Greetings from Charlotte,
Mr. Etienne Duval gave a French-language online Tomorrow’s World Presentation this past Sunday, June 22, from our studio in London, Ontario, Canada. There were 213 connections from 23 different countries, of which 79 were guest connections. Over the last several years, Mr. Mario Hernandez and Mr. Rod McNair have chaired two online meetings per month with a small group of men and women working in the French media, editorial, and translation to coordinate our worldwide efforts. Members from Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, and the United States participate in these meetings, though the participants are not always the same.
Wednesday, a meeting was held to coordinate the efforts of the Canadian office and the Charlotte Headquarters TWP teams, for online French-language TWPs. Canada has been conducting both in-person and online French-language TWPs throughout the past six months for subscribers in both Canada and the Caribbean. Recently, the scope has been expanded to include Europe and Africa. Four more multi-continent, French-language online events like this one are planned to be conducted before year’s end, similar to the presentation last week by Mr. Duval. In addition, new voiced-over telecasts, Whiteboards, and Viewpoints are produced to feed francophones around the world.
—Gerald E. Weston
Church Administration
Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last week, we held ten Tomorrow’s World Presentations. All told, these had 194 guests. The online worldwide French presentation had 79 guest connections from 23 countries. Hosting online presentations to multiple Caribbean countries has been done for some time out of the Canadian office—however, this one included not only Canada and the Caribbean, but also Europe and Africa. Presentations of this nature present unique challenges, but it is exciting to see the fruit of the labor that goes into them. Several men from the Canadian, European, and U.S. offices met online this week to discuss future strategies on how to most effectively continue hosting worldwide online TWPs.
This week, we will hold six follow-up presentations in Louisiana, Massachusetts, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for the Tomorrow’s World Presentations.
Feast of Tabernacles
Pianist Needed in Branson
The Branson, Missouri, Feast site needs a pianist who can play hymns for services. If you are able and willing to transfer to the Branson site to serve in this capacity, please contact the Festival Site’s coordinator, Mr. Shannon Christal, at [email protected].
Living Youth Program
Exciting Music Opportunities at Teen Camp – Repeat Announcement
Preparations are underway for an amazing Teen Camp in Texas this summer, and we’re looking forward to two weeks filled with fun, fellowship, and music!
If you’re interested in participating musically, please fill out the Music Sign-Up Form: https://bit.ly/LYCMusicSignUp25. Once signed up, you’ll receive rehearsal materials and music updates as camp approaches.
We’re also excited to host the talent show again this year! If you’d like to be considered for a performance, please indicate your interest on the Music Sign-Up Form and upload a personal recording of the piece you’d like to perform at https://bit.ly/LYCTalentShow25.
Please note: No auditions will be held at camp, so be sure to submit your recording soon!
If you have any questions, contact Mr. Chris Pringle at [email protected].
TrainRight Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training – Repeat Announcement
All Living Youth Camp staff members who are 18 years of age or older are required to participate in an online training program for awareness and prevention of child abuse: TrainRight Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training Program. It is an online training course that takes about one hour to complete. Once you have been accepted as a staff member at one of the LYP camps, you will receive an email from [email protected] titled “Invite - Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training Program” with a link through which you must register for and complete the training online.
Note: The Certification for this TrainRight course is good for two years—the year it is taken plus the next year. For example, if you took the course in 2023, the Certification was valid in 2023 and 2024—therefore, you would have to retake the course in 2025 to receive Certification for 2025–2026. If you have any questions, please contact Jill Ewers ([email protected]).
First Aid/Lifeguard Certificates – Repeat Announcement
If you have a current Certificate in First Aid, Lifeguarding, etc. and will be serving in this capacity at any of the U.S.A. camps in 2025, please send a copy of your Certification to Jill Ewers ([email protected]). Your Certification must be current and valid through the entirety of the camp(s) where it will be used.
Food Handler Training Program – Repeat Announcement
If you have received certification through an ANSI-accredited food safety program for the State of Texas as a Food Handler or Food Manager and will be attending the Texas Teen Camp or Texas Preteen Camp in 2025, please send your certificate to Jill Ewers ([email protected]), copied to Joshua Penman ([email protected]).
Legal Affairs
Military Draft
Although there is currently no active military draft, the possibility of one being reinstituted has caused concern among many in the Living Church of God who are eligible for the draft, as well as in parents who are concerned that their sons—and even their daughters—could be drafted into the military.
