Greetings from Charlotte
As I am writing, this is the last of three days of meetings for the 18 members of the Council of Elders, and I appreciate the camaraderie, support, and wisdom among this group of dedicated men. They report that the congregations are stable overall, though there always have been and always will be problems in this age.
One surprise that came to light is that 27.6 percent of people who turned in a Festival survey this year began attending in the last ten years, which flies in the face of those who claim the work was finished decades ago. Our overall attendance has not changed dramatically, due to deaths of older members, but we are seeing significant pockets of children in some congregations. Due to the busy schedule of meetings, there will be no video update this week. —Gerald E. Weston
Church Administration
Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last week, we held two initial Tomorrow’s World Presentations and one follow-up, and these presentations drew a total of 17 guests. This week, we will hold follow-up presentations in Kitchener/Guelph, Ontario, Canada and in Springfield, Illinois. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for the Tomorrow’s World Presentations.
New Booklets Shipping This Month
Mr. Weston’s semiannual letter offering new literature is being mailed, and early requests are already starting to trickle in. The new booklet is titled The Truth About Jesus, and a copy will be mailed automatically to every member household, so there is no need to send the response card when you receive your semiannual letter. We are very excited about this addition to the Church’s literature library.
An additional new booklet will ship to member households this month, titled This Is the Living Church of God. It has been created to share with guests at TWP events, those who complete the Bible Study Course, and individuals who express an interest in the Church. The English-language version of both of these new booklets should ship to members this month, with versions in other languages shipping as they are completed. —Wallace G. Smith
Alabama Winter Weekend – December 25–27
We are once again hosting an Alabama Winter Weekend in Calera, Alabama. This weekend will occur on December 25–27. Arrival and departure dates for booking at the Hampton Inn will be December 24–29 for any who would like to arrive early or stay late. All the details regarding the Alabama Winter Weekend and its activities can be found at http://alabamalcg.org/.
Kansas City Winter Family Weekend 2026 – December 31–January 3 – Repeat Announcement
We hope you’ll make plans to join us for the KC Winter Family Weekend! The weekend begins Thursday, December 31, at 4:00 p.m. with a meet and greet and continues Friday with gym activities during the day and a 7:00 p.m. Bible study. The Sabbath activities will start with morning seminars, continue with services at 2:00 p.m., and be followed by a dinner and dance. On Sunday, join us for a “Day at Camp,” with hands-on activities, fellowship, and food for all! For more details and to register, go to www.kclcg.org/2026kcweekend.
Charlotte Family Weekend – December 24–December 27 – Repeat Announcement
The Charlotte congregation is excited to invite you to join us Thursday, December 24, through Sunday, December 27, for the Charlotte Family Weekend! Enjoy a weekend of fellowship, learning, and discovery for all ages, featuring a “Creation movie” night, inspiring seminars, our Seven Days of Creation Experience, a bake and craft sale, a dinner dance, and games for everyone. We look forward to spending the weekend together! View additional information and register at http://cogl.org/mylcg.php.
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God Guides History
Today, our world is facing multiple crises at the same time: political division, social disruption, spreading violence, rampant corruption, wars and rumors of wars, unsustainable debt, moral decay, and spiritual confusion. Fears and anxieties abound. No one in our increasingly secular world seems to know where things are going, but the Bible reveals that God guides the course of history (Job 12:23; Daniel 2:21; 4:17, 25, 32) and that He reveals the future to His servants (Amos 3:7), to whom He has given a “more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19, King James Version). The Scriptures reveal that there will be a great tribulation unlike anything this world has ever seen (Matthew 24:21–22), but Jesus Christ will return unexpectedly (Matthew 24:29–30; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–2) and bring peace to this planet (Isaiah 2:2–4; 9:6–7). We need to remember that God guides the course of history and prepare ourselves for what is ahead. —Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy
“France: The Sickest Man of Europe”
This is the title of an October 25 article published by Politico, which quotes former Prime Minister Michel Barnier as saying, “France is on the brink of a financial crisis.” The European Union’s second-largest economy is now €3.5 trillion in debt and is being crushed under the weight of an “unsustainable pension system.” Two leaders now contending for the French presidency plan to spend billions of euros to lower the retirement age. Adding fuel to the economic fire, France has recently battled destructive nationwide protests of hundreds of thousands of people.
France’s current prime minister has already proposed €43 billion worth of cuts in his 2027 budget. This leaves little room for additional savings. As one anonymous government minister despairingly commented, “We have a knife to our throats, and we can feel the drops of blood on our jugular.” Sadly, French leaders seem to lack the fortitude to make hard choices, and many in the nation are questioning the ability of their democratic government to solve their problems. This has pushed voters toward more extreme candidates. France has little remaining fiscal credibility among its international peers, especially those in Europe.
Similar situations are playing out among other Israelite-descended nations of the West. In a dual prophecy to the southern Kingdom of Judah and the end-time Israelitish peoples, God promised He would make their leaders “a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse” (Jeremiah 25:18). We appear to be watching that happening today. These powerful nations that once led, colonized, and even fed the world are prophesied to lose the pride of their power (Leviticus 26:19) and their vaunted reputations—because they have rejected God. To learn more, read “Decline of the West—Why?”
Northern and Eastern Europe Prepare for War
While many talk about the threat of World War III today, nations in northern and eastern Europe are actively preparing their citizenry for war with Russia (Le Monde, October 26, 2026).
Several nations are refurbishing old bomb shelters or are building new ones. In September, armed forces in Finland tested the effectiveness of bomb shelters against “modern warfare threats” by detonating explosives near the bunkers. Poland now has 86,000 bomb shelters, enough to house roughly 25 million of its 38 million population. Sweden has 64,000 shelters capable of housing 7 million of its 10 million citizens. Finland has 50,500 shelters able to house 4.8 million of its 5.6 million people. Finland plans to spend €400 million building underground hospitals by 2030. “In March, the Baltic States, Poland, the Nordic countries, and Germany signed a memorandum of understanding on protecting their civilian populations. The agreement enables the temporary movement of people across borders in the event of a crisis or war.”
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the U.S. government has directed military bases to ensure they can “keep operating for at least 90 days without outside support as it prepares for the possibility of a major war that could cripple power grids, disrupt supply chains and threaten critical infrastructure on American soil” (Fox News, October 25, 2026). The Pentagon is also preparing to be able to switch civilian factories over to military production on short notice.
As the reality of a global war sets in slowly among the general public, governments in Europe are taking future threats of war very seriously, and they are urgently preparing. What does the Bible say about the future of war? To learn more about what the future holds for the world and its populations, watch “2026 and Beyond.” —Scott Winnail and Francine Prater