Greetings from Charlotte,
The Feast of Pentecost is just over a week away. This Holy Day pictures the beginning of the New Testament Church and the pouring out of God's Spirit on those He is calling. This coming week would be a good time to reflect on the incredible privilege we have been given to understand the Truth about God's Plan and purpose and the opportunity to be part of His Church. Mailings began this week for more than 295,000 copies of Mr. Meredith's semi-annual letter offering a new booklet Successful Parenting: God's Way, written by Dr. Jeff Fall. Our next Regional Conference will be held this coming weekend in Wisconsin Dells for deacons, elders and other leaders in the north central part of the USA. Your prayers for both of these efforts are greatly appreciated.
Church Administration
Living Youth Camp
Spaces are still available for campers and a few select staff positions at this year's Michigan Teen Living Youth Camp. If you are interested in having a great summer meeting new friends, go to www.youth-web.org to fill out an online application. If you do not have web access, please call Sue Ruddlesden at 704-844-1970.
United Kingdom Update
Mr. Rod King reports: Mr. Bruce Tyler and I traveled to Arklow [Rep. of Ireland] to conduct three days of meetings and fellowshipping with the elders, deacons and their wives from the U.K., Ireland and Europe. I am grateful for the men and women that God has placed in these positions and their readiness to serve. Mr. Henry Cooper is the pastor of the Irish congregations and works with John Murphy and Kenneth Cargill in Belfast, and with Dan O'Carroll in Dublin. Jim and Sue Bennett traveled by ferry, while Mr. Storrier and Colin McIntyre were there from Glasgow. Mr. and Mrs. Frans Peeters traveled from the Netherlands. I received several comments of appreciation for the chance to get together.
I talked at length today [May 15] to Mr. Peter van der Byl in South Africa, and he reports good growth and potential baptisms there. God has blessed the Work a great deal in the past six months in that region.
We mailed the [semi-annual] letter from the U.K. this time so we can receive the responses here. Prior to this, the letters went out from Charlotte and respondents had to return their cards to the U.S. This reduced the number of responses greatly. We have also included with the letter an invitation from Mr. Meredith to Tomorrow's World lectures in London, Cardiff, Manchester and Glasgow that I will conduct over the summer.
Feast of Tabernacles 2007
Festival Registration—Usa and Canada
The Festival Registration date (for the United States and Canada) will be Sunday, June 3, at 12:00 noon (ET). At that time, brethren will be encouraged to go online to their MyLCG account (www.cogl.org) and register for the Feast. Registration is extremely important for accurately projecting attendance for each site. Please do not make housing arrangements before Sunday, June 3, at 12:00 noon (ET). Hotels and sites will not be ready to take reservations from the Living Church of God until that time.
For information about each site, go online to your MyLCG account (www.cogl.org) and click on the link "Feast Site Information." If you do not have Internet access, contact your Festival Advisor for information about the sites.
This year, we will not print a Festival Planner brochure. Nevertheless, all the information and details about the Feast of Tabernacles sites and the Feast Registration form will be available online on the Member Resources website (www.cogl.org), under the MyLCG section. Anyone without access to the Internet may request a printout of the descriptions of Festival sites and of the Registration Form from his local Festival Advisor. If you have any questions, please call the Festival Office at 704-844-1960, ext. 212, or send e-mail to [email protected].
Greetings from Charlotte,
The Feast of Pentecost is just over a week away. This Holy Day pictures the beginning of the New Testament Church and the pouring out of God's Spirit on those He is calling. This coming week would be a good time to reflect on the incredible privilege we have been given to understand the Truth about God's Plan and purpose and the opportunity to be part of His Church. Mailings began this week for more than 295,000 copies of Mr. Meredith's semi-annual letter offering a new booklet Successful Parenting: God's Way, written by Dr. Jeff Fall. Our next Regional Conference will be held this coming weekend in Wisconsin Dells for deacons, elders and other leaders in the north central part of the USA. Your prayers for both of these efforts are greatly appreciated.
Church Administration
Living Youth Camp
Spaces are still available for campers and a few select staff positions at this year's Michigan Teen Living Youth Camp. If you are interested in having a great summer meeting new friends, go to www.youth-web.org to fill out an online application. If you do not have web access, please call Sue Ruddlesden at 704-844-1970.
