Greetings from Charlotte,
This has been a busy time for meetings. Last week we had the Council of Elders here in Charlotte for three days, and this Wednesday we updated our ministers worldwide in an online meeting regarding the Council meetings. We also held an all-staff meeting here at headquarters to update everyone on protocols and procedures, since we have not done this for some time. Mr. Adam West, our Office and Facilities manager, reminded everyone of specifics regarding the office facilities, and I reminded everyone of why we are here and our need to be close to our Creator. Mr. Christo Botha reported that after living in Harrismith, South Africa for 42 years, he and his wife Ria officially moved to their new residence in a retirement village in Panorama Park, Klerksdorp, from where they will continue to serve God’s people in four congregations. Next week, many of us here in the United States will have a couple days off for Thanksgiving, a major American holiday for many. As a result, there will be no video update or World Ahead update next week.
—Gerald E. Weston
Church Administration
Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last week, we held three follow-up presentations in Panama City Beach, Florida; Valdosta, Georgia; and Sylva, North Carolina; as well as one initial presentation in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. These presentations drew a total of 22 guests. This week, Mr. Wachowicz will travel to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to give an initial presentation. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for the Tomorrow’s World Presentations.
November Semi-Annual DVD Offer—Repeat Announcement
The November Semi-Annual letter that is sent to all members and subscribers is offering a DVD. While DVDs continue to be popular among our subscribers, many people no longer have a DVD player. For that reason, this offer will not be automatically sent to you as in the past. If you would like to receive this offer, please send in the card requesting it. Booklets that are offered in future Semi-Annual letters will continue to be sent to all members, but not DVDs.
Charlotte Family Weekend
The Charlotte Family Weekend will take place Friday, December 26, through Sunday, December 28. The activities will begin on Friday evening, with a Bible Study starting at 7:00 p.m. On December 27, there will be a Hymn Sing starting at 10:30 a.m., followed by a Question & Answer session, in which questions that we all encounter will be answered by evangelists of the Living Church of God. Sabbath Services will be at 2:00 p.m. Following services, there will be a dinner in the dining area that all are invited to attend; gluten free/dairy free options will be available. The cost of this meal will be $5.00 per person with a price cap of $20.00 per family. Payment for the meal will be collected after the Sabbath on the night of the meal. After dinner, the Charlotte Family Dance will begin, with music for all ages, lasting until 9:00 p.m. Various activities for the adults and children will begin Sunday morning and conclude at 3:30 p.m., with lunch provided.
Firm commitments for the Saturday evening dinner must be received on or before December 16. To confirm your attendance, please contact Mr. Phillip Johnson via email ([email protected]) or phone (704-708-2207).
Trinidad Family Weekend—Repeat Announcement
The LCG congregations in Trinidad will be holding their 2025 Family Weekend from Thursday, December 25, to Sunday, December 28. Activities include a “Bible and board games” night, a Friday-night Bible Study, Sabbath services, a dance, lectures from Mr. Weston and Mr. Stafford, basketball, children’s activities, a ladies’ aerobics session, and more!
If you are interested, please let us know soon. There is space for a few more visitors, and we would love to have you and your family join us. The registration deadline for this event is Monday, December 8. For further information, please contact Mr. Damian Weekes at [email protected] or Mr. David Grant at [email protected].
Living Education
Living Education-Charlotte
Applications are now being accepted for the 2026-27 school year! This nine-month program is for young adults in the Living Church of God between the ages of 18 and 30. If you’re graduating from High School and would like to build a strong, Christian foundation for life, Living Ed-Charlotte is the place to be. We’re also a good choice for young adults still in their twenties who would like to cement their values and convictions in a godly way of life. For more information about the program and to start an application, just go to www.lcgeducation.org and click on “Charlotte” at the top of the page.
Living Youth Program
Living Youth Camp 2026
If you’re wondering about when to apply for next summer’s teen camp in Athens, Texas, here’s the news: January 4 will be the big day when the application site will go live! Mark it on your calendar and get ready to have the most exciting two weeks of the summer!