Church Administration and Legal Affairs has information available for (1) those who are draft-eligible establishing their Conscientious Objector (CO) status, (2) those previously discharged or retired from the military (who may be eligible for reactivation) establishing their CO status, and (3) those currently in the military (active, reserves, or National Guard) who have personally come to conscientiously object to military service and wish to be discharged.
Those eligible for the military draft among the Living Church of God membership who wish the Church’s assistance in establishing their CO status should contact Legal Affairs at [email protected] or 704-844-1960, ext. 2229, for the Church’s information letter, publications, and CO form. Those who return a completed copy of their CO form to Legal Affairs will be added to the Church’s official Registry of COs—with a copy forwarded to the Center on Conscience and War for inclusion in its national database of COs.
Those among the Living Church of God previously discharged or retired from the military (who may be eligible for reactivation) wishing the Church’s assistance in establishing their CO status, as well as those currently in the military (active, reserves, or National Guard) wishing the Church’s assistance in their attempt to be discharged, should contact Mr. Kenneth Frank at [email protected] or 704-844-1960, ext. 2296. Mr. Frank is the Draft Counselor in CAD, working in conjunction with Legal Affairs to provide such assistance. —Dexter B. Wakefield, Department of Legal and Risk Management
Comments
Defending Your Beliefs: The Apostle Peter wrote, “Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). But how do you do this? Peter advised Christians to diligently add to your faith virtue and knowledge (2 Peter 1:5). The Apostle Paul urged believers to “test [examine, prove] all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21), to diligently study the Scriptures to be able to understand and explain the teachings of the Bible, and to recognize and avoid false doctrines (2 Timothy 2:15–16). This is what the people of Berea did (Acts 17:10–11). We live in an age that is increasingly hostile to biblical beliefs, so we need to prepare to defend what we believe. Studying one doctrine at a time is a good way to start.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy – June 26, 2025
Will Bombs Bring Peace in the Middle East? On June 22, American stealth bombers flew undetected to Iran and attacked nuclear sites in an attempt to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb (Associated Press, June 22, 2025). Some view the efforts by America to aid Israelis in making the world safer and defending the land of Israel as justified, noting the persistent calls from many in Iran for “death to Israel” and “death to America.” Others, however, worry that these actions by America and Israel against Iran are a dangerous escalation of hostilities that could lead to wider regional or even global conflicts. While the claim has been made that the “12-day war” is now virtually over, the ultimate outcome of these recent efforts to achieve peace through military action remains to be seen.
Numerous Bible prophecies reveal that Israel is not going to have a peaceful future. Jesus foretold that, as we approach the end of the age and His return, Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies (Luke 21:20) and that one-half of its people will go into captivity (Zechariah 14:1–2). Bible prophecies also record that because modern Israelite nations (including the United States and Israel) have turned away from God, their allies will turn against them (Jeremiah 30:12–14), and that whatever they plan to do will come to a sudden and tragic ending (Deuteronomy 28:20). You can learn more about coming events that will impact Israel by reading or listening to The Middle East in Prophecy.
Gratitude and Your Mood: The Apostle Paul noted that people would be increasingly selfish and unthankful at the end of the age (2 Timothy 3:2). Today, as we look around society, we see many self-centered and unthankful people who are not happy. In fact, many studies show that people today are less happy than they have been in decades. People are unhappy with their bosses, colleagues, parents, children, spouses—and the list goes on. Is there anything we can do to improve our happiness?
According to Alison Jones, an organizational development consultant, “When you practice gratitude, you train your brain to always look for the positive in anything. It just completely shifts everything you are going through…. You start to see the lessons in the pain. You start to see the beauty in the very difficult times” (Associated Press, June 12, 2025). In today’s world, people develop the habit of being critical, not thankful or appreciative. However, God wants us to be thankful. King David, who was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), constantly expressed thankfulness and gratitude to God (e.g., Psalm 30:4, 12). In Colossians 4:2, we are directed to be vigilant in our prayers with thanksgiving. Gratitude involves getting our minds off of ourselves and focusing on others—and ultimately on God. You can learn more about this life-altering state of mind by reading or listening to “The Power of Gratitude.” —Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, and Richard Bourne