United Kingdom Update
Mr. Rod King reports: Mr. Bruce Tyler and I traveled to Arklow [Rep. of Ireland] to conduct three days of meetings and fellowshipping with the elders, deacons and their wives from the U.K., Ireland and Europe. I am grateful for the men and women that God has placed in these positions and their readiness to serve. Mr. Henry Cooper is the pastor of the Irish congregations and works with John Murphy and Kenneth Cargill in Belfast, and with Dan O'Carroll in Dublin. Jim and Sue Bennett traveled by ferry, while Mr. Storrier and Colin McIntyre were there from Glasgow. Mr. and Mrs. Frans Peeters traveled from the Netherlands. I received several comments of appreciation for the chance to get together.
I talked at length today [May 15] to Mr. Peter van der Byl in South Africa, and he reports good growth and potential baptisms there. God has blessed the Work a great deal in the past six months in that region.
We mailed the [semi-annual] letter from the U.K. this time so we can receive the responses here. Prior to this, the letters went out from Charlotte and respondents had to return their cards to the U.S. This reduced the number of responses greatly. We have also included with the letter an invitation from Mr. Meredith to Tomorrow's World lectures in London, Cardiff, Manchester and Glasgow that I will conduct over the summer.
Feast of Tabernacles 2007
Festival Registration—Usa and Canada
The Festival Registration date (for the United States and Canada) will be Sunday, June 3, at 12:00 noon (ET). At that time, brethren will be encouraged to go online to their MyLCG account (www.cogl.org) and register for the Feast. Registration is extremely important for accurately projecting attendance for each site. Please do not make housing arrangements before Sunday, June 3, at 12:00 noon (ET). Hotels and sites will not be ready to take reservations from the Living Church of God until that time.
For information about each site, go online to your MyLCG account (www.cogl.org) and click on the link "Feast Site Information." If you do not have Internet access, contact your Festival Advisor for information about the sites.
This year, we will not print a Festival Planner brochure. Nevertheless, all the information and details about the Feast of Tabernacles sites and the Feast Registration form will be available online on the Member Resources website (www.cogl.org), under the MyLCG section. Anyone without access to the Internet may request a printout of the descriptions of Festival sites and of the Registration Form from his local Festival Advisor. If you have any questions, please call the Festival Office at 704-844-1960, ext. 212, or send e-mail to [email protected].
Complete list of USA and International Feast Sites for 2007
USA
Bushkill, Pennsylvania
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
New Braunfels, Texas
Newport, Oregon
Oxnard, California
Paducah, Kentucky
Winter Park, Colorado
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
CANADA
Orford, Quebec
Red Deer, Alberta
Western Shore, Nova Scotia
INTERNATIONAL*
Barbados
Awarewaunau and Georgetown, Guyana
Arklow, Republic of Ireland
Bay of Islands, New Zealand
The Entrance, Australia
Eygurande, France (l'Abeille)
Glentana, South Africa
Homa Bay, Kenya
Huatusco, Mexico
Kandy, Sri Lanka
Maitencillo, Chile
Melaka, Malaysia
Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Papua New Guinea
Sierra de la Ventana, Argentina
Tobago
Vanuatu
*For information on any international site not listed here, please consult the Church Administration Department ([email protected] or 704-844-1970) or the appropriate International Regional Office.
Short Descriptions of Remaining USA Sites not Previously Announced
Winter Park, CO
"Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord…" (Isaiah 2:3) The spacious vistas and majestic peaks surrounding Snow Mountain Ranch, near Winter Park, Colorado, are sure to provide a picturesque venue for worshipping the Creator at this year's Feast of Tabernacles. This destination, located just an hour and a half from Denver, provides an ideal millennial mountain setting for Feastgoers in 2007. Nestled amongst towering peaks of the Rockies, Snow Mountain Ranch is a popular and affordable family getaway that has been operating for 100 years. The mountain lodge-type property sprawls across 5,100 acres of timber and high country meadows at an elevation of 8,800 feet. Feast meetings and many activities will take place right at Snow Mountain Ranch. The Snow Mountain Ranch has basic yet comfortable cabins at affordable rates. Festival meetings will be held at: YMCA of the Rockies, Snow Mountain Ranch, 970-887-2152.
Oxnard, CA
Oxnard, California, will once again be a Living Church of God Feast site in 2007. Oxnard has seven miles of white, sandy beaches bordering the deep blue Pacific Ocean. The town offers a multitude of recreations, from building sand castles with your children to scuba diving off-shore. The Channel Islands Harbor is the hub for water sports and aquatic adventures such as deep-sea fishing, surfing, sailing, kayaking and whale-watching. The Harbor is also where you can find Fisherman's Wharf, Harbor Landing and Channel Islands National Park. Fisherman's Wharf hosts the Ventura County Maritime Museum, which traces the history of seafaring from 4000 BC to the present with a collection of antique model ships. Enjoy a stroll around Harbor Landing, where you can visit unique shops or feast on fresh-off-the-boat fish at a waterside restaurant. Daily services will be held at: Mandalay Beach Resort/Embassy Suites Hotel, 2101 Mandalay Beach Rd., Oxnard, CA 93035.
