Greetings everyone,
We have now entered the final month of Headquarters operation in San Diego. Everyone is striving to keep up with the normal day to day work and to get ahead while preparing for the "down time" beginning later this month.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Important Move Deadlines:
Please note—all correspondence to Headquarters for Sabbath hall payments and reimbursements for ministerial expense must be received by FEBRUARY 12.
The last day Headquarters will issue checks from San Diego will be FEBRUARY 23rd. The moving company will pack and load the office equipment and materials beginning February 24th.
From February 24 through March 16, the office will be closed because of the Headquarters move to Charlotte, North Carolina.
MEDIA
The printer has delivered the new booklet The Middle East in Prophecy, and the Mail Processing Department has begun mailing it to Tomorrow's World subscribers who requested it. Copies for Church members will be mailed by Monday.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
INTERNATIONAL
Mr. Bruce Tyler reported average Sabbath attendance in the Region for 2002 was approximately 600.
Tomorrow's World circulation % of increase
Australia averaged 180 and 5,144 received the TW magazine (+142%)
New Zealand averaged 110 and 1,780 received the TW magazine (+25%)
Malaysia averaged 60
Thailand averaged 19
Myanmar averaged 98
Sri Lanka averaged 45
Indonesia averaged 13
India averaged 70
Singapore averaged 3
We found the following letter to Mr. Meredith from a subscriber in TASMANIA interesting!
Dear Mr. Meredith,
I am writing to you, not for the MEP, but to cancel my subscription to Tomorrow's World.
A friend recommended that I become involved but I find the world a sad place and mankind on the verge of self destruction and the revelations I come across in your articles are so closely allied to my own beliefs that I am quite depressed after reading them.
I would like to return to my own ignorance to preserve my peace of mind.
Yours respectfully,
Subscriber
Philippines Report—by Mr. Rod McNair
Rod McNair submitted the following report upon his return from Manila Tuesday of this week.
"Our three pastors, Mssrs. De Guia, Casing, and Benitez, gave regional reports on the first day of our ministerial meetings. They discussed the growth and spiritual health of the congregations they serve. All in all the news was positive. We are having new people come with us. I wanted to share some of their stories with you, to give you a flavor for some of the new contacts we are getting:
In Biliran (north of Leyte), a family (from another church of God fellowship) who has been watching our Tomorrow's World telecast on the local cable access program and recently invited our minister (Mr. Casing) to visit them. They came to the LCG beach outing during the Feast of Tabernacles, and now have expressed interest in attending the next Bible study in their area.
In Quezon City, our minister (Mr. de Guia) was recently visited by a man (from another church of God fellowship), who expressed interest in attending with LCG.
In Cagayan de Oro, a man who had been another church of God fellowship has come with us. He is a retired provincial treasurer, and was a long-time deacon in WCG. He came with LCG because he saw an emphasis on preaching the Gospel, not just on prophesy. After coming to church, he commented on how happy he was to be with LCG, because of all his acquaintances going back to WCG days.
In Cebu City, we have come in contact with another former PCG member. He had dropped out of his former association, and been a bit depressed for not being able to find the true church, until he heard our broadcast on DYLA (radio station in Cebu City, begun in 2001). He wrote to Manila, and is now corresponding with our pastor (Mr. Casing), who is arranging a time and place to visit him.
In Don Carlos, our minister (Mr. Benitez) met a former acquaintance from WCG on the road traveling. They talked for a long time, during which time he inquired about LCG. He asked Mr. Benitez, "Do you feel you are still in the true Church?" He asked many questions about the different groups. He invited Mr. Benitez to come to his house for a future visit and more conversation. When Mr. Benitez arrived at his house for the visit, the man's seven children and their families were all there! They talked a long time, asking further questions about the church. Finally, this man asked if we have a magazine available, to which Mr. Benitez went outside to his vehicle, where he had copies of the Tomorrow's World. When he gave the man the magazines, he scanned one of them, saw the picture of Mr. Meredith on the inside front cover, embraced the magazine, bowed his head and cried.
These stories illustrate how important a job the Tomorrow's World radio broadcast and the magazine are doing in gathering those people who are still searching for the Work, and wanting to be part of it. It's inspiring to see how God is working with these people, even though some of them may have been drifting or confused for some time."
COMMENTS
Based upon Secretary of State Colin Powell's recent presentation, America is on the verge of taking military action against Iraq for non-compliance with its agreement to disarm and destroy weapons of mass destruction. That agreement was entered into by Iraq at the close of the "Gulf War," and was to be monitored by the United Nations inspectors. The United States, the United Kingdom and the State of Israel have had the greatest interest in enforcing the agreement, while France and Germany have been lukewarm about enforcement.
I mention this is to illustrate the base nature inherent in politics—in this case geopolitics.
- The State of Israel is very concerned about the probability of long-range missiles delivering nuclear or biological warheads on its cities from Iraq.
- The United Kingdom is concerned about potential terrorist acts against London and other cities.
- The United States is concerned about potential terrorist acts, biological and "dirty bomb" attracts against American cities.
- France is concerned about the potential of terrorist attacks by Islamic citizens in her midst—against her people—and, some believe, possible exposure of her sale of nuclear hardware and technology to Iraq.
- Germany is concerned about her exposure to attack by terrorists from the Muslim world, and some believe, possible exposure of her sale of chemical plant hardware and chemicals used in the production of chemical and biological warheads.
- Neighboring countries have cause to worry if Saddam Hussein is loosed on their states without the restraining hand of the United States military force.
We are indeed in the time prophesied by Jesus Christ (Matthew 24; Revelation 6) and the Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 3)!
So, how many of us are like the man in Tasmania who wrote, "I am quite depressed after reading them (Tomorrow's World magazines). I would like to return to my own ignorance to preserve my peace of mind"?
Jesus Christ has instructed us to "watch, and pray" that we may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass. While we are not to become a party to the conflicts of this world, we will be affected by and suffer from the decisions of government leaders of our individual countries.
It is best to think about what is going on in the world—not to stick our "thinker" in the sand and pretend we have no knowledge of ongoing events! If I were in Iraq today I would be thinking about the consequences of decisions being made by my government leaders.
So, have a great Sabbath, and drive carefully!
Carl E. McNair