Greetings from Mr. Meredith and all of the folks serving you from headquarters.
I hope that all of you are home from the feast and in good health. All of us in the office are home and wellexcept for Mr. & Mrs. Ray Pereira, who should return tomorrow from their trip to Sri Lanka, where they observed the Feast with members.
Mr. Mario Hernandez returned last Friday from his trip to Mexico and Guatemala for the Feast. The attendance this year based upon received reports and estimates from a few sites not yet confirmed appears to be just over 5,700. The attendance in USA and Canada was about 4,150, a bit lower than expected, because many attended at international sites.
The offering totals are consistent with the attendance figures. It appears to me that we are at 80% of last year in both categories.
We always grieve a premature death. As I reported last week, Mrs. Ernest (Eunice) Owino died on September 23. Eunice had not attempted the feast trip to Mombassa, Kenya, due to cardiomyopathya serious heart condition. Mr. and Mrs. Owino have two children, Beverly (age 7) and Byron (age 4). Mrs. Owino was almost 24 years of age. Our hearts go out to Mr. Owino and his children.
From time to time people ask me "what is going on" with Global Church of God. I can neither apologize nor explain their business as I am not included in their council and could only pass on to you gossip or rumor. Those of you with Internet access may know more than I do about their doings.
Our focus is on serving you and reaching out to the world. Someone recently implied that we are more concerned in doing the Work (TV and Publishing) than in feeding the flock and going after the "one" lost sheep (meaning wayward Church MEMBER).
According to the last report I have from accounting, we are spending approximately 54% of income to feed the flock. We do not believe that you members of the Living Church of God desire us to abandon reaching out to people in the world in order to serve ourselves. We believe to cease to "go into all the world" is a Laodicean attitude and attribute which we do not share.
Furthermore, Christs example of the one lost sheep is misapplied by taking it out of context. In context, the subject is occasions of stumbling and the importance of eliminating our acts and misdeeds which cause stumbling in others. Then he calls for those who are offended to go to the offender and seek resolution privately (Mt. 18:715) in a sincere spirit.
Simply stated, some people are "seeking their own" as in Philippi: (Phil. 2: 14-21) Do all things without murmurings and questionings: 15 that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation 21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.
Why? Because of a wrong focus and attitude. (Phil. 2: 14) If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, (2) make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; (3) doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; (4) not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
As we move toward the year 2000, we believe God will empower those whose hearts are stayed on Him. Those who love God love His Work. Mr. Herbert Armstrong taught me that those who have their hearts in the Work of God were growing, while those who are self-centered are spiritually dying. God has committed to us a Work FAR GREATER than any one of us and all of us collectively. However, by His Power we can do what He desires us to do provided we are of a willing heart!
This week Mr. Meredith approved my suggestion that we discontinue mailing out sermonettes, which are videotaped here at San Diego, and that we use the Telecast for sermonettes instead. This will save considerable in duplication and mailing costs, while many of you have been viewing the telecast in the sermonette period already. If getting a copy of the telecast is a problem for you please notify me in Church Administration and we will work to resolve the problem.
Have a great Sabbath!
CEMcNair