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Wisconsin Dells will be a new site for the Living Church of God in 2007—and a nostalgic reminder for many brethren of Feasts-gone-by! Located in south-central Wisconsin, this popular destination is named for its unique sandstone rock formations found along the Wisconsin River. "Wisconsin Dells," a combination of Chippewa and French words, literally means "where the dark waters gather at the flat layers of rock." These signature features, originally formed by glacial melt, are found in only three other locations worldwide. The renowned "Duck"-boat tours—with vehicles that traverse land as well as water—take visitors for a relaxing tour to see the beauty of the Dells by water. Feast meetings will be held at: Broadway Dinner Theater, 564 Wisconsin Dells Parkway S., Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965.
(For more detailed information on all Feast of Tabernacles sites, go online to your MyLCG account on www.cogl.org, and click on "Feast Site Information.")
Mail Processing
Mr. Gaylyn Bonjour, Mail Processing Department Manager, reports that "the U.S. Postal Service has eliminated the 'economy' m-bag status," a method we frequently used to mail many of our bulk shipments of literature to our international regional offices. He added, "If we try to use air m-bag, the cost has increased to more than what it costs to ship courier [i.e. DHL or FedEx]. For example, it used to cost US$29.40 to ship a 28 lb bag (12.72 kilos) to New Zealand; it now costs US$108.00 for the same package."
Comments
Judging vs. Judgment: Jesus said, "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Matthew 7:1-5). He admonished His disciples not to condemn, criticize or sit in judgment of others; but to make sure that our own houses are in order. Yet Jesus also warned that we must be able to spot false teachers who will be recognizable by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20). This requires making judgments (decisions). A person who lacks judgment makes foolish decisions. Making wise decisions and judgments requires spiritual discernment—that comes from receiving and using the Holy Spirit (II Timothy 1:6-7). The Scriptures reveal that God gives His Spirit to those who repent and obey His instructions (Acts 2:38-39; 5:32). If we nourish God's Spirit daily (II Corinthians 4:16) and are willing to be led by that Spirit in our thinking and actions (Romans 8:14), we can develop the discernment needed to make wise judgments and decisions.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas Winnail
News and Prophecy—May 17, 2007
Germany Is Growing Stronger. The German economy is booming and in some regions growing at "China-like" proportions (see Der Spiegel, April 24, 2007). With unemployment falling, German firms are hiring thousands of full-time workers, and Germans are spending more on themselves—the same conditions that led to the recent boom in the U.S. economy. In fact, the German economy is now viewed as equal with the U.S. economy. With a strong economy comes confidence, power, and the resources to get what one wants. Meanwhile, as Germany prepares to host the G-8 summit of world leaders in early June, police and the military have been storming residences and other environs, attempting to "shut down" any potential "anti-globalization" demonstrations. German leaders are very "pro" globalization and protestors are viewed as terrorists (Spiegel Online, May 14, 2007). Germany is increasingly taking a leadership role in Europe and preparing for a more commanding future on the world stage. Prophecies indicate that an Assyrian-led group of ten nations will arise in Europe at the end of the age, and that this will have serious consequences for Israelite nations (Isaiah 10:5-11; Revelation 17).
Toothless American Tiger. The United States Army is worn out. So says Major General Robert H. Scales, former commander of the Army War College. On April 9, 2007, the Washington Times reported Scales' revelation that "during the Cold War, the Army stockpiled thousands of weapons and vehicles in warehouses or aboard huge cargo ships in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans… Except for one brigade set in Korea, it's all gone." After Greensburg, Kansas, was ravaged by a recent tornado, the Kansas governor complained that many of the state's National Guard heavy trucks and humvees, normally used in rescue and cleanup, had been sent to Iraq. A December 2006 Wired magazine report noted that 61 percent of preferred terrorist targets in Iraq and Afghanistan are trucks and other vehicles. In the 1990s, military planners discontinued orders for new Lockheed C-30 transport planes; now the U.S. does not have enough heavy-lift cargo planes to deliver the beef and bullets to properly meet troop needs in the Middle East.&