Greetings everyone,
At this hectic time of the year, when travel plans are often subject to change, Dr. Doug Winnail, who was in Denver on his way to Charlotte, delayed his return home until tonight. Here is a brief report we received from him a few hours ago:
Dr. Winnail writes:
Over this past weekend, I was able to visit three congregations in the southwest that I previously pastored. The Tuscon congregation has grown to about 30 and the Phoenix congregation to about 70. I spoke in both places on the subject of "European Perspectives and the Plan of God." We had a pleasant potluck lunch in Tucson and several meals together in Phoenix. It was good to be together with everyone again.
On Monday, I flew to Albuquerque to visit Area Pastor Glen Gilchrist and his family. Glen's body is healing and he is rebuilding his health. He looks well and is looking forward to resuming more of his ministerial duties. We also had a Bible Study and a potluck dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Aguirre with about 30 in attendance. Mr. Aguirre was diagnosed with a brain tumor just after the Feast. He is being cared for at home and was alert enough to sit in on the Bible Study. Please pray for Bill that he will be healed of this affliction. On Tuesday several of us hiked into the hills south of Albuquerque to view the so-called "Los Lunas Mystery Stone"—a huge boulder with an inscription of the Ten Commandments carved in characters resembling an ancient Phoenician script. It was an invigorating outing and a chance to renew old friendships.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
Festival Office
The Festival staff is in high gear preparing for the Feast of Tabernacles 2006. Some new sites are being considered to replace some sites from last year. More information will be forthcoming, as plans are finalized. As we are now in the contract writing and negotiating stage, we would greatly appreciate your prayers that God will guide the process to go swiftly and smoothly.—Rod McNair
FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Year-End Financial Planning – Mainly for the United States
As we approach the end of 2005 and prepare for 2006, many people are doing year-end planning to minimize their tax liability. Some may find it advantageous to accelerate their planned giving of tithes, offerings, tithe of the second tithe, etc. so that these donations may be included in 2005. Any contributions postmarked on or before December 31, 2005 will be included in your receipt for donations for the year 2005, even if we don't receive them until after January 1. If you have questions, please contact Mr. Jerry Ruddlesden or Mr. Davy Crockett at 704-844-1970.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Employment Opportunity.
Please announce the following job description and opening in Charlotte: We have an opening for a Data Entry Clerk II in the Information Technology Department. The candidate should be familiar with data entry and general office procedures. Duties include entering a variety of standard and/or complex coded or uncoded business and statistical source data into the computer. The job requires a high school diploma with 2 to 5 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Anyone interested in this position in the Information Technology Department should send a resume to: Living Church of God, Human Resources Department, attention: Suzanne Pyle, PO Box 3810, Charlotte, NC 28227. Fax: 704-844-1973; e-mail: [email protected].
MEDIA
Mr. Richard Ames recorded two new television programs this week: Program #269, "God's Power in History," which offers the booklet How God Intervenes in World Affairs, and Program #270, "Dealing with Stress," which offers the audiotape Overcoming Your Anxieties and Vital Keys to Happiness. Mr. Wayne Pyle reports that last weekend's program, "The Future of Jerusalem," which offered The Middle East in Prophecy booklet, was very successful. We are expecting the final number of responses for the booklet to reach 2,690. This booklet "has been offered on the telecast in six previous airings. The responses ranged from 1,942 to 2,770, averaging 2,373 per program. This week's response is projecting to be the second highest."
COMMENTS
Last night, a few of us from Headquarters attended a masterful performance of George Frederick Handel's Messiah at Charlotte's Belk Theater. The concert hall was nearly filled to capacity. As the orchestra skillfully performed and the choir sung—literally—every word from passages in the Psalms, the prophets (primarily Isaiah), and the New Testament, the audience was most attentive and seemed rather moved. As it is customary, we all stood up when the choir powerfully sang the well-known partition of "Hallelujah," accompanied by the orchestra.
Upon hearing the prophet Isaiah's words sung, I asked myself, how many people in the audience really understood them—words so different from those we have been practically "forced" to hear the last few weeks on the radio and public address systems at stores and malls! Strangely enough, as we walked out of the concert hall, we were once again taken back to the empty Christmas songs through the corridors of the building. How thankful we should be to God for having opened our minds to understand and appreciate His Truth! How humbly thankful that we, the "weak of the world" will one day have the opportunity to teach the people of the world what the Truth really is.
Have a wonderful Sabbath,
Dibar Apartian
NEWS & PROPHECY
"Brussels bites back." Centralization of power in the EU continues as commercial aviation, genetic research, defense, energy, immigration, criminal justice, and counter-terrorism policies and laws are all coming under greater control of the EU in Brussels, while EU nations give up more and more of their independence (The Spectator Magazine, 26 Nov., 2005, p. 14, 16). In Revelation 13:4, God prophesies that ten nations will give their "authority to the Beast" and worship the dragon. Although there are currently more than 10 European nations involved, these nations are continuing to give more and more of their own "authority" and "power" to a centralized European government, making possible the fulfillment of future prophecies about the Beast of Revelation.
"Delegation from World Methodist Council Visits Pope." On 9 November, Pope Benedict XVI received representatives from the World Methodist Council, led by their president, Bishop Sunday Mbang of the Methodist Church of Nigeria. "Benedict XVI expressed his appreciation for 'the initiative which would bring the member churches of the World Methodist Council into association with the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, signed by the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation in 1999." This, he said, will "assist in contributing to the healing and reconciliation we ardently desire, and would be a significant step towards the stated goal of full visible unity in faith" (Vatican Information Service, 9 Nov., 2005). For years the Catholic church has referred to the Protestant churches as "lost daughters" who are supposed to make their way back to the "mother church" – Rev. 17:5 uses similar phraseology referring to the "Mother of Harlots." Isaiah 47:8 refers to this "mother" who shall no longer sit as a widow who will "no longer know the loss of children." When we understand God's prophecies regarding both the disobedient modern descendants of ancient Israel, as well as the prophesied influence of the Catholic Church in the end-times, the recent meeting between the Pope and the leadership of the Methodist church appears very significant.
"Iran uses tunnels to hide atomic work: exiles." "LONDON - An Iranian exile group on Tuesday called on the UN's atomic watchdog to inspect an extensive network of tunnels which it says the Islamic Republic has built to conceal a clandestine nuclear weapons programme. The National Council of Resistance of Iran… (whose previously provided information has been accurate), said their sources in Iran had evidence of underground complexes in 14 locations, near Teheran, Isfahan, Qom and other cities" (Reported by Reuters in Khaleej Times Online [United Arab Emirates], 20 Dec., 2005). The new Iranian president, who recently banned all "western" music, including classical music, said the holocaust is a "myth," and called for Israel to be "wiped off the map," now is known to be defiantly and secretly developing nuclear and other weapons technology. How far will the sphere of influence of this President and his nation extend in the Middle East? Are we watching the beginnings of the cohesion process of the King of the South prophesied in Daniel 11?
"House moves for all-digital television by Feb. 2009." "WASHINGTON (AP) — House lawmakers approved legislation early Monday that would complete the transition to all-digital television broadcasts by Feb. 17, 2009." (USAToday Online, 19 Dec., 2005). As technology advances, the Church and our TV production capabilities must keep pace. These technological advances are exciting, but also come with a cost. Please pray that God will continue to provide the human and monetary resources to continue preaching the Gospel throughout the world.
—Scott Winnail, Daniel Bennett