Greetings from Charlotte,
It appears that Satan is becoming increasingly active in this deceived and dying world. Tragic shootings, the promotion of perverted values, demon activity, increasingly disruptive weather conditions, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, fires, nations coming apart—the end-time prophecies in Matthew 24 and other scriptures are certainly coming alive! This world needs to hear the Good News that Jesus Christ brought to this earth and that God's Church is striving to proclaim in ever more powerful ways. This week, Mr. Meredith has been writing and holding meetings. Last weekend's Tomorrow's World television program by Mr. Wallace Smith, entitled "Diagnosis: Christianity," drew more than 5,000 responses. Teen summer camps began this week in England and Ohio. Mr. Hernandez has returned from visiting congregations in France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland. I got back last Thursday from very encouraging visits to congregations in New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and the Philippines. This weekend, Tomorrow's World Special Presentations will be held in Concord, New Hampshire and Gatineau, Quebec. Living University classes will begin next Wednesday, August 15.—DSW
Church Administration
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Best would like to thank everyone for your prayers, cards and e-mails of sympathy and support in the tragic death of their grandson, Michael, on July 12. Your kindness was greatly appreciated.
Mr. and Mrs. Glen Gilchrist and family would like to convey their sincere and heartfelt appreciation for the outpouring of concern following the tragic death of their son, Kyle. A memorial service will be held this Sabbath, August 11, at 2:00 p.m. at the New Hope Fellowship Church, 475 E. Oats Road, Garland TX 75056 (a block of rooms has been reserved at The Colony Fairfield Inn; phone 972-370-7732). Cards may be sent to: Gilchrist/Kemp, 5700 Poole Drive, The Colony, TX 75056.
Tomorrow's World Special Presentation
Augusta, Georgia: The follow-up TWSP on the Sabbath of August 4, "Where Is The Church Christ Built?, went very well. There were 30 visitors who joined 16 brethren to make it an exciting and memorable event. The brethren have expressed a great appreciation for the opportunity to be a part of the TWSPs and look forward to the fruit that will result. At the close of the presentation, the visitors were being encouraged to stay and enjoy refreshments and ask any questions. A hand went up from a visitor who asked where the local congregation meets. While addressing his question, other hands went up and additional questions were asked about the Sabbath, Church eras and baptism. Thirty minutes of "questions and answers" resulted with every question that was asked being from a genuine attitude of wanting to learn more about the Truth. The interest and enthusiasm from the visitors was priceless and totally supportive of what they have learned from the Tomorrow's World and Living Church of God resources.—Ron Poole
Australasian Update
July was one of those "never to be forgotten" months! We had the honor of having Dr. Douglas Winnail, Director of Church Administration, visit our region to meet many members and Tomorrow's World subscribers. Dr. Winnail visited congregations in New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and the Philippines. He also made four very successful Tomorrow's World Special Presentations. In Auckland, Wednesday, July 25, 117 visitors and 50 members heard his presentation, "The Gathering Storm." Similar meetings were also held in Adelaide, Kuala Lumpur and Manila.
Two other important meetings were conducted while Dr. Winnail was travelling. Most of the ministers in the region did not have the opportunity to participate in the recent Headquarters General Ministerial Conference last May, and so two Regional Conferences were organized, one in Adelaide, the other in Mindanao in the Philippines. Thirty-five ministers, deacons and their wives from the Australasian Region met for several days and had the opportunity to talk with and to hear Dr. Winnail. Several office staff were also invited to attend. These conferences are vital for the cohesion and unity, not only of the ministry, but also of God's Church. It is of prime importance that all of us, God's people, learn to be of the same mind and same judgment just as the Apostle Paul admonished the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:10). This is especially important in the end of the age when the whole world is divided and in great confusion, namely, Babylon the Great! God's people and His Church have to be in total contrast to the world's systems.—Bruce Tyler
Living Youth Programs
West Virginia Family Camp
Thirty campers and 27 parents and staff members enjoyed six exciting days of activities at Glenwood Park 4-H Camp nestled in the foothills of the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. This was our third and best year yet! The WV Camp focuses on campers 8-12 years old in a family atmosphere. Activities included canoeing, Christian living, kickball, guitar, line dance instruction, novelty Olympics, sing-a-long in a beautiful outdoor amphitheater, final banquet and variety show. The final day was capped off by all-star canoeing and kickball exhibitions and barbeque.
