Greetings from Charlotte,
Mr. Rand Millich, Regional Pastor from the Midwest, reports that the deadly and devastating storms that raked the Midwest in the past few days did not affect any of the brethren as far as we have heard and can tell. What a tragic and painful time it is for those who were in the path of those killer tornadoes. Even though they may not be our brethren, our sincere concern and love go out for them.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
Feast of Tabernacles 2003
We know you have all been anxiously awaiting the announcement of this year's Feast site locations. We regret that because of the move to Charlotte, and last-minute negotiations involving several sites, this information has been so long in coming.
In 2003, the Living Church of God will have nine Feast sites in the United States and three in Canada. Brethren may also apply to transfer to a variety of sites overseas.
Detailed information will be published in the upcoming Feast Planner, which we expect will be mailed by the first week in June. Until then, the following basic information may help you begin thinking about your options.
Please note that the hall in Hawaii can only accommodate 550 Feast goers. If the "Festival headcount" in local congregations (scheduled for the Sabbaths of June 14 & 21) indicates that Hawaii will be oversubscribed, attendees will be approved from among those who have submitted the Hawaii Feast Site
Transfer Application included with the Feast Planner. Attendance in Hawaii will NOT be "first-come, first-served," so please do not feel rushed to submit the form; it will be sufficient to submit it after you have received the Feast Planner.
Anyone who is turned down this year will be guaranteed a priority place at the Hawaii site in 2004. Please do NOT make any hotel or airline reservations for Hawaii until the Festival Office gives the "OK" in a few weeks. Please be aware that there will be no Festival Assistance for the Hawaii site. Thank you for your patience.
The US sites for 2003 are:
Prescott, AZ
Kauai, HI
Myrtle Beach, SC
Eureka Springs, AR
Florence, OR
New Braunfels, TX
Panama City, FL
Harrisburg, PA
Teton Village, WY
The Canadian sites are:
Cranbrook, BC
Cornwall,ON
Summerside, PEI
The European sites are:
Evian, France
North Wales, United Kingdom
The Australasian sites are:
Albany, Australia
Bateman's Bay, Austrailia
Taupo, New Zealand
Port Vila, Vanuatu
We will only be encouraging transfers to one Spanish-speaking site:
Oaxtepec, Mexico
We will only be encouraging transfers to one site in Africa:
Port Albert, South Africa
There will be several sites in the Caribbean, but we only have final information about two of them at the moment:
Runaway Bay, Jamaica
Mayaro, Trinidad & Tobago
(There will be sites in Barbados and Guyana; exact locations have not yet been finalized.)
More detailed information (meeting halls, conference hotels, etc.) pertaining to these sites will be included in the upcoming Feast Planner.
SERMONS ON DVD
The Television Department is now able to provide the monthly sermons sent to the congregations in DVD format. Our duplication capacity is limited at this time and only five sets are initially available. If your congregation or video group has the equipment to use DVDs, e-mail your request to Mr. Don Davis at [email protected] and we will start sending the headquarters sermons in DVD format to the first five video recipients who respond. If the demand is strong enough, we will increase our production capacity.
INSURANCE
Due to cost-related factors, volunteers are no longer covered under the Church's Worker's Compensation insurance policy.
The Church continues to maintain a Special Risk/Accident insurance policy through The Hartford. Please note that this policy is for accidents only. This policy does not cover sickness, nor is it intended to replace any other major medical or catastrophic insurance which an individual or family already has. As an "excess" policy', it is designed to provide financial aid (subject to its own policy limits) in the event that an accident occurs at any Church activity
YOUTH CAMPS
Attention all young people! This year we have preteen camps located in California, Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ontario, Canada. We also have our LYC teen camp in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Deadlines have passed for some of the camps, but we still have openings for campers and
some for staff at most camps, including some at LYC Michigan. If you are interested in having the summer of your life, check out the camps in the January/February 2003 Living Church News, or at our teen website where you can download an application: www.youth-web.org.
YOUNG SINGLES
Living 4 Tomorrow - A Time 4 Young Singles - Michigan 2003
Living Church of God young adults are invited to attend our first ever "Living 4 Tomorrow - A Time 4 Young Singles." There will be classes and discussion groups on Christian Leadership, Family Matters, Creating a Culture of Purity, and Doctrines of the Church. Recreational activities will include team sports, dance classes and a dance, barbecues and plenty of "Fellowship Time." The fee of US $100 covers the cost of all lodging, food, and activities. Space is limited to 48 selected participants who
will live in one of three modern lodges.
