Greetings from Charlotte,
Do you realize that we have a Work going on in the Portuguese language? Mr. Wallace Smith’s telecast explaining how the Rapture is a false and misleading doctrine has now been translated into Portuguese, and we have two dozen in-print and electronic Portuguese booklets. Costa Rican pastor Mr. George Schaubeck recently visited members in Panama. While there, he checked out several locations as possibilities for a future Feast site in this Central American country. The World Economic Forum was held this week in Davos, Switzerland, in a world that is convulsing over tariffs and the future of Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine, and Iran. There is a huge storm predicted to affect 30 of the United States this weekend, delivering rain, snow, ice, and brutally cold temperatures. Meanwhile, South Africa and Mozambique are suffering from too much or too little rain. This is shaping up to be a monumental year.
—Gerald E. Weston
Church Administration
Reminder: Special Church-Wide Livestreamed Sabbath Service on January 31 Fast Day
Next Sabbath, January 31, designated as a Church-wide fast day, there will be a special Sabbath Service livestreamed from Headquarters. Mr. Weston is scheduled to give the sermon, and all congregations are invited to tune in. Services will begin at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, USA. For congregations in time zones where this is impractical, a recorded version will be available at a later time.
Video link information:
- Livestream: https://members.lcg.org/stream (Note: The stream page will not be active until shortly before services on the Sabbath)
- No password required
Phone call-in information:
- Phone call-in: +1-415-655-0001 (U.S. toll number)
- Connection access number: 2300 702 2581
- For a list of call-in numbers for those who are outside the United States, please click on this link: Global Call-in Numbers
We look forward to meeting virtually together!
French Translation of Church-wide Services: January 31
If you would like to tune in to the French translation of the service, here is the zoom connection info:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82320714227?pwd=aeyBhnS7IEKns1C8STDzdKsEBaOmF3.1
Meeting ID: 823 2071 4227
Passcode: 815755
Par téléphone
647 558 0588 Canada
438 809 7799 Canada
301 715 8592 États-Unis (Washington, DC)
346 248 7799 États-Unis (Houston)
33 1 7037 2246 France
33 1 7037 9729 France
Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last week, we held two initial presentations in Phoenix and Prescott, Arizona, two follow-up presentations in Winchester and Fredericksburg, Virginia, and one “presentation series” presentation in Panama City, Florida. These events drew a total of 41 guests. This week, we plan to hold initial presentations in Birmingham, Alabama; Marietta, Georgia; and Columbia and Conway, South Carolina, as well as follow-up presentations in Phoenix and Prescott, Arizona. Early forecasts are calling for inclement weather across the southern states that may affect our Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina events. Please pray that these presentations bear fruit regardless of the weather. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for the Tomorrow’s World Presentations.
Joplin, Missouri, Family Weekend – February 13–15 – Repeat Announcement
You are invited to join us for the Joplin Family Weekend, February 13–15! Friday evening will begin with a meet-and-greet activity, followed by a Q&A session. The Sabbath will feature a morning Bible Study, a taco-bar lunch, and then services. Saturday evening, get dolled up for a 1920s-mystery-themed dinner dance—it’s sure to be a fun and memorable night! Sunday will start with a pancake breakfast, followed by a seminar and then a game of “The Price Is Right.” We ask that everyone—local and traveling—please register so we can plan accurately for meals and events. Registration is available at LCGJoplin.org. The cost is $20 per person or $50 per family. We look forward to seeing you there!
Men’s Training Camp Weekends – Deadline for Registration Is Sunday, January 25
Two Men’s Training Camps will be held on Presidents Day Weekend: one in Blowing Rock, North Carolina (February 13–15) and another in Bloomingdale, New Jersey (February 13–16). Registration is open for both and will close on January 25, so don’t delay! We’re looking forward to productive weekends as we focus on how to confront a toxic world with godly masculinity. To register, use the following links:
- Bloomingdale, New Jersey: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/MKPCjv7jFA
- Blowing Rock, North Carolina: https://bit.ly/MTC2026
Feast of Tabernacles
Volunteer Translators Needed for Quebec City Feast Site – Repeat Announcement
We are making an appeal for experienced translators who would like to volunteer at the Feast site in Quebec City this year. This site is bilingual, and any experienced translators who can provide simultaneous translation from English to French and from French to English would be most welcome. Translators need to have experience in simultaneously translating from one language to another and be members of the Living Church of God. If you would like to serve in this capacity at the Feast, please contact Mr. Marc Arseneault ([email protected]).
