Greetings from Charlotte,
We have nine Living Education students scheduled to arrive here on Friday, August 12. There will be several get-acquainted activities, beginning with a barbecue with Mr. Jonathan McNair Friday evening. Then, on Sunday, they will travel to the mountains for a few days for a mix of orientation classes, whitewater rafting, and more. There will be additional orientation meetings next week in Charlotte, and then the work begins. Besides their studies, students will work part-time here at Headquarters, providing valuable services during this coming year. Students from last year’s onsite Living Education program also filled important leadership positions at our summer camps. Be sure to read about the Little Rock Ministerial Conference below. I found it personally to be most uplifting to see the harmony and enthusiasm shared by all the men and women in attendance.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Prayer Requests
Mrs. Louisa Torrance, widow of longtime minister Dr. Lynn Torrance, has now entered Hospice Care in her home. She is 89 and has been in reasonably good health. She has been a strong, outgoing, witty, and loving pillar in the Texas congregations where she attended. She will appreciate your prayers.
Your prayers are also requested for Mr. Henry Cooper, who has served in Ireland and Scotland and other parts of Europe and Africa. He is currently undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer.
Recent and Upcoming Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last week, we held four Tomorrow’s World Presentations—three initial presentations, in Little Rock, Arkansas; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Peoria, Illinois; and one follow-up, in Morristown, Tennessee. These presentations had a combined total of 105 guests. This weekend we have three initial presentations, in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada; Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia; and Columbus, Ohio; and three follow-ups, in Little Rock, Arkansas; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Peoria, Illinois. Thank you all for your continued prayers for these presentations.
Seventy-One Gather for South/Midwest Regional Ministerial Conference
Last weekend, 71 ministers and wives from ten states around the South and Midwest United States met for a three-day conference in Little Rock, Arkansas. The meetings, conducted by Mr. Gerald Weston and Dr. Douglas Winnail, began on Sunday, August 7, and were concluded Tuesday morning, August 9. Lectures focused on our mission as a Church, how to approach leadership and building teams, making disciples, sermon preparation and counseling, and growing personally and spiritually. Lectures were also presented by Messrs. Rand Millich and Rod McNair. Many expressed appreciation for the unifying content of the sessions and the chance to build camaraderie with friends old and new during breaks and over meals. This is the third regional ministerial conference for the United States in 2022. The final conference of the year will be conducted in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 28–30.
Living Education
This week begins year five of Living Education–Charlotte. We have nine students who will be new to LivingEd, with an additional three students returning from last year’s program and entering our “Student Leader Program.” The student leaders will serve as Resident Assistants as well as helping to organize activities. They will take a brand-new set of classes, including “Introduction to Prophecy,” “Christian Leadership,” and “Life, Ministry, and Teachings of Jesus Christ.” They’ll also serve in various departments here in our Headquarters facility. We’re looking forward to the leadership that they will bring to our incoming class of students.—Jonathan McNair
Feast of Tabernacles
Feast Activity Registration Opening Soon
Activity registration for the Feast of Tabernacles will open soon. The Festival Office, IT Department, and Festival Site Coordinators are working hard to finalize the last details necessary to begin activity registration. Stay tuned for future updates.