Comments
The Need for Wisdom: Solomon wrote that one of the most important goals in life is to gain wisdom and that the value of wisdom is greater than rubies or gold (Proverbs 4:7; 8:11; 16:16). He wrote the book of Proverbs to help others gain wisdom (Proverbs 1:1–6), and he stated that the key to gaining wisdom is a proper fear of God and obedience to God’s instructions (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). Wisdom helps us discern between right and wrong and leads to a longer and happier life (Proverbs 2:10–17; 3:13–18). As Jesus grew up, He followed His heavenly Father’s instructions and thereby “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52). The Apostle James urges us to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5), and the Apostle Paul records that the study of Scripture will “make you wise” (2 Timothy 3:14–17). Let’s follow these instructions so we can develop the vital quality of wisdom and become more useful instruments in God’s hands.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy
Prophetic Lesson from Nepal: The prophet Isaiah warned about the end of the age: “As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths” (Isaiah 3:12). While those comments were intended for the Israelite-descended nations at the end of the age, one might wonder what the world will look like when this prophecy fully comes to pass. For an idea, it is worth taking a look at a small nation lodged in the mountains between China and India: Nepal.
According to The Guardian, Nepal’s governmental corruption and instability, coupled with the catalyst of a ban on social media, moved the Gen Z youth of the country—individuals between the ages of 13 and 28—to take to the streets (September 15, 2025). Over the course of their protests, the national parliament and the home of the prime minister were burned, and more than 20 people died (BBC, September 9, 2025). In the midst of this violence, the social media ban was reversed, and the prime minister resigned. An interim prime minister, Nepal’s first woman in this role, was sworn in, with official elections to follow in March. According to reports, Nepal’s youth were inspired to act by the recent unrest in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, where youth uprisings also toppled governments.
While the youth uprising in Nepal may have been prompted in part by governmental corruption, their actions also show how powerful, highly motivated youth efforts can totally change a country—and the violent lengths to which they might go to achieve that change. The example of Nepal is one to keep in mind as we see radical changes occurring in Western nations, including many Israelite-descended nations. Where these changes will go—many led by young activists—is sobering to contemplate. To learn more about the effects of changing cultural values, read “The Foolish Generation!”
The Incredible Human Hand: One of the areas in which technology is advancing rapidly is robotics. Building a humanoid robot controlled by artificial intelligence is the ultimate goal of a number of engineers. Many technology companies are spending fortunes to make this happen and capture a multi-trillion-dollar market to replace human workers with intelligent machines built in the human image. In this effort, one of the most difficult problems to solve has been building a robotic hand that rivals the dexterity and precision of the human hand.
One of the leading companies in this field is electric-vehicle maker Tesla. Their Optimus robot, under development, is making great strides in replicating human motion. The goal is to make a robotic hand that can do delicate surgery. During the October third-quarter earnings call, Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed that the Optimus project is close to a breakthrough, saying that it is “on the cusp of something really tremendous” (Teslarati, October 23, 2025). He commented, “The more you study the human hand, the more incredible you realize it is, and why you need four fingers and a thumb, why the fingers have certain degrees of freedom, why the various muscles are of different strengths, and fingers are of different lengths. It turns out that those are all there for a reason.”
It seems that the smartest people in the world can acknowledge the incredible design of the human hand, but they cannot understand why the human hand is so fantastic. It has been designed that way by a Creator, for a creation—humanity—that bears His own image (Genesis 1:26–27; 5:1). Why are human beings unable to figure this out? The most amazing thing is that humans are applying the best of their intelligence as they struggle to design and create a robot in their own image—but cannot accept that the human body itself was created by an intelligent, superior Being. You can learn more on this fascinating topic by reading or listening to Evolution and Creation: What Both Sides Miss. —Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, and Craig Marley