Greetings from Charlotte,
This week we held online Council of Elders meetings. Several Council members had recently contracted the COVID virus, but all the men (and their wives) had either recovered or were well on their way to full recovery, and the men were able to participate in the two days of meetings. Mr. Rob Tyler attended all the meetings even though it was late night/early morning in Australia. Mr. Ames missed the last meeting due to some surgery needed on his left hand.
One interesting dichotomy that came up during our meetings was how to meet the needs of both an aging population and a burgeoning young population in the Church. Some congregations are experiencing a baby boom as the result of a good number of marriages over the last several years. The Church and ministry need to meet the challenges of serving both young and old.
Mr. Peter Nathan was in town this week and did some recording for this year’s Feast of Tabernacles Behind the Work video. A list of Tomorrow’s World presentations can be found on TomorrowsWorld.org. Your prayers for their success will be appreciated.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Complete Listing of Council of Elders Members
The Council of Elders meetings concluded this week, as Mr. Weston noted in his introductory comments. Our apologies that last week’s listing of the Council of Elders did not include Council members Mr. Dan Hall and Mr. Adam West. Also, two new members, Mr. Stephen Elliott and Mr. Paul Shumway, will fill two rotating seats on the Council. We are running the full list of Council members for your information. Thank you for your prayers for these men and all those who serve in God’s ministry:
Mr. Gerald Weston
Mr. Richard Ames
Mr. Mario Hernandez
Mr. Stuart Wachowicz
Dr. Douglas Winnail
Mr. Steve Elliott
Dr. Jeffrey Fall
Mr. Lambert Greer
Mr. Daniel Hall
Mr. Jonathan McNair
Mr. Rod McNair
Mr. Rand Millich
Mr. Peter Nathan
Mr. Paul Shumway
Mr. Wallace Smith
Mr. Rick Stafford
Mr. John Strain
Mr. Rob Tyler
Mr. Dexter Wakefield
Mr. Adam West
Second Passover—Repeat Announcement
The Second Passover this year is on Sunday, May 15, which means that it will be observed on Saturday evening, May 14, shortly after sunset. 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. If you have any questions, please contact your pastor.
Living Education
Men’s Training Camp 2022 – Blowing Rock, North Carolina
The Blowing Rock Conference Center will again host our Men’s Training Camp in 2022. The dates for the program are June 24–26. We’ll be focusing on a brand-new theme that will serve to strengthen our men, in a culture that is undermining any sense of what it means to be a man. Login to MyLCG for more details and a link to register.
Feast of Tabernacles
Status Updates Needed for Festival Registration
Attention Pastors: One of the most common technical difficulties people have in registering for the Feast occurs when their membership status has not been updated in the Church’s files. For example, if someone is listed as a “Coworker” or “Subscriber” in the Headquarters database, the person will not be able to register. His or her status will need to be changed to “Prospective Member” or, if baptized, to “Member.” Please look over your area’s member lists and let us know if anyone’s status needs to be updated. This could especially apply to brethren who have just recently started attending with us. We need the pastor’s notification to change anyone’s status, so please send any status updates to [email protected].
Congregational Assignments for the Feast of Tabernacles, USA
To find out what Feast site your local congregation is assigned to, please consult the following list. You may request to transfer to a site other than your assigned site. Please do not make housing or travel reservations until you have registered and have been approved for your choice of site.
Boerne, Texas
Texas: Abilene, Amarillo, Big Sandy, Dallas, Lufkin, Midland, Temple
Louisiana: Lafayette, Monroe, Shreveport
Branson, Missouri
Arkansas: Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Little Rock, Russellville
Kansas: Chanute
Missouri: Joplin, Springfield
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa
Tennessee: Memphis
Florence, Oregon
Alaska: Anchorage
California: Bay Area, Fresno, Sacramento
Idaho: Boise
Nevada: Reno
Oregon: Myrtle Creek, Portland
Washington: Richland, Seattle/Tacoma, Spokane, Tonasket
Fontana, Wisconsin
Illinois: Chicago, Peoria
Indiana: Indianapolis, La Porte, Terre Haute
Minnesota: Minneapolis
North Dakota: Bismarck
Wisconsin: Appleton, Merrill, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dells
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Georgia: Augusta, Savannah, Warner Robins
South Carolina: Anderson, Columbia, Gaffney, Walterboro
La Grange, Georgia
Alabama: Athens, Atlanta, Birmingham, Dothan, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa
Florida: Pensacola
Georgia: Atlanta, Braselton, Columbus
Louisiana: Baton Rouge, New Orleans
Mississippi: Jackson, Laurel, Ocean Springs
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
Illinois: Springfield
Iowa: Des Moines
Kansas: Wichita
Missouri: Columbia, Kansas City, Rolla, St. Joseph, St. Louis
Nebraska: Lincoln, Omaha
Midway, Utah
Arizona: Phoenix, Prescott Valley, Tucson
Colorado: Denver, Grand Junction
Montana: Great Falls, Helena
New Mexico: Albuquerque, Santa Fe
Utah: Layton
Wyoming: Cheyenne, Rawlins
New Bern, North Carolina
North Carolina: Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, Jacksonville, Kannapolis, Raleigh, Statesville
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Georgia: Blairsville
North Carolina: Asheville, Sylva
Tennessee: Chattanooga, Clarksville, Crossville, Etowah, Knoxville, Nashville
Virginia: Bristol
Poconos, Pennsylvania
Connecticut: Hartford
Maine: Waterville
Massachusetts: Auburn
New Hampshire: Tilton
New Jersey: Hammonton, Rahway
New York: Albany, New York City, Plainview, Rochester
Pennsylvania: Tannersville
Rhode Island: Pawtucket
Puerto Rico
San Juan: San Juan
St. Augustine, Florida
Florida: Deltona, Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Lake City, Melbourne, Naples, Ocala, Tampa
Georgia: Thomasville
San Diego, California
California: Arroyo Grande, Banning, Garden Grove, Los Angeles, San Diego
Nevada: Las Vegas
Sandusky, Ohio
Indiana: Fort Wayne
Kentucky: Berea, Louisville
Michigan: Flint, Kalamazoo, Traverse City
Ohio: Akron, Cincinnati, Columbus, Lima
Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh
West Virginia: Morgantown
South Padre Island, Texas
Texas: Baytown, Corpus Christi, Houston, San Antonio, The Valley
Williamsburg, Virginia
Maryland: Baltimore, Salisbury
Pennsylvania: Harrisburg
Virginia: Norfolk, Richmond, Winchester
West Virginia: Bluefield, Charleston
Chilean Feast Site Open for Spanish-Speaking Transfers
We invite all the Spanish-speaking brethren who are thinking of transferring to another country to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles this year to consider traveling to the beautiful country of Chile. The Feast will be celebrated at La Campana, located in the city of Olmué, which is an hour and a half away from Santiago’s international airport. The site is close to Viña del Mar, where the famous music festival is held. It is also close to parks and other beautiful natural and touristic attractions. Temperatures during that time of year range between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius. The complex will be exclusive for those attending the Feast; it is a very suitable location to rest and share with the family. You can enjoy the delicious Chilean cuisine, and most important, the warm attention and company of the Chilean brethren. Hotel rooms and cabins will both be available. Everything in one place, all-inclusive, at a great price.
