Greetings from Charlotte,
Bible prophecies have long warned that spreading violence and brutality would mark the approaching end of this age. This past week, Islamic fighters killed more than 140 students and teachers at a school in Pakistan, Muslim militants kidnapped at least 185 women and children in Nigeria, and a Muslim gunman took hostages in a chocolate shop in Sydney, Australia, where several people were killed. This follows attacks in New York and Canada, bombings in churches, and videos of shootings and beheadings throughout the Middle East. The world certainly needs the return of Jesus Christ to usher in a new age of peace for this troubled world. Here in Charlotte, Dr. Meredith has written another co-worker letter that was mailed to nearly 12,600 households in the USA. Mr. Stephen Elliott was in Charlotte this week to record lectures for his Living University class and a Tomorrow's World Web cast. The Internet Department reports that the News & Prophecy e-zine now reaches nearly 22,000 subscribers. Mr. Hernandez will give livestream sermons from Mexico on December 20 and 27, while on his trip to the Living Youth Camps in Guatemala and Mexico. USA Feast Sites and Coordinators are ready to be announced (see below).—DSW
Church Administration
Thank you from Hodebar Family in Martinique
Mr. Simbert Hodebar, our deacon in Martinique, would like to thank all the brethren for the love, support and encouragement shown to him and his family after the death of his beloved wife, Jeanine.
Charlotte Family Weekend—Registration Closed
Registration for the Charlotte Family Weekend (December 24-28) is now closed. Based on current numbers, it looks like we will set a new record with 650 or more people attending this year!
There are still rooms available at the host hotel, the Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel, at a special group rate of $94. This rate includes a full buffet breakfast for two adults. The hotel suites can comfortably accommodate up to six persons in beds, with two double beds in the bedroom and a fold-out couch in the living room. You may make reservations by calling 877-212-5752 and mentioning the Living Church of God or by using the hotel's Passkey Web site at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/LivingChurchofGod2014. There are a number of other hotels within a five mile radius, but we have not negotiated any group rates with them. There is a limited amount of housing in Church members' homes for out of town guests who cannot afford to stay at the hotel. If you need to stay in members' homes in order to attend the event, please contact me at [email protected].
Please take note of the schedule that is posted on Facebook and the MyLCG page. The Sportsmanship talk starts on Thursday morning at 8:30. All members of teams are required to attend this meeting or your team will forfeit the first game. The tournaments start at 9:00 a.m. and will run all day. Everyone is welcome to attend this day of exciting games, but don't forget your wallets, because we will be having a silent auction bake sale and Living University will be selling some apparel. A complimentary fresh, hot BBQ lunch will be served from 11 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Friday morning the seminars will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. For those who are interested, the hotel will make a buffet lunch available ($12) after the seminars, as well as a dinner buffet before the evening Bible Study.
If you would like to join the choir that will be performing on the Sabbath day, please contact Mr. Marcus McCullough at [email protected].
Please go to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/LcgCharlotteWinterWeekend to find updated information on this year's event and pictures from last year. This is an open "public" page that can be viewed by anyone—which means that you do not need a Facebook account to access it. If you are looking for a roommate or want to join a sports team, you may post it on this page. We have also posted the schedule of events, names of the men who will be speaking for the various seminars and services, and other helpful information. The Passkey link to book the hotel is also available here. We are looking forward to a weekend of spiritual rejuvenation, fun, food, and fellowship!—Jim Meredith
Kansas City Family Weekend
We are just two weeks away from the Tenth Annual Kansas City Family Weekend. The weekend kicks off with a Friday night Bible Study beginning at 7:00 p.m. On Saturday, a seminar is planned at 10:00 a.m. and Sabbath services will be at 1:30 p.m., both at the Hilton Garden Inn in Independence, Missouri.
For Sunday's activities, we are mixing things up this year, but for our sports lovers, we will still offer two hours of organized volleyball, and two full-court basketball games for the men. Our focus has shifted to include more family participation of all levels, especially with our two full hours of family games, unlike anything you've done before, plus clinics to pass on basketball and volleyball skills to those who want to learn.
If you have signed up and not already sent payment for the catered meal, please do so as soon as possible. Details and all other information can be found on the Web site: lcgkcweekend.org (not an official LCG Web site). See you soon!—Michael Keesee
Internet Department
Continued Expansion of Internet TV!—Repeat Announcement
We are very excited to announce that the Tomorrow's World telecast is now available on iTunes and Google TV as well as Roku! Although satellite and cable remains by far the most popular way that people "consume television," as many of you know "Internet TV" is a rapidly growing market that experts predict will be the biggest growth area for television programming consumption in the coming years. As such, it is critical that we reach these many millions of people who are looking for programs on "Internet TV." So, in addition to the worldwide coverage available in multiple languages over satellite and cable television, with God's help, we will continue to grow our Internet television presence.
