Greetings from Charlotte,
World events continue to move in the direction of fulfilling long-standing Bible prophecies. The European Union appears to be on the edge of coming apart, the Middle East seems ready to explode and America is in deep trouble economically and is facing a critical election. Here in Charlotte, Mr. Meredith has been writing and holding meetings. Mr. Rod King is here to tape a television program and a sermon. Responses to last week's Tomorrow's World program entitled, "The Prophesied Beast," presented by Mr. Richard Ames, are expected to exceed 6,000. Living University classes are under way with about 230 students enrolled for this semester. This is the highest enrollment we have had since the University started. Mr. and Mrs. Jim Meredith and I had a very encouraging visit last week with more than 220 campers and staff at the Living Youth Camp in Columbus, Ohio. God certainly blessed the activities and the weather for the two-week period of camp. Photos and videos of the camp can be viewed on the Internet (see announcement below). Last weekend, more than 150 visitors attended Tomorrow's World Special Presentations in Arkansas and Winnipeg, Canada. This weekend, Mr. Gene Hilgenberg will make follow-up presentations in Arkansas, and I will be in Albuquerque, New Mexico for a Sabbath service and a TWSP. Mr. Hernandez and Dr. Pierre are currently visiting congregations in the French-speaking Caribbean and will conduct a TWSP in Guadeloupe. Your prayers for all these endeavors are much appreciated.—DSW
Church Administration
Tomorrow's World Special Presentations
Fayetteville and Ft. Smith, Arkansas: The Fayetteville and Ft. Smith, Arkansas, congregations held very successful TWSPs last weekend with Mr. Rod McNair presenting "The Gathering Storm." Seventy-five attended the Fayetteville TWSP, 32 visitors and 43 members from five different congregations. In Ft. Smith, 65 attended—29 visitors and 36 members. We want to thank all of the members that attended from other congregations for their support. At both TWSPs the visitors stayed and fellowshipped long after the presentation was over. Many had former Church of God backgrounds. We are looking forward to the follow-ups this Sabbath.—Gene Hilgenberg
20th Anniversary Celebration in Charlotte
All brethren from around the world are cordially invited to attend a 20th Anniversary Celebration in Charlotte. This coming December marks the 20th anniversary of the Global/Living Church of God. A long weekend of special activities for all ages is being planned. Arrival will be Friday, December 21, and departure will be Tuesday, December 25. Bible Study, Sabbath services, and a dinner-dance will be held at the Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel. A special group rate has been negotiated at the Renaissance Suites and other area hotels. Plans are underway for a full day of sports games and tournaments, complete with a BBQ lunch, on Sunday. On Monday morning we will be having various seminars for teens, singles, and married couples, followed by singles and youth activities in the afternoon. More details will be announced in the coming weeks. Please start planning now to join us for a "December to Remember"!—Jim Meredith
Feast of Tabernacles 2012
2012 Kauai, Hawaii, Feast Site
If any of you have not yet made up your mind where to attend the Feast this year, our site on the beautiful Hawaiian island of Kauai would make an excellent choice. There is still plenty of room for additional attendees and we would love to have you join us. Currently, prices for airfare and hotels are at the lowest I have seen this year. For more information on this site, go to the Festival website: http://fot2012.lcg.org.—Jim Meredith
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon CDs (Repeat Announcement)
Attention Pastors: Please send Mrs. Dorothy McNair, at [email protected], the names of those in your congregation(s) who will be unable to attend the Feast and will need to receive the Feast of Tabernacles sermons on CD. The deadline to submit these requests is August 31 for recipients in the U.S. Note: Feast sermons will also be uploaded (one per day) during the Feast at www.lcg.org, for those who have Internet access.
Activity Payment (Repeat Announcement)
Feast of Tabernacles activity payment is now open for those Feast sites that are using the online payment system. Please go to www.LCG.org, click on the "Feast of Tabernacles" link and select your location. Click on the "Activities" tab and you will be prompted to log in to your MyLCG account. Once logged in, you can register and pay for activities of your choice.
Living Youth Programs
Living Youth Camp 2012: Camp Lazarus, Ohio—Teen Camp
We have now completed another successful summer camp program at Camp Lazarus, Ohio. The administrative staff would like to thank the 228 campers and staff members in attendance for their participation, enthusiasm, and support. We would like to give special thanks to all of those on the faculty and staff who sacrificed money and time, and who worked countless hours to serve the young people in God's Church. Your dedication to upholding Godly standards, your commitment to excellence, and your love for one another was evident throughout the camp.
We hope you will come back again next year! We will continue to work hard, and with God's blessing and guidance have the best Youth Program on the planet!—Sheldon Monson
LYC Ohio Media Available
The LYC Media staff worked particularly hard this year, and in addition to photographing and videotaping all the activities, they also put together for us a high-quality 22-page hard-cover book that is available for purchase to anyone who would like to have a memento from camp this year. The photo book includes pictures of every camper, mini-camper and staff that was at the Ohio camp, and costs approximately US$27 to order. The book can be ordered, as well as viewed in its entirety, by following links from either the Living Youth Website (http://www.livingyouth.org) or from our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Living.Youth.Programs).
In addition to the photo book, we have 19 videos, and more than 300 of the best photographs taken or produced at LYC Ohio this year. These can all currently be viewed from our Facebook page, and will be available shortly on the Living Youth site.—Joshua Penman
Teen Bible Study—Sunday Evening
This Sunday evening the topic is "Naaman's Servant Girl—The Impact of One Small Act," presented by Mr. Phil West. The chat room is open at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) and the Bible Study runs from 7:00–8:00 p.m.
