Greetings from Charlotte,
Mr. Wachowicz conducted a very positive and productive online meeting for all Canadian ministers this past week. I’m not always able to participate in these regional conferences, but this time I was, and I appreciated seeing the ministers in that region where I once served more directly. It is hard to believe, but it has been eleven and a half years since I left Canada. So much has changed in our world during that time—if you stop and take a moment to meditate on all that has happened in the last ten years, you may be surprised. We hold a Managers Meeting each week, and Mr. Jerry Ruddlesden often relates the countries from which individuals have sent donations to the Headquarters Office. His last report mentioned Estonia and China—just two of many countries that come up over a period of time. Our reach sometimes surprises us. Our Tomorrow’s World YouTube channel has now reached 710,000 subscribers, as we are adding nearly a thousand new subscribers each day. This week’s video update features news about our first baptism in Tahiti, other news from the Australasian region, and news out of Cuba. These will be our last World Ahead and video updates for the next two weeks. We hope all of you have an inspiring and profitable Holy Day season.
—Gerald E. Weston
Church Administration
Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last week, we held nine presentations: four initial presentations, four follow-up presentations, and one online presentation. These events drew a total of 42 guests. This week, we will hold nine more: Mr. Gerald Weston will give initial presentations in Sanford and Jacksonville, Florida, and Mr. Etienne Duval will present in Cayenne, French Guiana. We will also hold follow-up presentations in Dallas and Longview, Texas; Cape Girardeau and Poplar Bluff, Missouri; and Lafayette and New Orleans, Louisiana. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for the Tomorrow’s World Presentations.
2026 Living for Tomorrow Event
This year’s L4T at Blowing Rock, North Carolina, is scheduled for Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31. If you’re a young adult, aged 18–30, you don’t want to miss this opportunity to meet other young adults who want to learn more about living a successful, godly life. We expect to have approximately 40 people together for the weekend, which will include Sabbath services, learning activities, and fun! The cost will be $150, which will cover all accommodations and meals for the weekend. We’ll be publishing a link to sign up in the next update, so stay tuned!
Human Resources
Full-Time Opportunity: Video Editor / Graphics Animator
Do you enjoy bringing ideas to life through video and animation? Are you driven not just by creativity, but by making content more effective and impactful? If so, we’d love to hear from you. We are seeking a talented Video Editor / Graphics Animator with experience creating engaging animated explainer videos. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys blending creativity with strategy—using tools like YouTube analytics and “Voice of the Customer” to continually improve performance. You’ll be part of a dynamic, forward-moving environment, where both content and processes are regularly refined to better support our mission. If you enjoy collaboration, welcome feedback, and are energized by the process of improving and growing your craft, you’ll feel right at home here.
Applicants must meet the legal requirements to work in the United States and must be adherents in good standing of the Living Church of God. To apply, please submit a résumé/CV, cover letter, portfolio, and letter of recommendation from your pastor to Human Resources via email at [email protected].
Feast of Tabernacles
Housing for the Feast of Tabernacles
Please do not make Feast of Tabernacles housing arrangements until after registration takes place and after you have been approved to attend your Festival site. This will occur after the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. Stay tuned for more information.
Finance
Making Holy Day Offerings—U.S. Only
If you choose to donate through the envelope system, using the green pre-addressed envelopes greatly speeds up the counting and receipting process, which in turn saves valuable time and money. If you choose to donate online, please go to donations.lcg.org:
- Click the “Donate Now” button.
- Enter the “Amount to Donate.”
- Then click “Type of Donation.”
- Please choose “Holy Day Offering” at the bottom of the list. That will give you a list of Holy Days so you can select the applicable one.
A common mistake is to choose “Festival Tithe Donation” instead of “Holy Day Offering.” The “Festival Tithe Donation” is what is also called the tithe of the second tithe or excess second tithe, and those donations are used specifically to support Festival observances. It is not the same as Holy Day offerings.
Comments
Eliminating Spiritual Leaven: The Scriptures tell us that leaven is to be removed from our homes prior to the Days of Unleavened Bread and not eaten during those days (Exodus 12:15). However, this is just a physical exercise to help us understand the importance of identifying and eliminating spiritual leaven from our lives, which includes lusting, coveting, hating, outbursts of wrath, sowing seeds of division and contention, promoting personal doctrinal heresies, pursuing selfish ambitions, and other examples of compromising on or rebelling against the commandments of God (Galatians 5:19–21). As we go through the Days of Unleavened Bread, we should ask God to show us spiritual leaven that we need to eliminate from our lives. Writing out a list of attitudes or behaviors to overcome in the coming year can help us to make a greater effort to eliminate these sins. Let’s also be forgiving of others and thankful for the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us so we can be forgiven.
Have a profitable Holy Day period,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy
Military Control in South African Cities: A drastic increase in gang-related violence and other crimes has prompted the South African government to deploy military troops in several of the nation’s provinces (Deutsche Welle, March 11, 2026). Current estimates suggest that across the country between 63 and 70 people are murdered and about 50 are kidnapped each day.
The valuable minerals mined from beneath its soil are among South Africa’s most vital exports. Unauthorized mining has boomed in recent years, bringing riches to illegal miners and preventing others from benefiting from those minerals. Stopping this illegal mining is one goal of the military troop deployment, and “parts of the national deployment could last more than a year, officials have said” (Deutsche Welle). Opponents of the deployment warn that troops on the streets may intensify conflicts or be ineffective due to lack of adequate planning.
South Africa has long been a wealthy nation, richly blessed with natural beauty and natural resources. Yet in recent decades there has been tremendous societal decline due to crime and corruption. What many do not realize is that South Africa has long been an Israelite-descended nation and richly blessed because of the promises God made to the ancient patriarch Abraham and his descendants. Yet God also tells those nations that, as they reject Him and His laws, “I will even appoint terror over you” (Leviticus 26:16). Many of the events accelerating the societal decline of South Africa and other Israelite-descended nations are prophesied in the Bible. You can learn more by reading or listening to The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy.
Slump in U.S. Academic Performance: Test scores of United States high school students reveal a decline in college and career readiness. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports that twelfth-grade reading and math scores fell to their lowest levels on record in 2024, and similar results were observed in the test scores of fourth- and eighth- graders. “This means students are taking their next steps in life with fewer skills and less knowledge in core academics than their predecessors a decade ago” (Christian Science Monitor, September 9, 2025).
A need for remedial coursework to prepare youth for the university classroom will only serve to prolong the time it takes them to earn a degree and meet the standards of advancing industries, and there are “significant implications for national economic competitiveness and national security” (Christian Science Monitor). Martin R. West, the vice-chair of the National Assessment Governing Board, notes that “achievement in each of these subjects was already trending downward before the pandemic—and there’s no reason to expect a ‘return to normal,’ or to pre-pandemic learning conditions, would stop or reverse these declines” (Education Week, September 9, 2025).
Different explanations have been put forth regarding what is driving these trends. The pandemic resulted in life disruptions in and out of school and the easing of academic accountability. However, the leading premise for the drop in scores is “the proliferation of phones and screens,” though direct evidence is currently limited (ChalkBeat.org, January 8, 2026). In today’s world, knowing how to navigate technology and avoid its pitfalls is of urgent importance. You can learn more by reading or listening to “Tame the Social Media Monster!” —Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, and Richard Franz