Greetings from Charlotte,
Living University began its third year of operation this past Monday with more than 100 students from around the world enrolled in classes. We have also begun weekly Forums and Assemblies for our on-site students here in Charlotte with Mr. Ames and Dr. Scott Winnail making presentations. Mr. Meredith conducted meetings this week and is working on an article for Tomorrow's World magazine. Mr. Jonathan McNair was in Charlotte for a couple of days to discuss Church youth programs. Mr. Charles Ogwyn reports that we now have students registered for the online Bible Study Course in 119 countries, most recently Rwanda. Last Sabbath, 93 guests attended the Tomorrow's World Bible lecture in Chicago where I addressed the subject, "What's Ahead for America?" (see announcement below). It was encouraging to speak to and meet with brethren from the Chicago and Milwaukee congregations who gathered for a combined service before the lecture. This coming Sabbath, Mr. Phil West, pastor of the Chicago and Milwaukee congregations, will present a follow-up lecture in Chicago entitled "Where Is God's Church Today?" Please pray that these lectures will have a positive impact on all those who listen.
Church Administration
Divine Intervention
On Sunday, August 9, the sister congregations in Reno and Sacramento, California, united in prayer and fasting on behalf of several local members with serious and advanced health problems. Among those for whom prayers were requested was Mrs. Barbara Fall who had symptoms of potential breast cancer. The following Tuesday, during an appointment at a diagnostic clinic, Dr. Fall writes that he "was anxiously waiting in the waiting room and began praying that God would, at that very moment, remove any cancerous lesion and erase it from their diagnostic readings so that a follow-up biopsy would not be needed. The technician worked intensely for awhile performing the sonogram and then announced that she could not find anything! She next went to get the physician to help her locate the mass that was evident on the mammogram. The doctor then performed a second sonogram, looking carefully between the mammogram films (with the evident mass) and the sonogram screen. Finally the doctor, who seemed somewhat confused, turned to Barbara and told her that she could not find the sizeable mass. Barbara and I are tremendously thankful that God had intervened in this way!"
Canadian Update
Mr. Gerald Weston reports: This week has been traumatic for the Canadian Work, as our much loved minister for Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Mr. Frank Best, went in for heart bypass surgery. He serves five congregations and we have no one to replace him, but we are very happy to report that his recovery so far has gone well. He is expected to come home today (Thursday) or Friday.
I was in Saskatchewan for three Tomorrow's World Bible Lectures when he began to have serious problems. We had a combined total of 43 "new" people attend the studies held in Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Regina. Several have since shown up at services, but we are not sure how many will stay. We also held Tomorrow's World Bible Lectures in Mississauga and Scarborough. A total of 66 brand-new people attended these two lectures and several attended services this past week. We are now gearing up for a much larger audience for Mr. Richard Ames' TW lecture when he comes to Toronto for Trumpets.
This Sabbath will be the second week at our new congregation in London, Ontario, and we are expecting to see good growth in this particular city. We have seen significant growth in attendance in a number of congregations in the last six months and this may end up being the best year of growth since I came here in late 2001.
Tomorrow's World Bible Lecture in Chicago
On Saturday, August 15, 93 guests gathered with 64 members for the first of two Tomorrow's World Bible Lectures to be held for the Chicago area. Each guest received a packet containing the latest Tomorrow's World magazine, two booklets (The Bible: Fact or Fiction? and The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy), a reprint article Resurgent Germany: A Fourth Reich?, and a copy of the information covered in the PowerPoint lecture. Many members commented on the positive energy that prevailed before, during and after Dr. Winnail's exciting presentation on "What's Ahead For America?" One enthusiastic visitor stated that he had attended many different churches but felt after the lecture that he had found where he belongs! Many other visitors said they were planning on attending next week's presentation, on August 22, on "Where Is God's Church Today?" God truly blessed this event and it is exciting to see that He is blessing the fruit of our labor! We appreciate the prayers of our brethren around the world for this series of lectures.—Phil West
Feast of Tabernacles 2009
Llangollen (Wales), United Kingdom
Music and Entertainment: We urgently need to know the names of all those who wish to contribute with Special Music, assist with piano accompaniment during services, and sing in either the main choir or the children's choir. All these areas will be overseen once again by V.G. Larde from France ([email protected]), ably assisted by Linda Bode for the children's choir ([email protected]) and Shelly Molnar for the main choir ([email protected]). Please communicate directly with the appropriate person as soon as possible and head your reply "Music at Feast in Llangollen." Further details will then be sent to you.
