Greetings from Charlotte,
The office staff is now fully back in harness and busy with projects. Mr. Meredith is finishing items for the next issue of Tomorrow's World magazine. Mr. Rod King and Mr. Wallace Smith are here this week to record new television programs. We are making plans for a series of Regional Conferences that will be held this summer. Your prayers will be appreciated for the Council of Elders meetings that begin on Monday. Let's earnestly seek God's intervention on behalf of brethren around the world who need His help and healing.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
Living University
Living University is accepting applications for admission for its certificate, diploma, and degree programs. Applications have been received from Germany, United Kingdom, United States, and Zambia. Individuals planning to complete the Certificate of New Testament Studies, the Diploma in Biblical Studies, or a degree at Living University are encouraged to complete an online application at this time. The application is available on the university website at www.livinguniv.com.
Spanish Update
Public Lecture in Buenos Aires, Argentina. On Sunday, April 8, a public lecture was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with much success. This marked one more year of the Spanish radio broadcast, El Mundo de Mañana, in that South American city. More than 50 people heard the message of the Kingdom of God, announced to them by Mr. Mario Hernandez. Two hours were not enough to dampen the enthusiasm and the interest of those present! Before and after the lecture, the attendees were able to survey an exhibition of literature, including booklets, magazines and reprint articles. In addition, the attendees were courteously served by brethren from the Buenos Aires congregation, who offered them snacks and beverages while they provided information and answered questions. At this lecture we noticed a higher degree of receptiveness and enthusiasm; it is possible that some of those who attended will be invited to attend services in the future.—Jorge Gadea and Daniel Campos (from Buenos Aires)
Living Youth Camp
Some are asking if it is too late to apply for the Living Youth Camp this year. The good news is that we are still taking applications for campers and staff. If you are interested in attending summer camp this year, please go to the Church's official youth web site www.youth-web.org Applications may be filled out on line. The sooner you submit your application, the better.
Living 4 Tomorrow—Michigan 2007
Living Church of God young adults are invited to attend the Living 4 Tomorrow program at the beautiful facilities of the Northwoods Christian Camp in Pickford, Michigan. The L4T program is open to singles approximately between the ages of 18 and 30. We will also have a few cabins available for young married couples without children who would wish to attend. The L4T format is one of classes and discussion periods focused for the young Christian adult, mixed with recreational activities and fellowship time. The program fee this year will be US$175. The fee will cover the cost of all lodging, food, and activities. Arrival date is the evening of Tuesday, July 10. Departure date is Sunday morning, July 15. We will provide transportation from the Chippewa County International Airport (CIU). Applications and additional information are available on www.youth-web.org and on the LCG Singles website: www.lcgsingles.org. If you do not have Web access, applications may be requested by calling Lambert Greer at 502-228-5917.
Requests for Hymnals
Attention Pastors: We still have an adequate quantity of our regular and spiral hymnals on hand. However, as congregations grow and new groups are started, we need to keep an accurate count of hymnals distributed, since our stock is limited. Therefore, please direct all your orders for regular and spiral hymnals (songbooks) to the Church Administration Department by e-mail at [email protected], fax 704-844-1975, or phone at 704-844-1970.
FEAST OF TABERNACLES 2007
Festival Registration
Please do not contact the United States or Canadian sites or hotels before the registration date is announced. USA and Canada sites are not yet ready to receive reservations. Thank you for your patience!
RED DEER, ALBERTA
Red Deer is a city of about 90,000 people located in the beautiful, gently rolling parkland prairie region of Alberta, less than a two-hour drive from airports in Edmonton or Calgary. The city and region have numerous amenities that make it an excellent feast site. The Red Deer Lodge, the festival accommodation, is a full convention facility located just to the south but away from the commotion of the center of town. In addition to satisfying needs for a variety of rooms, it has a good quality restaurant and buffet service, with an indoor atrium and pool setting. The area around the Lodge has numerous fine restaurants within walking distance or a short drive offering North American and ethnic cuisines. Red Deer abounds with excellent restaurants and a variety of accommodation to fit every budget. More information on the Red Deer festival site will be forthcoming.
