophesied future, be sure to read The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy. This powerful booklet explains Bible prophecies that are coming to pass before our eyes today!
Where Will Islamic Strife Lead? "Saudi Arabia's King Salman promised on Sunday to punish those responsible for the recent suicide attack at a Shiite mosque in the country's east—a rare occurrence in the kingdom. Salman decried the 'heinous terrorist attack' that runs counter to Islamic and human values" (Deutsche Welle, May 24, 2015). "Riyadh has sworn to seek out the roots of terrorism in Saudi Arabia and destroy them… After claiming responsibility for the attack, IS warned that more 'black days' would follow for the nation's Shiites" (ibid.). The aggressive actions by the Islamic State are generating a strong backlash from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Muslim nations in the Middle East. For years, this Work has stated that the "king of the South" mentioned in Daniel 11:40-43 will be a coalition of Arab-Muslim states located geographically south of Jerusalem. The rise of the Islamic State and its barbaric atrocities could be one of the catalysts that will lead to the emergence of the "king of the South." For more information on the future of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the coming "king of the south," be sure to read The Middle East in Prophecy.
Record-Setting Flooding in Southern USA: "A deluge of rainfall has burst rivers and brought flood warnings to several southern US states, with Texas and Oklahoma the worst hit so far… Parts of Texas saw up to 10 inches (25cm) of rain over a 24-hour period, with more predicted across the region into next week. An official declared it the 'largest flood in the history of this region'" (BBC, May 25, 2015). The Texas governor "declared states of disaster in 24 counties and flew over the area south of Austin to assess the damage caused by tornadoes, heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and flooding that forced evacuations and rooftop rescues and left thousands of residents without electrical power... 'It is absolutely massive—the relentless tsunami-type power of this wave of water'... He described homes that were 'completely wiped off the map' by the dangerous weather system that struck Texas and Oklahoma" (Reuters, May 25, 2015). It is sobering to see such powerful flooding in a region that has experienced severe drought in recent years. But that is exactly what Bible prophecy predicts, "I also withheld rain from you, when there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, and where it did not rain the part withered" (Amos 4:7). Bible prophecy reveals these disasters will impact Israelite-descended nations at the end of the age because they have turned away from God (see Amos 3:14; Leviticus 26:14-39). For more about world weather patterns predicted by the Bible, read Who Controls the Weather? —Scott Winnail, Francine Prater and Chris Sookdeo