God's blessing and unmistakable intervention were evident throughout the week. The weather was unseasonably mild with cooler evenings. Even the rainfall came at just the right times. Each morning we were treated by the scenic view of the fog-enshrouded lake as the sun rose to burn off the fog. The dedicated, zealous staff commented that the beautiful spirit of cooperation and unity among the campers was at a higher level than we have seen in the past. Even the camp personnel remarked that this was the cleanest group they had seen all summer! One asked, "What kind of church camp are you?" After telling him about restoring true Christianity, he told me that he was looking for a church to attend and asked for my card. When we left, the camp superintendent waived half of the camp fee and said he's looking forward to seeing us next year! The pastoral, peaceful WV setting was truly "Almost Heaven!"—Paul Shumway
Living Youth Camp Europe 2012
Greetings from 32 staff and campers at the Frontier Centre Northampton, in the United Kingdom! The LYC European camp started Friday evening, August 3. In spite of squally showers dousing the campers, they are now enjoying brilliant sunshine and warm temperatures. As usual, at the beginning of camp, the campers were overflowing with enthusiasm. And now, in spite of waning energy levels, they are enjoying and fully participating in the activities.
The camp started on a Sabbath, a relaxing day of fellowshipping to catch up with friends and make new ones from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and all over the UK. In the sermonette, Jamie Meakin emphasized the need for faith, with examples of teenagers from the Bible, such as David, Daniel and his friends. These men were all teenagers when God used them powerfully. Mr. Ellis' sermon explained that Godly leadership is important for our teens at camp, at Church and at home, and emphasized that their roles and participation now are preparing them as future leaders for the Kingdom of God—and that this is very important to God. Forums have included family relations based on God's law of love; reinforcing Godly health principles, underlining the spiritual and practical aspects of prayer, meditation, Bible study and fasting.
During the Christian Living class on communication, Mr. Meakin explained the various elements of communication and how easy it is to miscommunicate, compounded by language differences that we are confronted with. Tomorrow (Friday), Mr. King will be giving a Christian Living class on Christian life in ancient Roman times. The camp is situated next to a nature park that has numerous sites of archaeological interest, with specific sites dating back to the Neolithic age and many artifacts on display—and the campers will be doing a treasure hunt there to find answers that will help them discover the vestiges of bygone ages.
Special thanks must go to Mrs. Laura Bradley and the kitchen staff who have volunteered their time and energy. When well fed, campers are happy campers! Indeed we are! On Friday afternoon, Mrs. Bradley will be giving a special class on Asian food preparation, teaching the campers to make a variety of dishes and giving them practical experience in the kitchen as part of Sabbath preparation.
Camp will finish on Friday evening, then on the Sabbath (August 11) there will be a special youth-oriented service at the nearby Chelveston Village Hall. This has been a camp rich in enthusiasm, excitement and learning experiences that have brought us all really close to our all-powerful God, and we give thanks to Him and to all of our brethren for their prayers to help make this a successful camp.—Rees Ellis
Feast of Tabernacles 2012
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 15 for international recipients, and 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 University
Classes Begin Wednesday!
Living University classes begin in just a few days (on August 15), but there is still time to enroll in the university and register for classes. Interested students should register and order textbooks as soon as possible. There is still space in all of our courses. However, those interested in CIS 110 – Introduction to Computers, or THL 236 – Christian Camp Leadership should register immediately (after sundown of course). High school/secondary school students interested in taking LU courses may do so by enrolling in the Dual Enrollment Program. To do so, students must be entering grade 10 or higher. Dual enrollment students can take courses in the Certificate of Biblical Christianity program, along with their regular high school curriculum, at a greatly reduced cost (the equivalent of US$10 per credit hour, plus fees and textbooks). For more information on the dual enrollment program or courses, see the online catalog on the www.livinguniv.com website. For those who have never taken LU courses before, be sure to visit our website at www.livinguniv.com and complete an Application for Admission to the university—this will then allow you to register for a class. The website also provides detailed information on our programs, fees, courses, and much more. We encourage you to consider taking a class for credit, if you want to work toward a degree or certificate. Or just "audit" a course if you desire the content without the stress of exams and papers. If you have questions, please e-mail or call Ms. Michelle Bottella at [email protected], or 704-708-2294.
