Greetings everyone,
The brethren in Kansas City greet you. Last Sabbath it was very warm—100 degrees with considerable humidity—but it did not dampen or diminish the spirit and attitude of the assembly. Many brethren arrived early and remained until the lights were turned out, signaling that we must vacate the hall. It was a joy indeed to meet old friends (like forty years or more!) and to meet new ones. This is what makes my job the greatest on earth!
Youth Activity
This Sabbath Mr. and Mrs. Meredith are at the Living Youth Camp in Michigan. They are scheduled to return to San Diego next week—as is my wife. Dorothy has been tending our grandchildren while their parents are working on staff this session. I think she enjoys such duty!
Media Report
Web Update:
In the last week of July, the official Church Web sites received their first documented contacts from Burkina Faso (in West Africa) and from Vatican City. This brings to 157 the number of countries known to have visited the official Living Church of God Web sites.
For those of you who were encouraged by the June Web activity report in the July-August Living Church News, July brings even better news! In July, more than 46.5 gigabytes were downloaded and more than 35,500 user sessions were recorded at www.lcg.org alone, and more than 122,000 page views were recorded on the Church Web sites (up from 40.6 gigabytes, 30,500 user sessions and 110,000 page views in June). Please continue to keep the Church Web effort in your prayers!
Feast of Tabernacles
Mr. Glen Gilchrist provides the following announcement on the Flagstaff Feast site:
We have received several e-mail questions about the trip to the Grand Canyon, scheduled for Thursday Sept. 26. The trip will be by motor coach. Departure time will be about 1:00 p.m., from Little America.
Please bear in mind that it's about 80 miles from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon. While at the Canyon the motor coach will stop at 4 or 5 viewpoints. At these stops you will be able to get out and see the beauty of the Canyon from different overlooks around the south rim. The time of the trip from departure to return to Little America is 8 hours. The sun should be setting as we depart the Canyon. This trip includes a picnic lunch. The cost is $55 for adults and $30 for children aged 10 and younger. There is no charge for a child under 2 years if held by an adult. You can check out the company that is providing the transportation by going to their Web site at:
www.AmericanDreamTours.com
If you want to take this trip please send the names, the number of adults and children you are paying for and payment to:
Bryan Burkinshaw
10309 Connemara Dr SW
Albuquerque, NM 87121
Pigeon Forge, TN. Feast site Announcement (repeat from last week)
Smoky Mountains Resort: "As of Monday, July 15, 2002 all residents and visitors of the State of Tennessee will experience a new sales tax rate of 9.50%. All hotel and lodging accommodations have a 11.75% sales tax rate. The Sales Tax on banquet food, meeting room rental and show tickets will reflect the 9.50% sales tax increase. All booked/scheduled functions and/or accommodations for Smoky Mountain Resorts have been adjusted to reflect this increase. If you have prepaid for your function and/or accommodations, please be aware that there will be a balance due when you arrive due to the sales tax increase. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office at 1-800-223-6707."
Feast Coordinators: Hymnals for the Feast must be provided from local churches attending. The new hymnal will not be ready for distribution at the Feast this year, as we had hoped.
Conclusion
Mr. Apartian submitted the following story in French—but since he says my French has deteriorated into "Chinois, (that is Chinese) I asked that he translate it into English. I think it is well worth time and space to include it here.
The Story Of Two Jugs
A water porter regularly carried two jugs, suspended on each side of a wooden yoke on his shoulders.
One of the jugs had a hole in it. The other jug held the water perfectly well all along the path till they reached the village. The first jug kept loosing half of its content along the side of the path.
This went on for two years. Each day the porter only delivered one and a half jugs of water to the village. The good jug was proud of itself because it fulfilled its function without a fault. The damaged jug was ashamed of itself. It felt very sad because it only fulfilled half of what was expected of it.
One day, the damaged jug turned to the porter while he was filling it with water and said, "I feel guilty, please excuse me."
"Why should you be ashamed?" replied the water porter.
"Because I'm only carrying half of my load on account of the hole that lets the water drip. Because of my fault, despite all your efforts, only half of the water is getting to the village. You are not harvesting the fruit of your efforts because of me."
The carrier, moved by this confession, answered:
"Don't think of it while we are returning home. Rather, look at the magnificent flowers along the path."
On the way, the old jug saw beautiful flowers with much fragrance. This made its heart rejoice.
Yet, it still felt very guilty because it kept losing half of its water.
The porter then said, "Didn't you notice that the flowers grew only on your side of the path and that there were none on the other side? I knew that you were losing water all the time and I made the most of it. I planted flowers only on your side, and you watered them regularly as we traveled. Without you, no one could enjoy these beautiful and fresh flowers!"
The moral of the story from the unknown author is: We all have strengths as well as weaknesses and faults. We are all like damaged jugs. Some of us are weakened by old age; others shine because of youth and special gifts. Some of us are too small, while others are too big, too fat or too thin. But Christ uses our qualities—even our weaknesses—to the honor and glory of God.
One must always consider others as they are—and see the good in them. There are positive things to be made from the negative. If Christ is in us there is good in us, and we must remember to appreciate every potential Son of God.
Without God-created diversity life would be dull indeed! Satan, in his vanity and conceit, disdains diversity and would have us conform to himself.
Have a great Sabbath, and travel safely.
Carl McNair