This will be a great opportunity to make new friends in the faith, or to visit dear friends you have not seen in a long time. The brethren of the Church in Chile will be excited to meet you.
There will be no simultaneous translation into English. This site is only for Spanish-speaking brethren.
Important note: Chile does not require vaccinations, a COVID-19 vaccination certificate, or a negative PCR test result. Travelers must fill out a declaration that they do not have COVID-19 upon entrance to the country.
For more information, please contact Mr. Humberto Barraza by WhatsApp: +569 3428 4178 or by e-mail: [email protected].
Comments
A Transcendent Purpose: God revealed a vital Truth through the Apostle Paul when he wrote, “In the last days… men will be lovers of themselves….lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1–5). Today, many people have full schedules and empty lives. Focusing on my body, my life, my job, and what makes me happy, eventually fails to be fulfilling. The real key to a meaningful life is to focus on a goal that is bigger than ourselves—which is the message of the Gospel. Jesus taught we should “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus told His disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15). He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). If we focus on these big goals and prepare to serve others—now and in the coming Kingdom of God—we will focus on a transcendent purpose that will be eternally fulfilling.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—May 5, 2022
The Most Immoral Generation? According to religious historian Dr. Carl R. Trueman, “Our age will go down in history as one marked by the most barbaric moral delinquency of adults, whose role should be to protect vulnerable children, not inculcate and then indulge their destructive delusions” (The Catholic World Report, April 20, 2022). During an interview, Dr. Trueman commented that today’s individuals are focused on “the self” in a world where they are not subject to any moral code. People today are so self-focused that they feel they can do with their bodies whatever they please, whenever they please—a phenomenon that helped create the transgender movement. He also observed that today’s individuals define themselves in terms of sexual activity and make that central to who they are—losing track of who they are in relation to God and His creation. Morality has been eliminated. This also results in the militant sexual confusion we see in society today.
The Bible warns about those “who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). The resulting moral confusion leads to moral decay and to outlandish ideas and lifestyles: “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions” (v. 26). The Apostle John warned near the end of his ministry, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). The Scriptures reveal that the god of this age is none other than Satan the devil (2 Corinthians 4:4)—so no wonder the confusion!
The Bible states that true Christians are to spiritually come out of the world and be separate from it, not partaking in its sins and uncleanness (2 Corinthians 6:17). As our societies slide further into moral confusion where “right” is labeled “wrong” and “wrong” is “right” (Isaiah 5:20), we need all the more to use the Bible as our moral compass. We must also be aware that those who do so will be hated and persecuted by a world that rejects both God and His word (Luke 21:17; Isaiah 59:15). To understand what lies ahead for faithful Christians, be sure to read or listen to Armageddon and Beyond!
Great Food Scarcity Coming: If you are watching world news, you cannot help but see the recent rise in food scarcity around the globe. Escalating food prices are part of this reality. And recently, 29 U.S. states have been culling chickens to prevent the spread of avian flu that is impacting nations around the globe (The Guardian, April 28, 2022). Millions of birds have been slaughtered, with over five million killed at just one egg factory in Iowa! In other news, cooking oil is becoming scarce in Europe. Several UK grocery stores are now rationing cooking oil in response to scarcity created by the conflict in Ukraine (The Guardian, April 26, 2022).
While grocery shelves are thinning and some products are out of stock or limited, the state of world food is still relatively good—at least in Western nations. The sobering truth is that the scarcity we are beginning to feel is going to intensify as we approach the end of the age. Bible prophecy indicates that the availability of oil and wine will be greatly reduced, and a day’s supply of wheat or barley will cost up to an entire day’s wages (Revelation 6:5–6). Ultimately, especially for modern Israelite nations which will be punished by God, food will become unavailable and severe starvation will set in (Deuteronomy 28:52–57). The scarcity we are seeing today is just the tip of the iceberg compared to what is prophesied to come. To learn more about what will precede the return of Jesus Christ, be sure to read or listen to Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ’s Return.—Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, and Chris Sookdeo