Living Youth Program
Missouri Preteen Camp
This year at the Missouri Preteen Camp, 24 campers and 4 hearty mini-campers braved the confines of Camp Clover Point located in Lake of the Ozarks State Park. After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, enthusiasm for camp was running high! Throughout the week, campers were served by a “Gideon’s army” of staff, composed of just 19 adults and 3 teens. Our theme for camp this year was the parables of Jesus—focusing on one parable each day. Lessons from these parables were interwoven throughout many of the daily activities, which included Christian Living classes, archery, leather working, riflery, first aid, music, flag football, and a camp favorite—gaga ball. Campers and staff had a delightful chance to cool down in a variety of creative water activities, and evenings were spent enjoying Bible Jeopardy, a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) night, the traditional cookout and sing-along, and capped off by our annual talent show and awards night on Thursday. A heartfelt thanks to our God and all those who helped to make this camp a resounding success!—Yancy Taber
Comments
Redeeming the Time: The Apostle Paul strongly urged brethren in Ephesus to live purposefully and make the most of every opportunity to grow and become more like Jesus Christ “because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–18). Ephesus was a bustling port city that was full of temptations and distractions that were affecting individuals trying to live a Christian life. Jesus also warned against being sidetracked from our spiritual goals by getting caught up in the “cares” of this world—political issues, personal concerns, and interpersonal problems (Matthew 13:22). These admonitions are still important today! As our secular and materialistic world hurtles towards the climax of this age, we need to stay focused on our mission of preaching the Gospel and developing the knowledge, wisdom, and godly character needed to reign with Jesus Christ in the coming Kingdom of God. Let’s make the most of our time to prepare for this exciting future.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—August 11, 2022
Global Nuclear Build-Up: Not long ago, there was a push for nuclear disarmament among the nations of the world. However, the atmosphere has changed dramatically. In the years just ahead, the global nuclear arsenal is expected to grow for the first time since the Cold War (The Guardian, June 13, 2022). This build-up includes developed nations like the United Kingdom and France, and not just rogue nations like North Korea and Iran. Since the invasion of Ukraine, many nations are now focused on enhancing their nuclear weaponry, and a new “global nuclear arms race” appears to be underway (Deutsche Welle, June 13, 2022). Just a year ago, most Germans wanted U.S. nuclear missiles removed from their soil. Yet, a recent poll noted that 52 percent of Germans now favor keeping those weapons in Germany. This is up from only 14 percent a year ago. As America modernizes its nuclear weaponry in Germany, the Germans are purchasing U.S.-made F-35 jets to deploy some of these weapons. According to a spokesman from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, China has built 300 nuclear missile silos in its deserts over the last two years, and Russia is threatening to deploy its new “Satan II” nuclear missile by the end of the year. This hypersonic missile is capable of reaching the UK in only three minutes (MSM.com, June 22, 2022).
Today our world is becoming a more dangerous place for everyone. This echoes the warning of Jesus Christ about the end of the age: “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:22). However, Jesus will return, and will do so as the “Savior of the world” (Acts 1:11; John 4:42). Thankfully, there is real hope for the future. Jesus Christ will bring peace to the world (Isaiah 9:6–7) and a time when nations will not “learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:2–4). To get a better picture of where this world is headed and why Jesus Christ is returning, be sure to read or listen to Armageddon and Beyond!
More Benefits of Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding has long-been recognized as the healthiest option for feeding newborns and infants. Recent studies showing the benefits of breastfeeding have continued to validate this divinely designed method for feeding babies. In the past, many of the benefits of breastfeeding were attributed to the fact that most breastfed babies come from families with higher income and higher levels of education. However, the Guardian reported in June on a recent study from University College London that followed 6,000 babies across Britain from 2000 to 2002 that suggests otherwise. Summarizing the results, the Guardian notes, “Children of poorer mothers who breastfeed are much better at tasks involving speaking, drawing and comprehension as a direct result” of breastfeeding. In fact, children who were breastfed for at least three months had an 8 percent increase on cognitive tests up to age seven, over those who were bottle-fed. This new research shows that the benefits of breastfeeding go beyond just the physical health of the body and actually impact the brain, memory, and ability to learn.
When bottle-feeding with infant formula became convenient, safe, and economical, it greatly facilitated a mother's ability to enter the workplace outside the home. However, infant formulas do not improve upon God’s original design. God created breastmilk to be genetically and nutritionally compatible with the infant. When infants are breastfed, not only does it reduce the risk of breast cancer in the nursing mother, the babies are healthier and are less likely to face issues with being overweight later in life. And now we know their brains are more prepared to function better—all according to God’s design! To learn more about God’s incredible creation, the human body, be sure to read “The Human Eye: Window of the Mind.”—Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, and Chris Sookdeo