*** EXECUTIVE OFFICE ***
February, 2003 ministerial conference is cancelled.
Mr. Meredith has announced that the February conference is cancelled due to the move to Charlotte, North Carolina.
When the new date is determined we will inform you immediately.
UPDATE ON RELOCATION PROJECT - By R. F. Ames, Treasurer
The Board of Directors for the Bank of Stanly met Tuesday, October 8, and approved the Living Church of God's application for a loan. LCG will assume the existing loan on the Crown Point property. The loan documents will be prepared and sent to us for review next week. We anticipate that the Bank will be ready to fund the loan and close on November 4, per our purchase agreement. We are purchasing the property for $2.275 with a loan balance of $1.7 million. We are pleased with the low interest and terms of the loan.
We plan to move our office to North Carolina over a three-week period in March. We thank God for His continual guidance in relocating His Work.
*** MEDIA ***
The following television taping was done today:
#153 - RCM - "Will You Follow Christ or Paul?" - Offers RAC - airs December 15
#156 - RFA - "When Does the Millennium Begin?" - Offers FS, airs January 5
#157 - RCM - "Do You Believe in Divine Healing?" - Offers Reprint, "Does God Heal Today?" - airs January 12
#159 - RFA - "Can Satan Deceive You?" - Offers Audiotape "Is There A Real Devil?" [TVE058 + TVE106, "Dangers of the Occult] , airs January 26
*** LOCAL CHURCH NEWS —- USA ***
Lafayette & Baton Rouge, Louisiana update:
Mr. Jonathan McNair, Pastor of Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Alexandria, LA, has reiterated that God intervened on behalf of His people in the Lafayette and Baton Rouge areas. Though there was considerable discomfort due to the power outages, fallen trees and branches, there was no serious damage to the brethren's properties.
The local (and some national) weather professionals continue to marvel at the change in the storm as it came to the shore. They are unaware of any such instance in recorded weather history.
Many of you may remember a hurricane that struck Cuba during the Feast of Tabernacles many years ago. I was at Jekyll Island, Georgia, and we were warned that it could hit the coast and devastate the island. We were meeting in a huge tent that year, so there could have been considerable danger to the tent and equipment, even if the storm were reduced to a tropical storm.
Do you recall what happened? The storm circled and hit Cuba again! Someone remarked that Castro must have wondered what the imperialist Americans had done!
We could have told him-many of them were praying for God's intervention, and He chose the method.
*** INTERNATIONAL ***
Reports from international areas indicate a very good increase in attendance this year over last year. The increase in Canada was about 16 %, and all other international areas increased by 13%.
It appears that there was a significant increase in members from the USA attending international sites, reducing the USA attendance somewhat.
I expect that the adjusted international and USA attendance will reflect an 4-5% increase across the board.
Mr. Kinnear Penman reported:
"A highlight of the Feast (in Vanuatu) was the ordination of Mr. Jerry Sam as a deacon. Mr. Sam hosts a congregation on the island of Melakula. This group has, in the past, suffered persecution at the hands of the village council, but is now allowed to fellowship in peace. Some new people are attending with this group."
Dr. Doug Winnail reported:
"This year the Living Church of God sites in Europe were in Hasselfurth, France with an attendance of 193, and Arklow, Ireland with an attendance of 93. Comments from Feast- goers at both sites were very positive. A number of individuals attended their very first Feast. During the last service in Arklow, after the blessing of the children, Colin and Pat McIntyre of Glasgow, Scotland were ordained as a deacon and deaconess."
*** COMMENTS ***
Sometimes I wonder if we have eyes to see. Really see. And if we see, do appreciate how much God has given to us?
In 1865 a young boy who loved the sea built a ship. It was a beautiful ship-a racing yacht, named the Meteor. The boy was named John Herreshoff, and he was fourteen.
"By the time he was twenty he had built another, a schooner yacht, Faustine. This one became the first in her class to cross the Atlantic in seventeen days.
"John Brown Herreshoff built a steam yacht when he was twenty-seven: the Annie Morse. In 1878, at thirty-seven, he formed the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. And with his brother, Nathaniel, he devoted this business to building steam yachts and torpedo boats.
"Then came 1892. In those days the leading international yachting trophy was the America's Cup.
"England challenged us for the prize. Sir Thomas Lipton sent over his Shamrock. The honor as to which American company would construct our entry in this all-important race was sought by every boat builder in the New World.
"Finally, on the basis of past achievement, the order for the vessel which must defend the cup for us. went to the Herreshoff Company. John and Nathaniel designed and built the Vigilant. And she won the race.
"In the decade which followed, John and his brother designed and their company built the Defender, winner in 1895. The Columbia, winner in 1899 and 1901. The Reliance, winner in 1903. And many more.
"John Brown Herreshoff had a hobby. He collected antique furniture. He was an outstanding collector.
"They say he could tell just by the saw cuts and chisel marks the authenticity of a piece, and its period. From all over New England, collectors would bring to his attention some treasured object for appraisal.
"The lad who built his first boat with his bare hands when was fourteen.and went on to carve for America a permanent place in the record books of yacht racing.whose second handmade product set a transatlantic record.the man whose genius and craftsmanship captured the America's Cup for America five times in ten years. John Brown Herreshoff. who inspired the whole shipbuilding industry in the New World to new heights. was totally blind since he was twelve years old!" (Excerpted from Paul Harvey's The Rest of The Story.)
Hope that you have a GREAT Sabbath, and please travel safely and keep well. And let's not feel sorry for ourselves!
Carl E. McNair