Greetings from Charlotte,
Twice a year we do a special mailing to a select group of subscribers here in the United States. We refer to these as “Mid-Lit” offers since they come midway between the Semi-Annual mailings. Sometimes we do this to lower over-stocked items, selecting individuals who have responded to similar topics in the past. Our most recent offer to more than 71,000 subscribers was the DVD “The Antichrist and Spirit Wars.” To date, we have received more than 14,250 responses, a very good 20 percent response rate, and that will continue to climb over the next couple weeks.
This past week, our on-site Living Education students took a field trip to the Biltmore House (America’s largest private residence) in Asheville, North Carolina. They also had a Forum given by Southeast Regional Director Dan Hall and an Assembly by Dr. Douglas Winnail. We currently have 609 people enrolled in the online Feast of Trumpets special focus lessons.
Mr. Wallace Smith’s program “The Origin of Satan the Devil” garnered over 4,000 responses. Hard copies of our French language magazine are now going to more than 7,500 subscribers. This week we also published our first French “whiteboard video,” Revelation’s “End of the World” Timeline—and it has already received almost 3,000 views. Spanish language magazines are going to more than 17,000 and we have over 169,000 Spanish language YouTube subscribers. Have a profitable Feast of Trumpets!—Gerald Weston
Living Education
This week, more than 600 people participated in the Trumpets Focus Unit. It’s not too late to take advantage of it, even if you haven’t enrolled in any other classes. Each unit in our coursework is “stand-alone,” so you can jump in at any time.
We have also begun final selection in our Children’s Lesson Artwork contest. Sixty-five illustrations were entered, and our winners will be notified soon. We’ll be highlighting their work in our upcoming children’s lessons. Many of the entries will make excellent additions to our children’s lessons in the future, so thanks to everyone who contributed!—Jonathan McNair
Feast of Tabernacles
Children and the Feast
Horseplay and Running: Parents, please remember that children are not permitted to run or engage in horseplay before, during, or after services, including at the Feast. A fall can be life-threatening for the elderly. Children should also not be allowed to play on the stage or near speakers, microphones, and other expensive equipment.
You Are Responsible for Your Child: Parents should also be aware the Church does not take responsibility for the care of children at Church meetings or events, including at the Feast. Please ensure that the conduct of your children and young people is adequately supervised throughout their attendance, and that your children are fully under your control.
Sitting with Parents: It is also the policy of the Church to have children and teens sit with their parents during services. An exception may be where an individual child or teen may sit with a friend’s parents and family. Obviously, a teen attending whose parents are not also in attendance would be exempt.
Blessing of the Little Children: Each year, it is the practice of the Living Church of God to have the Blessing of the Little Children at the Feast. This practice follows the example of Jesus Christ (Matthew 19:13; Mark 10:13). If you have small children (babes in arms), listen for announcements from your Festival Coordinator to find out which day the Blessing of the Little Children will take place.
What Is Appropriate Dress at the Feast?
At Worship Services: In most modern cultures, coats, collared shirts, ties, and nice slacks are considered appropriate attire for men on special occasions. 1 Timothy 2:9–10 explains that ladies should dress “in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation.” Just because something is comfortable or acceptable in our modern society does not make it appropriate at Church. As we gather to picture Christ’s glorious reign on earth, our ladies should be careful not to dress in a manner that can become a distraction to others from the real purpose of coming to the Feast.
At the Beach: Appropriate beach attire for women and men is swimwear that is modest and in good taste. Following our Living Youth Programs policy, beachwear at the Feast for ladies should be a modest one-piece or a modest tankini (covering the mid-section), and for the men, no Speedo-type suits.
The above items are condensed excerpts from the “Know Before You Go” FOT Info Digest. For a more detailed explanation on these and other Feast-related issues, download the Digest on the MyLCG website. Log in to MyLCG, and click on the link provided, under “Feast of Tabernacles 2019.”
Comments
Do You Love God’s Law? We live at a time when many professing Christians believe that the laws of God are a burden, that they are out of date, or that they are simply unnecessary. Such ideas overlook the fact that God gave His laws to the Israelites so they could be a light to the world (Deuteronomy 4:1–10). These negative ideas also overlook the fact that David spoke of his love and delight in God’s law (Psalm 119:16, 97, 127), and that David asked God, “open my eyes, that I may see the wondrous things from Your law” (Psalm 119:18). Many New Testament professing Christians also overlook the words of the Apostle Paul, who said that the laws of God are “holy and just and good,” and “I delight in the law of God” (Romans 7:12, 22). What modern critics fail to realize is that they are part of a prophesied end-time apostasy of Israelite peoples who will “rebel” against the laws of God (Hosea 8:1). God warned end-time Israel, “I have written for him the great things of My law, but they were considered a strange thing” (Hosea 8:12). Many professing Christians will be surprised when Jesus returns and places David on a throne to rule the nation of Israel in the Kingdom of God (Hosea 3:5). David (and the resurrected saints) will then teach the laws of God to the entire world (Isaiah 2:2–4). This is the exciting future for those who love the laws of God.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—September 26, 2019
War with Iran? On September 14, drones and missiles, allegedly from Yemen, struck a Saudi oil refinery, causing damage that could take months to repair (The Guardian, September 16, 2019). However, Saudi Arabia and the United States have accused Iran of backing the attack. Experts warn that if Saudi Arabia responds with an attack on either Yemen or Iran, the situation will continue to escalate. Gulf expert Jean-François Seznec from Georgetown University has observed, “If they [Saudi Arabia] retaliate, the Iranians would have to retaliate even more. And we are just in an inertia of war…. We really are in that situation right now and what’s so scary is that people all agree that this is not good for anybody. But there is nobody who can stop it.”
While no one in the region wants war, and all leaders appear to understand the terrible consequences that could result from an escalation in the region, tensions continue to rise. As a result, “Iran warned Thursday that military action by the United States or Saudi Arabia would result in ‘all-out war’” (Boston Globe, September 19, 2019).
World leaders appear to be desperately seeking solutions to lower tensions. Bible prophecy indicates that a powerful leader, described in Daniel 11 as the “king of the South,” will eventually arise in the Middle East region at the end of the age. Could the current tensions in that region create an environment that unifies Arab nations and enables such a leader to rise? Only time will tell. For greater insight about the future of this volatile area of the globe, be sure to read or listen to our well documented and biblically focused booklet, The Middle East in Prophecy.