Greetings from Charlotte,
We had Tomorrow's World Presentations in Bluefield, West Virginia, and Manchester, England, and two follow-up presentations this past week, with a total of 35 guests. We have five presentations/follow-up presentations scheduled for this weekend. Please pray that God will send laborers to help with the Work He has called us to do. After much discussion and consultation with all involved, we want to announce the following ministerial transfers for the United Kingdom:
- Mr. Peter Nathan will assume the responsibility of Regional Director of the U.K., Europe, and Africa next month.
- Mr. Hugh Stewart will become pastor under supervision from Mr. Nathan for Shepherds Bush and Sevenoaks.
- Mr. Simon Roberts will continue pastoring Hook and will become the pastor for the Midlands. He will also help Mr. John Meakin with South Wales. Mr. Nathan will assist Mr. Roberts as needed.
- Mr. John Meakin will remain where he currently lives and continue pastoring the congregations he has, with help from Simon Roberts.
- As announced earlier, Mr. Adam West will relocate to become Northeast Regional Pastor in the U.S.
The Canadian office also announces that Mr. and Mrs. Kinnear Penman, who have been serving in the Vancouver area over the past year, will be transferred to serve the churches in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. This large area has been served for many years by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Best. Growth in media responses and overall attendance requires the addition of another minister. The Penmans have many years of experience and will be of great value there. The Bests and the Penmans are looking forward to working together to serve God's people in the Atlantic region. The move will take place in the early summer.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Second Passover This Weekend
The Second Passover this year is this Sunday, April 29, which means that it will be observed on Saturday evening, April 28. This Passover is for those baptized members who were unable to take the first Passover due to unavoidable circumstances, as instructed in Numbers 9:1-14.
Introducing Tomorrow's World Answers—Repeat Announcement
We are pleased to introduce a new project called Tomorrow's World Answers: simple, yet frequently asked Bible questions are answered in three-minute videos. These videos are being added at the end of the Canadian-produced version of the Tomorrow's World telecast. New programs produced here in Canada are shorter by three minutes to accommodate the new segment. The videos are also available on the Tomorrow's World YouTube channel, or simply type "twanswers" into a search engine. Current videos answer the questions: "Is the Kingdom of God Within You?," "Does the Bible Forbid Alcohol?" and "Did Paul Do Away With the Law?" Your prayers for the success of this project are greatly appreciated.—Michael Heykoop
Canadian Family Civic Weekend August 3–6—Repeat Announcement
Come join brethren from across Canada and the U.S. for this year's Canadian Family Civic Weekend, August 3–6. We plan to take a trip back in time to see knights on horseback, break bread together at brunch and the picnic, and, throughout the whole weekend, learn God's way through Bible Studies and a seminar.
Please visit lcgontario.org/cfcw (not an official LCG website) for more information, including cost and accommodations, and to register.—Timothy Dranov
Living Education
This week, we launched the Living Education Facebook page! You can find it at this address: https://www.facebook.com/LCGEducationProgram/. If you'd like to catch the latest news as it happens, then add our page to your favorites. For example, this week, subscribers to the page learned about the introduction of our new logo. If you're interested in finding out what it looks like, just check out the page! We also were able to announce there Mr. Weston's decision to update the name of the Living University Library. We need to register the Church library with local authorities, and it is currently registered under the Living University name. As we begin our new program, the library will be officially titled the "Roderick C. Meredith Memorial Library." This will rightly honor Dr. Meredith, and would be very appropriate, as a portrait of him is installed in the library. It would also serve to emphasize the purpose of the library as a resource for the Living Church of God as a whole. For more information on Living Education, our new logo, the library, and more, our web page is www.lcgeducation.org. By the way, last week we focused on young men and our on-site Living Education program in Charlotte. We haven't forgotten about the young women! Tune in next week!—Jonathan McNair
Feast of Tabernacles
A Thousand More Registered
This is a note of appreciation to all who responded to last week's call to register. More than 1,000 people registered since last week at this time, bringing our total to 5,292 brethren and guests successfully registered for the Living Church of God Feast of Tabernacles. Thank you!
If you have been waiting for a transfer request response, thank you for your patience. We continue to process them as quickly as we can. Contact us if you have any questions or inquiries ([email protected]). Again, even if you are going to your assigned site, show brotherly love—register!—Festival Office
Living Youth Program
Train Right Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training
Beginning this year, all camp staff 18 years of age or older, serving at our U.S. camps, will be required to participate in an online training program for awareness and prevention of child abuse. The program is approximately one hour in length. Once you have been accepted as a staff member at one of the camps, you will receive an e-mail from [email protected] titled "Invite – Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training Program" with a link to register for and complete the training online. Note: The Train Right certificate is valid for two years, so if you completed the training last year, you will not receive an e-mail with a link to the training.
