Greetings from Charlotte,
Dr. Douglas Winnail is continuing his trip to visit ministers and congregations in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the United Kingdom. He reports that he held a two-day conference in Adelaide, Australia with elders and wives from Australia and New Zealand. Mr. Rajan Moses from Malaysia, Mr. Joseph Gonzales from the Philippines, and Mr. and Mrs. Rodney King from Melbourne, were also in attendance, tapping in electronically. On Wednesday Dr. Winnail flew to Perth for a Tomorrow’s World Presentation entitled “The Gathering Storm: What’s Ahead for Australia and the World?” Twenty-two members and 73 guests were in attendance (an outstanding 8 percent guest response). Mr. Martin Montgomery will do a follow-up Bible Study in a week.
Dr. Winnail is scheduled to arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday and will be giving the sermon in Pretoria this Sabbath and a TWP in Durban on Sunday. He will continue his trip on Wednesday, and give another TWP in Port Elizabeth.
Mr. Stuart Wachowicz is scheduled to hold a TWP in Surrey, British Columbia this Sabbath and I’m scheduled to be in Baton Rouge, Louisiana this Sabbath for services and a TWP, as well as a ministers’ conference on Sunday.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Passover 2019—Repeat Announcement
Important Notice to All Pastors: In 2019, the Passover Service will be observed on Thursday evening, April 18. Please let us know as soon as possible if any of the congregations you serve will need additional Passover Service supplies (bread trays and/or wine trays or glasses) or a copy of the Passover Service recording and letter instructions (available in English, French, and Spanish). To ensure timely delivery and to save on shipping costs, we need this information before March 19 for U.S. congregations. International requests should already have been submitted.
Also, please let us know of any scattered members who are unable to keep the Passover with a congregation and who need to receive the Passover Service recording and letter instructions for observing it at home. International needs should already be here, and U.S. requests should be received before March 19. Please direct your requests to the Church Administration Department at [email protected] as soon as possible.
Living Education
Children’s Bible Lessons
Reading the Bible to our children should be an important part of their education. As we read, we should take the time to talk about the lessons that God’s word provides. But where do we begin? If you are a parent, grandparent, or work with children, the Children’s Bible Program is a good place to start. There are three levels in the program. Level 1 is generally geared toward 6–7-year-olds. Level 2 and Level 3 are prepared for ages 8–9 and 10–11, respectively. All three levels start with the beginning of the Bible and move forward, highlighting lessons and themes with a consideration of the ages of the students. And each student is an important part of the equation. But in order for these lessons to be beneficial, there is an equally important element. That element is you, the parent and teacher. These lessons are specifically designed to be used by parents with their children. They only provide a tool to make your job a little bit easier. Each lesson includes a recommended section of the Scriptures to read, with a short introduction that a parent can read to his or her child and a few questions that you can ask your child to encourage teachable conversation. If you’d like to begin teaching your son or daughter about God and the Bible, or if you are already doing so, these lessons should help. If you are home-schooling and have been looking for a curriculum that can give a framework for your child’s Bible class these lessons can also be of help. For more information and to begin, just go to lcgeducation.org and click on “Children” or “Children’s Bible Lessons.”—Jonathan McNair, Director of Living Education
Feast of Tabernacles
Festival Website 2019
Festival planning continues to move ahead! The Festival Office and the Internet Department are working together with Festival Site Coordinators to build the 2019 Festival website. We are expecting it to go live with write-ups and videos by the middle of March.
Also, this past week we have been polling the ministry for their site preferences for the Feast. After we compile the results, we’ll be making ministerial assignments. One more step in the process of leading up to Festival registration!
Reminder: for all Pastors and Elders who received the Site Preference Survey, please respond by Monday, February 25.
International Congregational Assignments for the Feast of Tabernacles 2019
If you live outside the United States, please consult the following list to find out what Feast site your local congregation is assigned to. When registration opens, you may request to transfer to a site other than your assigned site. Please do not make housing reservations until you have registered and have been approved for your choice of site.