Google TV, Apple TV, and Roku users can find the Tomorrow's World telecast in their respective device app stores. You can find a complete TV channel listing at the TomorrowsWorld.org Web site or here: www.tomorrowsworld.org/tune-in. And don't forget that the Tomorrow's World mobile phone apps for iOS, Android and Apple are available as well, in their respective app stores or by visiting this URL: www.tomorrowsworld.org/mobile-apps. These mobile phone apps include the magazine articles, commentaries, telecasts and other important material.—Wyatt Ciesielka
Feast of Tabernacles 2015
2015 U.S. Feast Sites
We are happy to announce the 2015 Feast sites for the United States. Stay posted for more information about these sites, as well as the announcement about the opening date for festival registration. As always, please do not make housing reservations until you have registered and have been approved for your site. The 2015 U.S. Feast sites and Coordinators are:
Boerne, Texas (Gary Stein, [email protected])
Gatlinburg, Tennessee (Ron Poole, [email protected])
Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii (Jim Meredith, [email protected])
Indian Wells, California (Stephen Elliott, [email protected])
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri (Gene Hilgenberg, [email protected])
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (James Sweat, [email protected])
Navarre, Florida (Ed Breaux, [email protected])
Palm Harbor, Florida (John Strain, [email protected])
Seaside, Oregon (Brandon Fall, [email protected])
St. George, Utah (Rodger Bardo, [email protected])
Tannersville, Pennsylvania (Jonathan McNair, [email protected])
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin (Rod McNair, [email protected])
2015 International Sites
Most international sites are still being finalized but, as of this moment, the following international sites can be announced:
Great Malvern, Worcestershire, United Kingdom
Ballina, New South Wales, Australia
Victor Harbor, South Australia, Australia
Rotorua, New Zealand
Christ Church, Barbados
Living Youth Program
No Online Teen Bible Study Next Weekend
There will be no online Teen Bible Study on Friday evening, December 26. However, you can access previous Living Youth Bible Studies, including last evening's on "The United States and Britain in Prophecy, Part 5," at www.livingyouth.org.
Living University
Registration for second semester classes is now underway! The clock is ticking and the Spring Semester (fall in the Southern hemisphere) will begin on Wednesday, January 14. Students may register anytime between now and January 14. Those who have never taken a Living University course will need to enroll in the University first, and then register for the selected course(s). The following are brief descriptions of several courses being offered next semester. A complete listing of second semester courses can also be viewed on the Living University Web site under the link "Spring 2015 Schedule." To make application to Living University, to register for courses, and to find out more, please visit the www.livinguniv.com Web site. For additional information, please contact Mrs. Michelle Broussard at [email protected] or 704-708-2294. Note that the earlier students register and purchase textbooks, the better the prices they may find for the textbooks.
THL 428 – Working with the Elderly in the Church
As society around the globe ages, the need to understand aging populations is increasing. This course deals with identifying the needs both physical and spiritual of people as they age. Emphasis is on learning and applying necessary care skills to meet these needs, and developing an awareness of available community resources. Students in this class will learn to be sensitive to and proactive in dealing with the challenges and needs of an aging population, e.g., spiritual/religious, social, biological, physiological, and psychological.
THL 467 – Historical Geography of Bible Lands
This course deals with the historical geography of the Bible Lands as represented in ancient texts (the Bible as well as Egyptian, Mesopotamian and Canaanite sources). Emphasis is on the interrelationship of history and geography during the Bronze and Iron Ages, including settlement, economic, military, and communication factors in ancient Israel. Students will study relevant archaeological, historical and biblical material and correlate it with important sites, roads, and features within the eastern Mediterranean region.
THL 475 – Ancient Egypt and the Biblical World
This course deals with ancient Egyptian archaeology, history and culture from the Pre-dynastic Period through the Late Period. Emphasis is on the interconnection of Egypt with the land of Canaan, the Exodus, the Conquest, and the Settlement.