WESTERN SHORE, NOVA SCOTIA
For the Feast of Tabernacles 2007, God has again blessed us with the truly beautiful, serene and millennial setting of "New Scotland" or Western Shore, Nova Scotia. Western Shore is located on the charming and quant "Lighthouse Route," which takes you on a journey through an unforgettable landscape of coastal splendor and historic appeal on Nova Scotia's south shore. Chester and Mahone Bay (Nova Scotia's hidden treasures) are nearby historic seaside villages rich with tradition, scenery and hospitality! These small villages are known for sea kayaking, golf, studio galleries and a relaxed lifestyle. Explore the beauty, experience the warmth and friendliness of Atlantic Canada's citizens and brethren, dine in the numerous restaurants and visit many unique shops and artisans. The Feast will again be hosted by the ever courteous and affordable Oak Island Resort, Spa and Convention Centre, which offers the finest four-star accommodations on Nova Scotia's south shore. More information on Western Shore will be forthcoming--stay tuned!
THREE MORE INTERNATIONAL FEAST SITES FOR 2007
As a reminder, those interested in attending an international Feast site that has been announced in The World Ahead may begin making their arrangements without having to wait for the USA and Canadian registration date. Simply contact the Festival Coordinator.
Homa Bay, Kenya
Living Church of God brethren in Kenya will keep the Feast this year at Hotel Prudence, located in Homa Bay Town, a few minutes walk from the town's center, near the shores of Lake Victoria. Homa Bay is in western Kenya, about 380 km from Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. Ruma National Park for game wild life is about 15 km from Homa Bay Town. Ondogo swamp for Flamingoes, Simbi Nyaima for cultural history, and Lusinga Island for Flamingoes are in Kendu Bay, about 50 km from Homa Bay.
International guests will be housed at Hotel Hippo Buck, which is situated in a private compound. Accommodations and meals are about US$27 per person, per day. There will be rooms for about 20 international transfers. Transfer applications should be from adventurous adults in good health. Vaccinations and malarial medication may be required. International brethren who wish to transfer to our site in Kenya should contact Mr. Rod King by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at +44 1480 88 01 72. Brethren in Kenya should contact Mr. Simon Muthama by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at +25 47 22 33 07 05.
Melaka, Malaysia
The Feast of Tabernacles this year will be held in Legacy Melaka Hotel in Melaka. The Legacy Melaka is a 15-storey, four-star boutique hotel strategically located in the heart of Melaka. Melaka's appeal lies in its rich and colorful past. Its 600 years of history are reflected in its ancient buildings, intriguing streets, delectable cuisine and unique cultural heritage. The Legacy Melaka is just one and one half hours' drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The check-in date is September 26 (opening night services will start at 7:30 p.m.). The check-out date is October 4. Accommodation rates are RM130 net (US$38) per room with breakfast (single/twin) and RM100 net (US$29) per room without breakfast (single/twin). Please note that there will be three combined luncheons on the two Holy Days and the weekly Sabbath at a cost of RM25 (US$7.50) per person. For further information, please contact Mr. Rajan Moses by phone at +603 9200 8176 or by e-mail at [email protected]
Kandy, Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean, located north of the equator and off the southeastern coast of the Indian subcontinent in South Asia. This island encompasses long and wide tropical beaches, wild elephants, over 400 species of birds, green vegetation, breathtaking views, ancient cities, art and architecture and a thousand other exotic things to discover. Sri Lankans are hospitable. Even people who have never heard of Sri Lanka are familiar with Ceylon Tea. Sri Lanka produces some of the finest grades of tea on earth.
Kandy, the once Royal and Hill Capital, is the 2007 Feast site. Kandy encompasses much and was the last capital of the 2,500-year old Sinhalese kingdom. The Feast site hotel is the Topaz Hotel Anniewatte in Kandy, which is 120 km from the nearest international airport (BIA, Colombo). This hilltop hotel is within 20 minutes walking distance (2 km) from the Kandy City Centre. The Topaz hotel in a serene hilltop setting provides stunning views over the local area. This is an excellent value-for-money hotel, providing the ideal Feast atmosphere, tucked away enough to enjoy the beautiful surrounding forest-clad mountains. Facilities include laundry, swimming pool, indoor games, tennis court and a superb restaurant serving exotic Oriental and Western Cuisine with a variety of wines and local drinks. The lobby lounge is the perfect place to relax with refreshments.