Argentina
Argentina: Buenos Aires, Libertador San Martin, Rio Grande, Rosario
Bolivia: Cochabamba
Australia: Port Macquarie, New South Wales
Australia Capital City: Canberra
Queensland: Brisbane
New South Wales: Sydney
Australia: Warrnambool, Victoria
South Australia: Adelaide, North Adelaide
Tasmania: Devonport
Victoria: Melbourne
Western Australia: Perth
Barbados: Pebble Beach
Christ Church
Cameroon (not open to international transfers)
Cameroon: Douala
Gabon: Libreville
Canada: Penticton, British Columbia
Alberta: Bonnyville, Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Red Deer
British Columbia: Aldergrove, Coombs, Cranbrook, Kelowna, Terrace, Victoria
Canada: Gimli, Manitoba
Manitoba: Brandon, Winnipeg
Ontario: Fort Frances, Thunder Bay
Saskatchewan: Prince Albert, Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton
Canada: Liverpool, Nova Scotia
New Brunswick: Fredericton, Moncton
Newfoundland and Labrador: Gander, Springdale/Grand Falls, St. Johns
Nova Scotia: Halifax, Trenton
Canada: Quebec or Ontario site (to be determined)
New Brunswick: Edmundston
Ontario: Barrie, Guelph, Kingston, London, Mississauga, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor
Quebec: Montreal, Quebec City, Saguenay
Chile: El Quisco
Chile: Santiago, Temuco
Colombia: La Tebaida, Quindío
Colombia: Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Bogota, Cali, Manizales, Medellin, Sevilla
Venezuela: Barquisimeto
Costa Rica: Punta Leona
San José
Côte d’Ivoire: Abidjan (not open to international transfers)
Abidjan
France: Carry-le-Rouet
Belgium: Brussels
France: Angoulême, Lyon, Paris, Strasbourg
Germany: Karlsruhe
Netherlands: Eindhoven, Utrecht
Switzerland: Geneva
Guatemala: Tecpan, Chimaltenango
El Salvador: San Salvador
Guatemala: Coatepeque, Mazatenango
Honduras: Tegucigalpa
Guyana: Georgetown
Georgetown
Guyana: Lethem (not open to international transfers)
Brazil: Moscou
Guyana: Awarewaunau
Haiti: Gros Morne (not open to international transfers)
Gros Morne
Haiti: L’Asile (not open to international transfers)
L’Asile
Haiti: Port-au-Prince (not open to international transfers)
Port-au-Prince
India: Goa (not open to international transfers)
India: Siolim
Sri Lanka: Colombo
India: Imphal (not open to international transfers)
Indonesia: Batu (not open to international transfers)
Malang
Jamaica: Montego Bay
Jamaica: Kingston, Mandeville, Ocho Rios, Montego
Kenya: Kendu Bay (not open to international transfers)
Kenya: Alara, Andigno Opanga, Awendo, Kendu Bay, Kindu Got, Kisii, Kokuro, Kosele, Lila, Luanda Dudi, Migori, Migori-Giribe, Migori-Sagero, Ndhiwa, Nyalenda, Nyangina, Opoya, Othoro, Rusinga
Malaysia: Penang
Malaysia: Bahau, Johor Baru, Kuala Lumpur
Singapore: Singapore
Martinique: Ste. Luce
Guadeloupe: Gosier
Martinique: Fort-de-France
Saint Martin: Mont Vernon
Sint Maarten: Upper Prince’s Quarter
Mexico: San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
La Paz, Monterrey, Mexico City, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi
Myanmar: Kalaymyo (not open to international transfers)
Sakangyi, Kalaymyo
New Zealand: Taupo
Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Invercargill, Palmerton North, Rotorua, Tauranga, Timaru, Wellington, Whangarei
Nigeria (not open to international transfers)
Benin: Cotonou
Nigeria: Lagos
Papua New Guinea: Port Moresby (not open to international transfers)
Peru (not open to international transfers)
Cerro de Pasco-Panao, Lima, Piura, Tingo Maria, Trujillo
Philippines: Baguio City
Baguio City, Bogabongan, Daet, Lilo-An, Quezon City, Orion, Tacloban, San Mateo, Puerto Princesa City
Philippines: Davao area (not open to international transfers)
Cebu, Compostela, Davao City, Koronadal, Monkayo, Macebolig, Polomolok
Philippines: Maranding area (not open to international transfers)
Cagayan de Oro, Claveria, Don Carlos, Iligan City, Kiara, Maranding, Mauswagon, San Fernando, Sindangan
South Africa: Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal
