Greetings from Charlotte,
We are currently in the review process of the Behind the Work video to be shown at the Feast of Tabernacles this year. Some may wonder why we do this so early. In addition to making adjustments based on the review, translations into several different languages have to be made and we want to make sure there is plenty of time for distributing the video to all areas that need it. The Adventure Camp begins this Sunday, and other preteen and teen camps are gearing up to begin in a matter of days or weeks. Your prayers for the safety and well-being of all our campers and staff are appreciated. Many of you are no doubt aware that Joshua Jacques, the son of Mr. Bobby Jacques, our minister in Mississippi, was injured in a serious motorcycle accident. We are thankful for God’s intervention that spared his life, but this is a reminder that life at any age is no guarantee. It is a wonderful gift from God that we must not take for granted.
—Gerald E. Weston
Church Administration
Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last week, we held seven Tomorrow’s World Presentations, drawing a total of 50 guests. This week, we will hold another seven TWPs: We will hold one online presentation for the Canadian subscribers; Mr. Rick Stafford will give initial presentations in San Fernando and St. Joseph, Trinidad; Mr. Hugh Stewart will give an initial presentation in Rugby, England, United Kingdom; Mr. Alvin Cumberbatch will give a follow-up presentation in Bridgetown, Barbados; Mr. Peter Nathan will give a follow-up presentation in Roodeport, Guateng Province, South Africa; and Mr. Gene Hilgenberg will give a follow-up presentation in Nevada, Missouri. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for the Tomorrow’s World Presentations.
Feast of Tabernacles
Feast Sites Closed to Transfers
Pebbles Beach, Barbados and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico have been closed to further transfers. The full list of closed Feast sites is below:
- Branson, Missouri
- Gulf Shores, Alabama
- Russell, Manitoba, Canada
- Carry-le-Rouet, France
- Fernandina Beach, Florida
- Bradenton, Florida
- Pebbles Beach, Barbados
- San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Festival (Second Tithe) Assistance Requests (U.S. Only)
Attention U.S. Pastors: The deadline to submit Festival Assistance Request forms to the Church Administration Department is Friday, July 17. All forms should be properly completed by the members requesting second tithe assistance to attend the Feast this year. Then, the Area Pastors should write their recommendations/comments on the forms before submitting them to CAD. The forms are available to ministers on the MyLCG website (www.cogl.org). —Festival Office
Living Youth Program
Living Youth Camp Photos
This year, we’ll be introducing a new feature for members who’d like to view pictures of our young people at camp. An online photo album called “LYC Memories” will feature photos from all our camps. To access the album, just go to the Living Youth website at https://www.livingyouth.org and click on the button beneath the “LYC Memories” header. Or you can go directly to the photos at https://memories.livingyouth.org. To log into the album, just use your MyLCG username and password. One of the features of the album is that it allows “tagging” of individuals in the photos—this is to make it easier to search through the photos. If you or your child will be at camp and you do not want tags to be permitted for your photos, just log into the photo album, select “My Profile” in the top right-hand corner of the page, and uncheck the names of you and/or your family members. You can also choose to be informed when a photo of you or a family is tagged by checking the box next to “email me when a family member is tagged” in your profile area. “LYC Memories” should make it simple to view photos of our youth and staff in a safe and convenient way.
TrainRight Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training (U.S. Only) – Repeat Announcement
All staff members who are 18 years old and up are required to participate in the 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 U.S. camps, you will receive an email from [email protected] titled “Invite - Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training Program” with a link to register for and complete the program online.
The Certification for this course is valid for two years—the year in which it is taken and the following year. For example, if you took the course in 2024, the certification was valid in 2024 and 2025. Therefore, you would need to retake the course in 2026 to receive certification for 2026 and 2027. 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 United States camps in 2026, please send a copy of your certification to Jill Ewers ([email protected]). The certificate must be 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 2026, please send your certificate to Jill Ewers ([email protected]), copying Joshua Penman ([email protected]).
Comments
Surviving in Satan’s Divided World: Our world seems to be falling apart! Winds of war are blowing in the Middle East, Europe, and Southeast Asia as heavily armed nations jockey for power. Within nations, politicians hurl insults at opponents; religious groups attack other faiths; racial, ethnic, and gender issues are ripping apart schools and communities; and families are being destroyed—but few realize why. Most simply do not know that Satan is the “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and that he is the author of anger, hatred, and lies (John 8:44) that lead to chaos, confusion, division, and wars (1 Corinthians 14:33; James 4:1–5). Satan will foster these same attitudes even within congregations if we are not alert to his attempts to “dig up dirt” and divide (1 Peter 5:6–9; Proverbs 16:27–28). We need to understand how Satan operates and become peacemakers—so we can function in that capacity now and in the Kingdom of God. Don’t become a tool that Satan can use to foster division.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy
How Europeans View America: After World War II, most Europeans viewed the United States with respect and deep appreciation. However, according to a recent European Council on Foreign Relations survey of 15 European nations, Europeans’ opinions of the U.S. are plummeting (Deutsche Welle, June 10, 2026). Today, just 11 percent of Europeans see America as their ally. This is down from 16 percent six months ago, which in turn was down from 22 percent in November 2024.
America has gone from being seen as Europe’s major ally to its “necessary partner.” Sadly, a growing number of Europeans now view the U.S. as “either a rival or an adversary” (ECFR.eu, June 10, 2026). While many Europeans feel relations with the U.S. will improve after President Trump leaves office, much could happen in the next couple of years.
Bible prophecy reveals the future for America and Europe. God warned ancient Israel and its modern-day descendants that, because of their sins, their allies would depart: “All your lovers have forgotten you” (Jeremiah 30:14). God will “stir up” these nations who have been “alienated” by the Israelite-descended peoples, including the modern nation of Israel (Ezekiel 23:22). The nations and allies that once clung to Israelite-descended nations like the United States will no longer honor the friendships and alliances of the past. In fact, a coming European power will take many of the Israelite-descended nations into captivity (Ezekiel 39:23). You can learn more about the dynamic situation in Europe by watching “Events in Europe Will Impact You.”
Falling Fertility Rates Around the Globe: Fertility rates are dropping in nations around the world. What was once a problem of the developed world is now impacting developing nations as well. Mexico and Iran have been hit, and Asian nations are feeling population decline powerfully. As columnist Shadi Hamid noted in the Washington Post, “More than two-thirds of the world’s countries have fallen below the replacement rate—the rate at which a population sustains itself without immigration, which is 2.1 children per woman” (June 3, 2026). Interestingly, “mothers aren’t necessarily having fewer children compared with a decade or two ago.” Rather, “fewer women are becoming mothers in the first place.”
Parenting is a lifelong job that requires parents to commit to serve and guide their children. However, as demographer Lyman Stone has pointed out, “the spread of ‘selfish norms’ has been made possible by digital technology.... Where you would once run out of things to do by yourself, now unlimited stimulation is offered to everyone with a phone in the comfort of their own room.” Stone further observed, “Never before in the history of humankind has so radical an experiment in social isolation ever been conducted on such a scale, and the effects on fertility are and will continue to be profound.”
Interestingly, Mr. Hamid identified one of the historical defenses against falling fertility rates as religion, which involves “tried and trusted ways to help individuals become less me-centered and more other-centered.” Being “other-centered” leads to spending more time with more people, valuing strong and lasting relationships, marriage, and children. These values run throughout the Bible and are fostered by healthy families. You can learn more by watching our thought-provoking telecast “The Divine Purposes of Family.” —Scott Winnail, Bob Rodzaj, and Francine Prater