We are also planning a Family Entertainment Evening later in the Feast under the supervision of Steve Bode ([email protected]). Those who have items of entertainment that they would like to perform on that evening, please inform Steve and we will audition those items early in the Feast. Please head your reply "Entertainment at Llangollen." Steve will respond with more details on how to proceed.—John Meakin
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Children's Choir: Parents of children (ages 12 and under) attending the Wisconsin Dells Feast site, please contact Katy Elertson to receive practice materials if you would like your child to participate in the children's Festival choir. You can reach her by phone at 920-253-8733 or by e-mail at [email protected]
Comments
Skills that Promote Teamwork: Members of successful teams (families, congregations) develop the necessary skills to function together smoothly to accomplish goals. These skills can be identified and learned. As Christians we must develop these same skills—and many are clearly biblical. Effective team players avoid saying or doing things that offend others (Matthew 18:7; 1 Corinthians 10:32). They learn to forgive and overlook slights or comments they perceive as hurtful because they have learned the value of not being easily offended (Proverbs 10:12; 17:9; 1 Corinthians 13:5). Team players do not sit in judgment of others—accusing, criticizing, spreading their discontent or saying or assuming negative things about others on the team. Instead, they make sure their own lives are in order (Matthew 7:1-5; James 4:11). Team players are peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) who are able to promote harmony and work smoothly with others (James 3:17-18). They deal with people gently, respectfully and patiently, and are willing to listen without trying to justify their own position (James 1:19). Effective team players appreciate that a team is made up of individuals with different talents and abilities who can make unique contributions to the team (1 Corinthians 12:12). They know the main priority is to work together smoothly to achieve a goal while showing love to one another (Ephesians 4:16). In summary, good team players have learned how to love their neighbors. Let's strive to develop these skills!
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—August 20, 2009
Knowledge Will Increase. Computer technology, speed and memory storage capacity have been skyrocketing for decades. However some believe that the industry is reaching the limits of its capacity for improvement. Now, IBM is experimenting with a new technology to increase the capacity of the integrated circuit—the backbone of computer technology. IBM is working with human DNA in an attempt to combine it with nanotechnology. The result would be an integrated circuit with exponentially greater capacity than the current technology can achieve. Essentially, technicians will use DNA as a backbone or pattern on which to overlay nanotubes, in order to conduct electricity and information (PCWorld.com, August 17, 2009). Man cannot improve on God's creation. Thus, IBM is trying to integrate arguably the most complex structure of God's creation, DNA, into computer circuitry. Until recently, this fringe technology would have been viewed as merely science fiction. Today, however, it is potentially a reality. God prophesied through Daniel that, at the time of the end, knowledge would increase (Daniel 12:4). God additionally noted that one reason He confused the languages at Babel was to prevent mankind from achieving everything to which it put its mind (Genesis 11:6). Mankind is marching into exciting, fascinating, and potentially dangerous territory in its technological advances. Just how long God will allow the current pace of advance will remain to be seen.
More Earthquakes. On August 11, two major earthquakes struck in the Orient, killing several and injuring dozens. The first, a magnitude 7.6 quake struck India's Andaman Islands. The second, a 6.6 magnitude quake, struck Japan, prompting officials to wonder if this quake is a precursor to a "major tremblor." Residents in both locations panicked and ran into the streets recalling the 2004 tsunami that struck the region, killing more than 200,000 people (AP, August 11, 2009). Two days later, another earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, this time a magnitude 6.5 (Wall Street Journal, August 14, 2009). This Tuesday, another magnitude 7.1 quake struck 200 miles from Japan, shaking Tokyo and the surrounding areas (Los Angeles Times, August 18, 2009). The Pacific Rim countries are particularly earthquake prone. Should a major quake hit the densely populated areas in many of these nations, catastrophic death could result. Jesus warned that "earthquakes in diverse places" would be one sign that we are nearing the end of the age and, in fact, will be just the "beginning of sorrows" (Matthew 24:7-8). Students of Scripture will be paying close attention to world events so they are not caught off guard when the prophesied "signs" appear in abundance.
"Bible Prophecy Fulfilled?" That is an article title that ran in both the Los Angeles Times and the Toronto Star in July. The article reveals how both the Euphrates and Tigris rivers are drying up in Iraq. According to the article's author, the shrinking of the Euphrates, a river that the book of Revelation prophesied as drying up as a sign of the end, "has decimated farms along its banks, left fishermen impoverished, and depleted riverside towns…." This catastrophe is due in part to drought and, to a greater extent, dams in Turkey and Syria. Wheat fields in some areas are 95% destroyed. Farmers have noted that this coming winter will be their last attempt at planting and harvesting, and then families will be forced to leave (Toronto Star, July 15, 2009). God did prophesy that the great river Euphrates would dry up so that, at the end of the Great Tribulation, the way of the kings of the east will be prepared (Revelation 16:12). Jesus also prophesied major famines at the time of the end (Matthew 24:7, Revelation 6:5-6). Many things on the world scene will need to occur in a precise order for God's prophecies to take place as He has planned. We have the opportunity, because of what God reveals in His Scripture, to watch as it all unfolds. Today we are witnessing a foretaste of how the way for these kings might be prepared. Watching prophecy come to pass is both sobering and exciting. And, as these events take place, we should be encouraged that the return of Christ is soon coming!—Scott Winnail and Marc Arseneault