The location for "Living 4 Tomorrow" is Trout Lake in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Arrival day is Tuesday, July 15 with a get acquainted barbecue scheduled for that evening. Departure date is Sunday morning, July 20. If you are interested in applying, you can find an application on line at: www.youth-web.org or by contacting Gerald Weston at: [email protected], or phone at 905 814-1103. Apply soon, as openings are expected to fill up quickly and airline tickets are at bargain basement prices.
INTERNATIONAL
Mario Hernandez writes:
I wanted to present a brief overview of the state of the Spanish Work.
I will start by presenting some of the highlights of my recent trip to South America.
All of the brethren in Colombia were able to come to Medellín in order to celebrate together the Passover, the Night To Be Much Observed and the First Day of Unleavened Bread.
The brethren in Medellín, where most of the members live, opened their homes to the brethren coming from the cities of Bogotá, Cali and Manizales. This going up to the mountainous area of Medellín to keep the Feast reminded us of the disciples going up to the mountains of Judea three times a year to celebrate the Feasts of the Lord. This peaceful and joyful gathering at this time of the year, in a country overwhelmed by violence, and the loving hospitality of the brethren, in an atmosphere of festive celebration, produced a refreshing and powerful spiritual impact on everybody.
The celebration of the Passover as Christ's sacrifice for our spiritual and physical healing was also enhanced in Colombia by a miraculous intervention of God. One of the brethren, from the city of Cali, had been diagnosed with fourth degree prostate cancer, shortly before the Passover. The only option doctors gave him was surgery with no other hope than trying to alleviate what they said would be unbearable pain. His answer to his doctor was; there is another option: GOD'S! The Doctor was speechless. I talked with him on the phone before my trip. He requested an anointed cloth. He was sent one from Headquarters. The brethren in Colombia fasted and prayed for him. When I talked to him in Medellín, he said he started to feel God's intervention since he applied the anointed cloth that was sent to him to his body. He was anointed again just before the Passover service. When I talked to him again after my return to San Diego, he said "I have an excellent appetite, I have recovered my weight, I have absolutely no pain, and I feel so much energy that I have resumed running in the mornings!"
After keeping the First Day of Unleavened Bread in Colombia, I traveled to Argentina in order to spend the Sabbath and two more days of that week with the brethren that were gathered in Bahía Blanca. They came from Buenos Aires, and from the cities of Centenario and Neuquén, situated not too far away from Patagonia. We were 28 people, a one hundred percent increase since my first visit to Argentina three years ago.
After Sabbath we all enjoyed an incredibly delightful Argentinean Gaucho barbecue prepared by an expert, a friend of the family. We were literally enjoying sweet smelling peace offerings in an atmosphere charged with brotherly love and joyful celebration.
I arrived in Santiago de Chile on the eve of the last day of Unleavened Bread. I was overjoyed to meet the new people attending our group in Santiago because of the broadcast, "El Mundo de Mañana". We all ate together that evening. We were about 26 people, a huge increase from the four or five people who started the group four years ago. The wonderful hospitality of the families that work together to serve helps to recreate an apostolic Church atmosphere.
On Thursday evening we held a public lecture. The attendance was 52, including about 15 of our people. Since they didn't have many questions, I spoke again on current events and prophecy as a warning from God to bring us to repentance. Three of those that came to the lecture came to services on the next Sabbath.
We had regular services on the Sabbath of April 26, and that same evening after sunset I took the plane to return to the United States. It took fifteen hours to fly from Santiago to San Diego. I came back home tired, but happy and very thankful for the Work God is doing.
On the following Friday, I flew to Mexico City. I had not visited there for more than a month. They had a superb Passover celebration and First Day of Unleavened Bread, with an attendance of 62. I am deeply thankful to God and to Mr. Raul Colón who came all the way from Puerto Rico to instruct and inspire the brethren in Mexico during those days with his excellent messages and warm fellowship.
COMMENTS
The Council of Elders conference at Headquarters is set to begin this coming Monday, May 12, and continue through the 15th. Dr. Meredith will chair the meetings. Your prayers for God's blessings and guidance on the conference would be greatly appreciated.
Have an inspiring Sabbath!
Charles E. Bryce