Comments
Exciting Answers to Life's Big Questions! Why do we exist? What happens at death? Why do we have trials? Most people and most religions have no idea! Yet the Bible reveals that God made human beings in His image (Genesis 1:26-27) to eventually become part of His divine family (Romans 8:14-16; 1 John 3:1-4). The real purpose of this life is to learn to fear God (Isaiah 66:2) and make wise choices between right and wrong (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). To help us learn important lessons, God allows us to reap what we sow (Jeremiah 2:17; 4:18; Hosea 4:9). The Scriptures reveal that God will actually work with us (Philippians 1:6) to help us develop the mind and character of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5-13). If we grow and overcome (2 Peter 3:18; Revelation 2-3) and endure to the end (Matthew 24:13), we will receive our reward (Revelation 11:17-18) and reign with Jesus Christ in the coming Kingdom of God (Revelation 5:10) as resurrected spirit beings (see Job 14:10-15; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54). The biblical answers to the big questions of life clearly show that our physical lives today are an important training ground for an exciting and eternal future! Let's go for the gold!
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—August 9, 2012
Saving the Euro: Italy and Spain's economies are in dire straits, and the EU is seriously considering bailing them out with a major purchase of national bonds. The all-important caveat may be that Italy and Spain will have to cede control of their fiscal policies to the EU! (Telegraph, August 2, 2012). Time is of the essence regarding saving the Italian and Spanish economies. The Italian Prime Minister Monti has stated that if the EU does not act quickly, a future Italian government will likely be euroskeptic (ibid.). His predecessor, Mr. Berlusconi, previously said that Italy could "go it alone" if the EU does not come through for Italy. Mr. Monti has now taken on the unofficial role of "spokesman" for the Southern EU nations standing up to Germany (Reuters, August 8, 2012). The Bible reveals that a religio-political union will occur in Europe and will most likely be headed up by Germany. This union (the Beast), will be comprised of "ten kings" who will give their power to the Beast power for a time (see Revelation 17). Financial power is one "type" of power that can be given to another leader or country, and we are starting to see how this might happen in Europe. For more information on the formation of the coming European Beast power, be sure to read our insightful booklet on The Beast of Revelation!
Teen Kills Nine at Knife Point: Last week, a seventeen year-old Chinese man killed nine people and injured five more with a knife, following an argument with his girlfriend (AFP, August 2, 2012). This event coincides with shootings in the U.S., and the murder of more than 70 people in ethnic clashes in India (Times of India, August 8, 2012). "Violent crime has been on the rise in China in recent decades as the nation's economy has boomed and the gap between rich and poor has expanded at an alarming rate. Experts say…that China is paying the price for focusing on more than 30 years of economic growth while ignoring problems linked to rapid social change. Studies have described a rise in the prevalence of mental disorders in China, some of them linked to stress as the pace of life becomes faster and socialist support systems wither. However, authorities stress that murder, which carries the death penalty, remains far less common than in most Western countries" (ibid.). Societal factors are undoubtedly a major cause of homicide. End-time Bible prophecies indicate that children and youth will become increasingly oppressive (Isaiah 3:12) and that violence and terrors will continue to increase. As the end of the age approaches, Jesus warned that "nation[ethnic groups] will rise against nation[ethnic groups" (Matthew 24:7). The escalating violence we are witnessing around the globe is one of the signs that the end of the age is getting closer. However, students of Bible prophecy also know that these increasing signs also signify that Christ's world-ruling, peace-filled government is also on the way!
New Zealand MP tries to form his own opinion in same-sex marriage issue: In a recent "letter drop" in the east Auckland suburb of Botany, the National MP for the area, Mr. Jami-Lee Ross, issued a message to residents. The letter, titled "Same-Sex Marriage: What do you think?" explained that "Parliament will soon be voting on draft legislation to enable same-sex couples to marry. Members of Parliament will be given a [individual] conscience vote on this issue. To help me represent the Botany Electorate when I vote, I would appreciate knowing your views on same-sex marriage" (Jami-Lee Ross, National Party, Same-Sex Marriage Letter, 6th of August, 2012). A "yes or no" box was given as an option for residents to indicate whether they agreed with same-sex marriage, as well as space for any comments that they would like to make. The letter was then to be returned to Mr. Ross. As the New Zealand Parliament heads towards legislating same-sex marriage, this letter drop reveals that God-fearing leaders are absent in this once predominantly "Christian" country, whose MPs now need to ask the opinions of the masses to form their "individual" conscience. New Zealand is fast becoming a country where God's laws are a "strange thing" (Hosea 8:12). Democracy is not the answer to moral decline or the world's ills. Only through God's top-down government established on this earth by a perfect, righteous leader, will true values be restored to this Israelite-descended nation and the whole world (Isaiah 11). Read our booklet The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy for an explanation of why Israelite-descended nations like New Zealand are morally bankrupt.—Scott Winnail, John Meakin and Paul Kearns