Greetings,
My wife returned to San Diego this week from the Chicago area, where our daughter lives with our new granddaughter. I was telling our neighbor (bragging, perhaps?) about our new granddaughter last week and he related the old story of the new mother who was struggling through a door with her luggage and her baby, when a stranger offered assistance to her. After profuse thanks to the stranger from the new mother, he asked, "Oh, may I give a banana to your monkey?" Not a good question to ask a new mother! Every baby is beautiful to the mother!
MEDIA:
We hope that you have all received your new booklet titled, "God's People Tithe!" We learned this week that the bindery made some defective copies that we did not catch in shipping.
Please ask the brethren to check their copies and report defective copies to headquarters so that we can resend the booklet to them. You may phone 858-673-7470, or send your request via e-mail to [email protected].
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION:
I hear of small groups, single individuals and couples here and there who see the work Living is doing and wish to join with us around the world. We are very pleased to have them join us in fellowship and in the Work of God. Please make them feel welcome!
INTERNATIONAL REPORTS
Nairobi, Kenya Mr. Ernest Owino reported:
A small group in the Migori region, (Kenya), who requested a visit from him has now been visited. These people have been fellowshipping with other Sabbath keeping groups of the Church of God. One lady (a deaconess) used to attend the Worldwide Church of God in Nairobi back in the 1980's.
Dublin, Ireland Mr. Doug Winnail just wrote:
I have just returned from a short trip to Hamburg and Berlin, Germany. The purpose of the trip was to gather material for a forthcoming TW article. It was interesting and informative! May first is a holiday in Germany and has traditionally been a day for radicals to stage demonstrations. This year was no exception. I watched a parade forming Wednesday morning at the Brandenburg Gate with banners denouncing "Bush's World War on Terrorism" and proclaiming the globe should be "green."
That evening when I returned to my hotel I noticed several armored vehicles and about a dozen police in riot gear on a bridge about 50 yards from the front door of the hotel. While I watched and took a few pictures about 30 vans carrying more police with riot gear (helmets, clubs, plastic shields, etc.) came rolling by with lights flashing and sirens blaring. I could hear commotion in the distance. Newspapers the next morning reported rioters had started fires and pelted the police with items—about 80 police officers were injured and about the same number of rioters were arrested. Locals say this happens every year.
Herr Schroeder, the German Chancellor, spoke in Leipzig that same day and was jeered because of rising unemployment and the downturn in the German economy. While these events are taken in stride in democratic societies they are disturbing to the German sense of order. It remains to be seen just how far these trends will go in Germany before the leadership pendulum begins to swing back in a more authoritative direction—that direction is welcomed by the people. Needless to say, it was a pleasant feeling to land safely in Dublin this evening.
Trip to Venezuela—Report by George Schaubeck:
On Sunday, March 24, my wife and I journeyed from Costa Rica to Venezuela for an eight-day visit. After arriving in Caracas, we flew to Barquisimeto, then on to Mérida.
Mérida is an Andean city with a cool climate and surrounded by mountains, of which Bolívar Peak stands out with its height of 16,427 feet above sea level and its teleferic, the longest in the world.
When we arrived at Mérida, we visited and baptized two ladies who had requested baptism. A total of six people gathered to take the Passover, and seven observed the first Day of Unleavened Bread.
On Friday, we returned to Barqusimeto where preparations had been made for Sabbath services. On this occasion, we were able to counsel a few young prospective members. Early on Monday, after visiting the picturesque Andean town on Sunday, we were driven to Caracas aiport, where we took our flight back to Costa Rica.
I believe this was a very blessed and profitable visit. We now have two new members and two new video groups meeting every Sabbath in Barquisimeto and in Mérida.
FESTIVAL Announcement:
For those considering attending the 2002 Feast of Tabernacles in Flagstaff, Arizona, please check out the following website link on the internet.
The high country and pines of Northern Arizona are spectacular! You'll be surrounded by natural wonders, providing many opportunities for enjoying God's awesome creation. This wonderful natural setting, along with the opportunity of making new friends will make this Feast one to remember for many years.
www.flagstaffarizona.org/travel.php
This link will give you a visitors' reference guide with more than two hundred restaurants, dozens of inns, plenty of affordable accommodations, unique attractions, clean air, forest paths, recreation/outdoor adventures, and a printable .pdf map of Flagstaff.
Festival services will be at the Little America Hotel, 2515 E. Butler Avenue, at exit 198 off of Interstate 40. Rooms are available in the Little America resort itself, or at other nearby accommodations.
We're hoping to have group day trips to sites, possibly including the Grand Canyon, the Arizona Meteor Crater, scenic Sedona, ancient Indian cliff dwellings, among others.
You can make your plans now by contacting local hotels listed on this website.
For those without Internet service, contact the Flagstaff Visitor Services at 800-842-7293.
You can reach the festival coordinator, Glen Gilchrist, at 505-228-9968, or [email protected].
COMMENTS:
"Carl, by your entrances and your exits you will be known," my voice instructor told me many years ago. He said that one should begin well to win the audience, and end well so that they remember your performance with pleasure, rather than pity!
Leaders of every endeavor should know and heed my instructor's advice. Many leaders have failed in one or more of the three critical elements of leadership:
- The entrance—catching the vision of the work
- Recruiting followers to the work
- Encouraging followers to endure to the conclusion of the work
Jesus Christ preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, establishing the vision of preaching the gospel of the KINGDOM of God throughout all ages. Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong began preaching to a local area in Oregon in the early '30s over a small radio station. Soon he realized that the gospel must go to the nation and began broadcasting on stations in larger cities, (Portland, San Francisco and other cities). Ultimately he realized the need to carry the gospel to ALL nations, commencing on Radio Luxembourg. Many co-workers caught the vision and enthusiastically supported the work, while others in the local area never caught the vision of serving the nation and the world.
Mr. Armstrong envisioned a means of enlarging the Work of God by training young people—and established Ambassador College in Pasadena. Many threw themselves into building the college, but again, others could not see the relationship of a college to preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Some lost the vision they had earlier gained and lost interest in the work altogether.
During his lifetime Mr. Armstrong saw the Work of God grow into the most powerful non-governmental broadcast on earth!
The primary vision never changed. The vision remained PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO THE WHOLE WORLD!
We in the Living Church of God are committed to that vision while some who were beneficiaries of the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God have traded the vision into a self-gratification service.
But Jesus said, (Mark 1:15) " …The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." Luke's account says "He went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God." The apostles (including the apostle Paul) followed Jesus' command to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the world (Acts 1:3, 8:12, 14:22, 19:8, 20:25 and 28:23).
Living Church of God holds the vision to proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom of God first and foremost. And we appreciate those of you who share the vision, faithfully supporting the Work of preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
Have a great Sabbath! Travel safely where ever you are.
Carl McNair