If you have any questions, please contact Jenny Penman ([email protected]) or Maranda Orrell ([email protected]).
Food Handler Training Program
If you have received certification through an ANSI-accredited food safety program for the State of Texas and will be attending Texas Teen Camp or Texas Pre-Teen Camp in 2018, please send your certificate to Maranda Orrell ([email protected]), and copy Mr. Sheldon Monson ([email protected]).
Texas Teen Camp Staff Applications Due Sunday and Monday
All LCG employees (whether at Headquarters or in the field) who plan to go to the Teen Camp in Texas need to apply by this Sunday, April 29. All other staff applications must be in by Monday, April 30. Any staff applications after those dates will only be accepted as space allows, and no staff applications will be accepted after May 8.
Staff assignments for the Texas Teen Camp will be posted on May 8.—Sheldon Monson
Comments
The Value of Counsel: One of the common pitfalls of life is trusting in our own judgment when we only see part of the picture. When we make decisions or take actions based on how we feel or how we see a situation, the results can be costly to ourselves and to others. This is why Solomon advised in Proverbs 3:5, "lean not on your own understanding," and in Proverbs 3:7, "Do not be wise in your own eyes," and again in Proverbs 28:26, "He who trusts in his [or her] own heart is a fool." Solomon also warned in Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man [or a woman], but its end is the way of death." To help us avoid making serious mistakes in life, God inspired Solomon to write in Proverbs 11:14, "Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety," and again in Proverbs 15:22, "Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established." We can obtain wise counsel from parents, the ministry, and from older and more experienced friends and associates who can be objective and help us see a bigger picture than we perceive on our own. Seeking wise counsel can be a very profitable way to make better decisions and avoid making serious mistakes.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—April 26, 2018
Out for Blood: The world has been a violent place for thousands of years, but societies around the globe appear to be getting even more violent. Last Sunday in Toronto, Canada, a 25-year-old man drove a rented truck into pedestrians, killing ten and injuring 13 more (The Independent, April 24, 2018). In the USA, hearing or reading news of shootings in schools and at public places feels as though it is becoming routine, with yet another instance just this past week (New York Times, April 23, 2018; Washington Post, April 24, 2018). In Europe, murders with knives, with guns and by fanatics driving large vehicles continue to make news, as well. Last year in Mexico, more than 25,000 people were killed—the highest number of murders in that nation since monitoring began a decade before (AFP, April 22, 2018). What is going on?
There are many theories as to why these mass murders are occurring. They range from a lack of fathers, to violent video games, to easily accessible firearms, and even to sexual deprivation. But are there more fundamental reasons?
The Apostle Paul warned that "in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves… unloving… without self-control, brutal, despisers of good" (2 Timothy 3:1–3). Jesus also prophesied about the end of the age: "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12). The prophet Hosea connects increasing violence with turning away from God (Hosea 4:1–6), and the prophet Jeremiah warned that when nations forget God, they will reap what they sow (Jeremiah 2:17–19). As societies move away from biblical morality, it is not surprising that the value of life diminishes and violence and brutality increase. The Bible is the moral standard that emphasizes the value of human life and the need to protect it. Without the Bible, "[e]very way of a man is right in his own eyes" (Proverbs 21:2). However, the Bible reveals this killing and carnage will stop! To find out how this will occur, read "Seven Reasons Why Christ Must Return!"
The Pope, Tattoos and the Bible: In recent statements, Pope Francis encouraged people not to "be scared" of tattoos. He stated, "With young people one should never be scared. Never. Because always, even behind the things that are not so good, there is something that will bring us to some truth" (The Independent, March 21, 2018). He encouraged his listeners to use commonalities of society, like tattoos, to connect with young people and to use tattoos to bring young people to the "truth." The pope's comments echo those of other Catholic leaders. Robert Lukosh of the Archdiocese of Portland wrote in Envoy Magazine, "Body art as a form of adornment, that is ordered to the ultimate good of the person and to humanity, if it observes modesty and avoids vanity, and if it respects the fundamental integrity of the human person—including the integrity of the body—can be morally permissible" (Catholic News Agency).
But are tattoos morally permissible for Christians because religious leaders say they could be used to connect with young people and bring them to the truth? Or does the Bible have something else to say on the subject? The Scriptures actually state in Leviticus 19:28, "You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD." Jesus said, when praying to the Father, "Your word is truth" (John 17:17), and the Apostle Paul noted that "All scripture… is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible also states that God does not change His mind to fit the times (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). While religious leaders can use human reason to justify contemporary practices, such reasoning is contrary to what the Bible reveals. To better understand why God inspired this clear instruction about putting marks on our bodies, be sure to read "Think Before You Ink!"—Scott Winnail, Francine Prater and Chris Sookdeo