The hotel has 75 rooms, all of which are medium in size with basic decor. The hall for services is located in the same building. Rates are full board per person, per day: single US$47, double US$55 and triple US$65, which includes accommodation, all meals, morning and evening tea/coffee and snacks. For further information, please contact the Festival Coordinator, Mr. Frank Reckerman. His phone number is: +94 11 251 7961. You can also write to him at [email protected]. The Festival elder is Zig Svalbe. He can be contacted at [email protected]
COMMENTS
Where is Your Heart? Jesus urged His disciples to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). He said, "My food [my nourishment, what motivates me] is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" (John 4:34). Jesus was a mission-oriented person who challenged His disciples to follow in His footsteps (Matthew 4:18-22). Truly dedicated members of the Living Church of God are committed to that same mission—preaching the Gospel, warning the world, feeding the flock and being real Christian lights and examples (Matthew 24; 5:14; 1 John 2:15-19). They don't have time to get sidetracked on peripheral issues or twiggy ideas about doctrine (II Timothy 2:14-19). They don't let interpersonal differences hinder their spiritual growth (Romans 12:14-18) or their goal of developing the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-11). They focus on what is good and positive—they don't listen to rumors and don't pass on complaints (Philippians 4:8). The Sabbath is a good time to reflect and ponder the question—Is this where your heart is?
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
NEWS AND PROPHECY—April 26, 2007
Pope Invited to UN. Ban Ki-moon, the incoming Secretary General of the United Nations, officially issued an invitation to Benedict XVI during a recent visit in Rome. The Vatican Press Office mentioned "the contribution that the Catholic Church and the Holy See can make… to the action of the United Nations in resolving current conflicts and reaching understanding between nations" (Zenit.org, April 18, 2007). In recent months the Pope has also offered his support to Angela Merkel in her role as President of the EU and the G8 group of leading industrial nations, to address problems of global poverty and international debt reduction (Zenit.org, April 23, 2007). Benedict has also met with Palestinian President Abbas in an effort to revive the Mideast peace process (ynetnews.com, April 24, 2007). The Roman Church certainly fits the end-time prophecies that describe a woman [church] that is intimately involved in the politics of this world—"with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication" (Revelation 17:1-5).
Faith-Based Schools to be a Relic of History in the UK? This week the largest teacher union in the UK discussed actions to "wipe faith-based schools off the face of the education system" in the UK. It plans to propose "that the creation of new faith schools should stop immediately, with the ultimate aim of getting rid of them completely." Strong opposition for faith-based schools is growing in Britain, with foes making bold statements like: "Schools exist to broaden people's minds and religions tend to be the antithesis… Religions are there to close people's minds. Schools exist to educate. Religions exist to indoctrinate." One representative added, "I feel faith schools are discriminatory and are against what the vast majority of people want in this country... I will passionately fight against it and I urge the public to get behind me on this" (National Secular Society [UK], April 18, 2007). Even worldly faith-based schools remain an enclave where morals and a semblance of biblical understanding are taught—yet these values are increasingly despised. Ezekiel was told to "prophesy against the shepherds (leaders) of Israel … who feed themselves" (Ezekiel 34:2). God also prophesied curses on nations who reject and despise His statutes and commandments (Deuteronomy 28:15). This assault on faith-based schools is one more attack on what remains of faith in God and His commandments in this modern world.
Home Schooling Gains Popularity in the U.S. Home schooling has increased in popularity over the last 35 years. Today, 2.5 million American children are taught at home by their parents—up one million since 2000, according to the National Home Education Research Institute. New Jersey parents, Mark and Sue August, have decided to educate their son, Jack, through a Bible-based home school curriculum. "Our Christian faith is pretty strong and we thought this might be the best way to be able to pass on those values to our son," said Sue. Jack enjoys it, too. "I like the flexibility. If an opportunity to play tennis or anything else pops up, I can do it and just make up the schoolwork later. And with the one-on-one instruction, it seems you can move ahead quicker and be at a higher level of learning," he said. Jack's father believes that parents can impart what teachers cannot. "Character is just as important as academics," he said, "and so what we're looking for are character training issues, and we would rather do that ourselves." (UPI, March 26, 2007). In a time of dysfunctional public education, some are trying to hold on to the Godly principle, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). Yet some European nations, led by Germany, have made illegal the parental right to train up their own children—believing the "state" can do a better job.—Don Davis, Scott Winnail