Lesotho: Maseru
South Africa: Bloemfontein, Durban, Johannesburg, Kimberley, Pretoria, Welkom
Swaziland: Piggs Peak
Zimbabwe: Harare
South Africa: Stillbaai, Western Cape
South Africa: Cape Town, George, Port Elizabeth
Tanzania: Nansio, Ukerewe (not open to international transfers)
Burundi: Bujumbura
Kenya: Embu, Kitui, Limuru, Meru, Nairobi, Nakuru, Sultan Hamud, Rongo, Voi
Tanzania: Bunda, Kisorya, Muluseni, Musoma, Nansio
Uganda: Fort Portal, Kampala
Thailand: Mae Sot (not open to international transfers)
Thailand: Mae Sot, Than Song Yang
Togo: Afagnan (not open to international transfers)
Afagnan
Trinidad and Tobago: Lowlands, Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago: Chaguanas, San Fernando
United Kingdom: Harrogate
Channel Islands: Jersey
Republic of Ireland: Dublin
United Kingdom: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Chester, Glasgow, Hook, Kettering, Llandudno, Llanfallteg, London, Manchester, Pontefract, Sevenoaks, Taunton, Wadebridge
Vanuatu (not open to international transfers)
Luganville, Norsup, Port Vila
Living Youth Program
Living Youth Friday Evening Bible Study
The online Friday evening Teen Bible Study on March 1 will introduce the book of Mark and cover Mark chapter 1. It will be given by Mr. Sheldon Monson. Join us at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The chatroom will be open 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the study.
To join, just visit livingyouth.org, and follow the links to “Friday Evening Bible Study.” If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. For those who are unable to make it to the study, archives of previous Living Youth Bible Studies, including last evening’s covering Matthew 27:47–28:20, can be found on the Living Youth website.—Josh Penman
Deadline for Adventure Camp Registration Approaching
Applications for LYP Adventure Camp in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will be closing at the end of this month! Adventure camp always fills up quickly, so if you wish to attend this year, please get your applications in before the end of the month. For more details, or to apply, please visit camp.livingyouth.org.
Registration also continues for the other four North American camps (Teen camp in Texas, and Preteen camps in Texas, Missouri, and West Virginia). We encourage you to register as soon as able—especially if you will be a staff member—as that really assists us in the planning process. For registration information, or to apply, see camp.livingyouth.org. If you require any assistance registering for any of our camps, please contact Jenny Penman at the LYP office, by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 980-254-0132.
Morgan Montgomery Memorial Youth Fund Assistance Applications Deadlines—Repeat Announcement
Applications for assistance from the Morgan Montgomery Memorial Youth Fund will be due on the following dates for U.S. camps and LYP Europe:
- Foreign Applicants: April 1, 2019
- Domestic Applicants: May 1, 2019
Those interested in applying for financial assistance to attend camp should contact their local pastor to get a copy of the application. Pastors can request a copy of the application from Jenny Penman ([email protected]) or Maranda Orrell ([email protected]). Applications received after the applicable deadline will not be considered for assistance.
A big “thank you” to all those who have contributed to the fund, making camp possible for deserving applicants!
Comments
The Wisdom of the Statutes: Long ago at Mt. Sinai, God outlined not only the Ten Commandments, but the statutes as well. While the Commandments provide the broad strokes, the statutes fill in the finer details. When Jesus came, He didn’t do away with the commandments or the statutes (Matthew 5:17–18), but rather upheld them, explaining their intent and how to apply them under the New Covenant. What are some of the statutes that are still instructive today?