Finance Department
Hall Rentals (U.S.): October hall rental vouchers should be faxed or mailed to Accounts Payable by September 14 to ensure processing before the Feast of Tabernacles.
Payments (U.S.): Please note that our last scheduled day to print reimbursement checks will be Monday, September 24. We will not be able to print any checks again until Tuesday, October 16. Any invoices we receive before September 20 will be paid before the break. Any invoices we receive after September 20 will not be able to be paid until October 16. If you have any questions in regards to specific invoices or payments, please contact Samanthia Kreis in the Accounts Payable Department at 704-844-1960 ext. 2236 or send e-mail to [email protected].—Jerry Ruddlesden
Comments
The Importance of Kindness: Jesus told His disciples that we glorify God when we "bear much fruit" (John 15:8). One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit that God is looking for in the lives of Christians is kindness (Galatians 5:22). The Scriptures tell us that Christians are "children of God" who are to grow to become "like Him" (1 John 3:1-3). The Scriptures also tell us that God is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness" (Nehemiah 9:17). David wrote that God "has shown me His marvelous kindness" (Psalm 31:21). Solomon describes the virtuous woman, "on her tongue is the law of kindness" (Proverbs 31:26). Jesus said that God is even "kind to the unthankful" (Luke 6:35). In 1 Corinthians 13:4 we learn that "love suffers long and is kind," and that anyone who ministers to others should be "longsuffering" and "[kind]" (2 Corinthians 6:6). This is why the Apostle Peter urged believers to "add to your faith…brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love" (2 Peter 1:5-7). If we hope to become like God and be in the Kingdom of God, we need to develop and exercise this important quality of kindness.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—August 23, 2012
Will Germany Leave the EU? Many assume that Greece will be forced to leave the EU and that Spain and Italy must follow. This could leave Germany with a trillion euro liability—something few Germans want their nation to be responsible for. "Experts" and the European press are starting to suggest that the only really feasible option for Germany may be for it to leave and let the EU "sink or swim" on its own (Telegraph, August 21, 2012). During the Olympics, while much of the European press has focused on the "Games in London," sobering headlines appeared regarding the demise of the EU, including: "Greece must go bankrupt" in the German Handelsblatt (August 16, 2012), and "Germany may be the country that brings the euro crashing down" (Telegraph, August 21, 2012). Yet, during the recent rhetoric about the demise of the EU, France's voice has been conspicuously absent. This prompted the observation from noted British commentator, Christopher Booker, "The old 'Franco-German motor' is dying—and with it the entire project it drove forward for 50 years" (ibid.). Bible prophecy reveals that the formation of the end-time Beast of Revelation will occur in Europe and most likely be led by Germany. This formation will include 10 kings or nations, who will surrender their sovereignty to a central power (see Revelation 17). Events are now occurring on the European scene that could set the stage for this next, grand step in Bible prophecy. See our free booklet, The Beast of Revelation, for more details!
Will the Middle East Powder Keg Explode Soon? Tensions between Israel, Iran and Lebanon are heating up. Israel is threatening an attack on suspected nuclear sites in Iran, while Iran appears to be "itching for a fight" with Israel to show off its military hardware (YNet News, August 21, 2012). In a recent speech, Iran's president asserted, "The very existence of the Zionist [Israeli] regime is an insult to humankind and an affront to all world nations" (New York Times, August 17, 2012). Hezbollah's leader recently stated that if Israel attacks Lebanon, Hezbollah will "…turn the lives of hundreds of thousands of Zionists into a living hell" with its new missile technology (Al Arabiya News, August 17, 2012). The U.S. and its allies have also coordinated an unprecedented buildup of navy and air defenses in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz in the last six weeks, preparing for an impending attack (Star Tribune, July 3, 2012). Long ago, God prophesied of end-time trouble in the Middle East. For decades, this Work has also instructed its readers to "watch the Middle East." Today we see Bible prophecies coming into play that God prophesied thousands of years ago. Jerusalem is to be a "cup of trembling" (KJV) and a "burdensome stone" for the surrounding nations (Zechariah 12:2-3, NKJV)—something clearly visible today. Events in the Middle East will "explode" one day soon. However Bible prophecies indicate that peace will ultimately come to this war-torn region. For more information, be sure to review our eye-opening booklet, The Middle East in Prophecy.
Declaring Their Sin as Sodom: The polarizing debate of whether or not the Australian States should "go it alone" on the issue of homosexual marriage rose to the fore last week as rallies were held in most major cities by those who want to change the definition of marriage. State premiers from South Australia and Tasmania along with the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (where the country's federal government is located) threw their weight behind efforts to legislate and legalize homosexual marriage. Jay Weatherhill, Premier of South Australia, stated on the steps of the Parliament that "People should be entitled to express their own identity in any way they wish and the law shouldn't become a barrier to prevent them from doing that." He went onto say, "from my perspective, it's a simple question of the dignity of the individual." In a stunning comment, Australian Marriage Equality national convener Alex Greenwich told the Sydney rally that individual states and territories could legislate same-sex marriage "if the federal government fails the aspirations of our nation" (Australian Associated Press, August 11, 2012). Long ago, the prophet Isaiah, warning against the wickedness of ancient Israel, wrote: "The look on their countenance witnesses against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves" (Isaiah 3:9). If our Israelite-descended peoples continue to thumb their collective noses at God and His laws and refuse to turn to Him in repentance, then our cities and our countries will surely fall because our "tongue and [our] doings" are against the Lord (Isaiah 3:8). Be sure to read more about God's expectations for mankind in our free booklet, The Ten Commandments.—Scott Winnail, John Meakin and Michael Tyler