Comments
True Servant Leaders: In today's competitive world, many people focus on whatever it takes to get to the top—to be number one. Sadly, this status-oriented attitude can spill over into the Church. When individuals become overly focused on gaining or holding onto a position, they lose sight of the reason that positions exist in the Church. Positions are not about power, status or privileges, they are opportunities to serve. Jesus told His disciples that He looks for individuals who are humble, meek, teachable, compassionate, converted and capable (Matthew 5:3-10; Exodus 18:21). Jesus condemned the worldly attitude of seeking a position, worrying about status or exerting authority. He explained that true Christian leadership involves developing an attitude of unselfish service to others—servant leadership (Matthew 20:25-28). Students of leadership have observed that true servant leaders don't need a position or status to serve. Their ability to lead and serve stems from their qualities of character: seeing a need and trying to fill it, showing care and concern for others, being a person of integrity, being humble and unselfish—the very qualities Jesus mentions in Matthew 5:3-10. To become real servant leaders, we need to take time to examine ourselves and our attitudes about service. Are we focused on position, power and prestige, or are we developing the qualities of truly Christian servant leaders?
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—December 18, 2014
School Shooting in Pakistan: "Taliban gunmen stormed a military-run school in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar on Tuesday, killing 126 people, officials said, in the worst attack to hit the country in years. The overwhelming majority of the victims were students at the army public school, which has children and teenagers in grades 1-10" (The Times-Tribune, December 16, 2014). "'My son was in uniform in the morning. He is in a casket now,' wailed one parent, Tahir Ali, as he came to the hospital to collect the body of his 14-year-old son Abdullah. 'My son was my dream. My dream has been killed'" (ibid.). The number of dead was raised to 135 (and then 150) later Tuesday while the BBC reported "the militants appear to have been intent on killing as many students as possible—rather than taking hostages, as initially thought" (The Daily Star, December 16, 2014). Many wonder why such things happen, yet the Bible reveals this world is under the influence of a powerful spirit being called Satan the devil (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9) and that the whole earth cries out in agony, waiting for the return of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:19-22). The cold-blooded murder of innocent children is satanic at its core! When Christ returns, the tyranny of Satan and human beings he influences will end (Revelation 20:1-3). At that time, God will "heal the brokenhearted… proclaim liberty to the captives" and bring a time of peace and safety to all peoples of this earth (Isaiah 11:4-9; 61:1). For more on what will happen when Christ returns, read our encouraging booklet, Armageddon and Beyond.
Siege in Sydney: An Islamic extremist took 17 hostages in a café in central Sydney on Monday, December 16. After a 17-hour siege, at 2:00 a.m., he began shooting some of the hostages. New South Wales (NSW) police had been well-positioned outside and stormed the café. Two of the people inside were killed and the gunman was shot dead by the police (AP, December 15, 2014). This was the first time Australia has experienced a terrorist attack and authorities have been preparing for some time. But what is behind the growing conflict between Western cultures and Islam? Many Muslims are admonished to uphold the teachings of the Qu'ran, but to reject the increasingly humanistic values of the West. In the last 50 years, the Christian underpinnings of law, culture and ethics in the West have been removed and replaced by secular ideas that discount God's word as the authority to live by. Bible prophecies have long warned this turning away from God will bring real consequences, "if you do not obey Me… I will even appoint terror over you… those who hate you shall reign over you... the alien who is among you shall rise higher… and you shall come down lower" (Leviticus 26:14-16; Deuteronomy 28:43). As a result of disobedience by once-professing Christian nations, God is removing the protective "hedge" that He has provided to His people (Isaiah 5:5; Hosea 2:6). To learn more about what is behind the increasing difficulties afflicting the Western world, be sure to request a free copy of The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy.
Russian Ruble Tumbles: "The battered ruble plunged to a record low against the dollar again Tuesday [80 Rub to $1 USD], as investors grew convinced that the Russian central bank's surprise move overnight to jack up interest rates to 17% wouldn't be enough to alleviate the pressure on the currency from falling oil prices and western sanctions" (Wall Street Journal, December 16, 2014). Just a year ago, the ruble was trading at about 33 rubles to one U.S. dollar, and the recent crash of the ruble has Russians withdrawing their savings in dollars and euros (ibid.). While some think that the financial pressures may cause Russia to reverse its intrusion into Eastern Europe, others believe the financial pressure could push Russia to take an even more aggressive approach toward its former satellite countries (Wall Street Journal, December 16, 2014). The ruble's decline could have ripple effects through the global economy and could curtail natural gas flow to Europe (ibid.). The future of Russia will be interesting to watch as geopolitical and economic forces play out. Bible prophecy indicates that Russia will probably play a major role in the last days when "kings of the east" launch an attack on the European Beast power at the time of Christ's return (Daniel 11:44). For more on this topic, read our informative article, "Who Will Invade the Middle East?"—Scott Winnail, Rod King