Exodus 22:28 says, “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.” That sounds foreign in our world of anything-goes politics, but it’s still good advice for having a positive relationship with our bosses and teachers. In Exodus 23:2, God commanded, “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil….” That’s timeless wisdom, and it’s worth noting by all of us, no matter how young or old. What about Deuteronomy 22:8? It states, “When you build a new house, then you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring guilt of bloodshed on your household if anyone falls from it.” Building codes in the ancient world? Absolutely! Think the statutes aren’t relevant today? Think again. Notice Deuteronomy 22:5, “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment.” Our societies are getting more confused by the day, even on things as basic as gender and dressing as our gender dictates.
It’s more important than ever to immerse our minds in the thoughts and perspectives of the living God. The Commandments—with the statutes—provide that detail. It’s worth our time to study the statutes.
Have a fulfilling Sabbath,
Rod McNair
News and Prophecy—February 21, 2019
War in the Caribbean? December saw a unique turn of events in Guyana’s government. A quick party switch by one MP in a no-confidence vote brought down the entire government (Judicial Watch, February 6, 2019). Allegations of corruption and bribery are flying, and the MP responsible fled to Canada after attempting to purchase $1,000,000 worth of gold. Guyana is a small, poor South American nation with a history of governmental problems, yet with vast, untapped resources. Guyana has incredible potential as a nation. Why the current turmoil?
ExxonMobil recently discovered oil off the coast of this country. Guyana borders Venezuela to the west and the islands of the nation of Trinidad and Tobago lie to the north. This region is well known for its vast oil riches, and Guyana now appears to have an oil-lined future. In response to Guyana’s new-found future wealth, “A day after the no-confidence vote, the Venezuelan Navy intercepted an ExxonMobil research ship in Guyanese waters… Venezuela and Guyana have been disputing territory for decades, but this is different. Venezuela is falling apart, Guyana is oil rich, and the Maduro regime in Caracas may be looking to divert attention from its domestic troubles” (ibid.). One geopolitical risk analysis recently asked the question, “Is Venezuela willing to start a Caribbean war?” It is worth noting, as well, that Russia and China both have stakes in Venezuela, and China also has ties with Guyana.
War in the Caribbean is not likely on the horizon, but the news of such a conflict should call to mind Jesus Christ’s teaching in Mark 13, “But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet” (v. 7). Christ assured us that our world would continue to experience such conflicts, but we must always remember that a far greater conflict is yet on the horizon, and approaching nearer! For insight into the specific signs that will precede the end of the age, be sure to read or listen to our fascinating booklet Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ’s Return.
500,000 Cattle Die in Queensland: Following nearly a decade of drought, Queensland received much needed rain last month—rain that has brought with it more disaster (CNN, February 13, 2019)! The devastating rains on the parched land brought tremendous flooding that subsequently drowned and starved almost a half-million head of cattle. Photos from the air show dead cows huddled together to avoid rising waters and the driving rain and cold.
Economists estimate the cattle loss translates into about AU$300 million (US$213 million) of lost revenue. The droughts had already left many ranchers financially strapped before this. Now many stations (ranches) could fail. Some fear an “economic collapse” of the cattle industry in Queensland. In addition, if the dead cattle are not burned or buried soon, disease could also be added to the mix of catastrophes.
Bible prophecy warns of “curses” that will come on Israelite-descended nations such as Australia at the end of the age. These curses result from national disobedience and the rejection of God and His laws (Deuteronomy 28:15). Sadly, one of these curses for disobedience focuses on the cattle of the land: “Cursed shall be the… increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks” (v. 18). As we view the coming plagues—especially on the Israelite-descended nations—we should be reminded that they are prophesied by God to happen. However, returning to God and His ways could rescind these curses and bring blessings instead. For more information on biblical blessings and cursings as they relate to Israelite nations, read or listen to The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy.—Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, and Wyatt Ciesielka