Comments
Communication in an Emergency: A wide swath of the eastern half of the United States is facing a potentially disruptive snow and ice storm over the next few days, with widespread power outages expected. Part of our local congregation emergency planning is for our pastors to have a way to contact all members quickly in an emergency, to communicate about cancelled services or to check on them after a storm. While email is a good tool in most circumstances, redundancy is important as well. Our pastors are encouraged to maintain a good, up-to-date list of phone numbers. It may seem “old school,” but it works! A “phone tree” is a system where certain individuals are responsible for calling a few brethren and then checking in with their pastor. The advantage of a text group or WhatsApp group is that emergency texting is often available even if cell service is compromised.
We all should be prepared for an emergency—with extra food, water, batteries, flashlights, a full tank of gas in the car, charged phones, etc. But let’s not forget to plan for a way to communicate with one another as we prepare for the unexpected.
Have a safe and profitable Sabbath,
Rod McNair
News and Prophecy
The EU’s Growing Trade Influence: Just over a week ago, the European Union and the South American countries of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay signed the Mercosur trade deal (BBC, January 9, 2026). This is currently the EU’s largest free-trade agreement and will need to be ratified by the European Parliament in the next couple of months. While many in the EU claim the deal will greatly benefit “both sides,” European farmers fear cheap South American products will greatly undercut their locally produced goods. Yet farming is only one industry impacted by this trade deal. The South American nations also possess gold, copper, and rare minerals necessary for electric battery production, and the European Commission estimates the deal will save European companies 4 billion euros in trade tariffs.
Even as the ink on the Mercosur deal is still drying, German chancellor Friedrich Merz is talking about a major trade deal between the EU and India that will help reduce India’s reliance on Russian goods (Reuters, January 12, 2026). “The EU-India pact would follow on the heels of the European Union's recent agreement with South America’s Mercosur group and support Europe’s push to build new trade networks as global rules shift.” Merz was recently in India signing deals between India and Germany and has expressed a desire to expand the agreements to include the EU, not just Germany. India is approaching one-fifth of the earth’s total population and represents a huge, untapped market.
End-time Bible prophecy warns that the coming European beast power will be deeply involved in global trade—a trade system that makes the nations of the earth rich (Revelation 18:3). As we look for the coming German-led beast to rise in Europe, an area of specific interest is that of expanding trade relationships between Europe and various nations. You can learn more about this topic by reading or listening to The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor, or Soon-Coming Reality.
South Asia’s Deadly Air: What was once seasonal air pollution due to weather factors and fireworks has now become a year-round condition across India and South Asia (Foreign Policy, December 19, 2025). Many liken India’s air pollution problem to that of China a decade ago. The difference is that China moved quickly to change laws and regulations and drastically improved its air quality. The Indian government on the other hand has essentially normalized pollution. With air pollution three times higher than what is considered safe, some Indian authorities are now questioning the validity of the pollution standards. All the while, many Indians are able to literally see the air they are breathing.
According to a 2023 World Bank report, “Air pollution causes an estimated 2 million premature deaths annually in the region, and efforts to improve the air quality could save more than 750,000 lives each year.” One expert noted that the primary contributors to air pollution in this densely populated region of the world include “residential cooking with solid fuel, such as wood and coal; waste burning; industrial and vehicular emissions; and occasional wildfires.” Sadly, attempts at improving the situation have not been effective. Efforts are usually regional rather than national—and even when policies are put in place, there is little enforcement.
Mankind is under the sway of “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). This is very apparent when we examine pollution. The Apostle Paul wrote that the creation is held captive under “the bondage of corruption” (Romans 8:19–22), groaning in agony under the custodianship of a sinful mankind. This is one more reason to pray, “Your kingdom come.” Christ will return, and when He does, His saints will assist in bringing to God’s creation “the glorious liberty of the children of God” (v. 21). You can learn more about this glorious future by reading or listening to Prophecy Fulfilled: God’s Hand in World Affairs. —Scott Winnail and Francine Prater