Weekly Update

Warm greetings from chilly Charlotte!

Even though winter is not officially here yet, we are having chilly days and cold nights already. Of course this is nothing like what many of you are experiencing up north and out west. Everything is moving right along in God's Church and Work. It seems as though Jesus Christ is in the process of positioning us for some big and exciting things in 2005. Mr. Meredith has been encouraging us about a possible breakthrough sometime in the near future. When you consider the perilous times we are living in and the forward march in prophecy and the Work, we may be poised for some truly exciting times.

CHURCH ADMINISTRATION

Mr. Frank Best, Area Pastor in Regina, Saskatchewan, writes about his healing from God: While on our way to Winnipeg for services on Dec 10th I developed chest pains. The chest pains disappeared after about 5 minutes only to return again. For the next two hours, as we drove on to Winnipeg, the pains continued to come and go. Then they stopped. We ate dinner and at about 9PM the pains returned again. This time they were also evident in my left shoulder and neck and face. I knew then it was a heart attack. I checked into the hospital in Winnipeg and immediately they started testing me. The EKG showed there was no blockage but the blood test showed that there was heart damage. 

The next morning the doctor came in and assured me I had had a heart attack. He said I would need a dye test and Angioplasty with a possible chance of an operation. For the next three days there was test after test. 

On Tuesday morning the nurse came in and said there was no sign of diabetes. My cholesterol levels were fine as was my blood pressure. We went for a stress test on a stairway. My pulse was 60 when I started the test and 60 when I finished. "No need for you to sit in a wheel chair," she said, "walk back to your room."  Later the doctor came in and told me he was going to discharge me. He said, "You 'did' have a heart attack, even though the blood test this morning showed that nothing was wrong. You can go back to Regina today, but I want you to get a heart scan next week to back up my findings."

Thank you brethren for all your phone calls and messages. Most of all, thank you for your prayers.—Frank Best

DVD and CD Quality Control

Video recipients will be receiving a quality control questionnaire in with the next batch of CDs and DVDs shipped from Headquarters. The Audio/Video Department wants to hear from you regarding the level of service and quality of product being sent to you. If you are having problems, we want to help. If everything is going well, we would like to know that too. Thank you for your service—Don Davis

Canada Update

Mr. Gerald Weston reports: November was a slow month for new attendees, but it was a good month in most other ways. Attendance continues to hold up well. We began airing Tomorrow's World on five early morning time slots each week on Vision TV. The response has been better than expected, with a high percentage of new viewers requesting lit and an overall response of between 100 and 160 per week. This is about half of what we receive for the 5:30 p.m. Sunday time slot at a much lower cost.

We are starting a new group in Windsor/Grand Falls, Newfoundland. This is because it is more centrally located than Springdale. Only one family will be affected negatively by this change, and we will still try to meet one Sabbath a month in Springdale to accommodate them. In other words, we will meet as often as we have been meeting in Springdale, but will add the new group on the other Sabbaths of the month.

Southwest Region Update (Prayer Request)

Maria Santos of the Los Angeles congregation was in a tragic automobile accident in Lancaster, CA on Sunday afternoon, December 12, 2004. Maria died instantly, as she was hit broadside by a large truck. Her two teenage granddaughters, Gelsley and Michelle Braidic, also of the Los Angeles congregation, were seriously injured. Gelsley was treated and released; Michelle remains hospitalized in ICU. She was transferred to the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles where she will receive more specialized care.

Currently, Michelle is on a respirator with significant head and internal traumatic injuries. Thankfully, there are no signs of infection at this point in time and her condition is stable, but progress has been slow.  Please pray for the total recovery and healing of Michelle, as well as the comforting of the entire family at the loss of Maria; their mother and grandmother.

Cards of encouragement can be sent to:

David & Mercy Braidic
Gelsley & Michelle Braidic
43628 Andale Avenue
Lancaster, CA 93535-1212

FROM THE BUSINESS OFFICE

As we come to the close of 2004, we have been busily preparing the budget for the Work for next year. There are several exciting things on the horizon. To be able to walk through these open doors, we must be good stewards of the resources that God gives to us, which requires good planning. We solicit your prayers for God's guidance of our activities.

The regular contribution income of the Work is at 6.9% increase through December 14, 2004. Thank you for your faithful, generous support of this end-time effort to fulfill the Great Commission.

For those of you who need to do some year-end financial planning for tax purposes, remember that all contributions received with a postmark of December 31, 2004 or before, including next year's excess Second Tithe, will be included on your contribution receipt for 2004.

—Davy Crockett, Director of Business Operations

MEDIA

Mr. Richard Ames informs us about recent Tomorrow's World television tapings:

COMMENTS

Have a peaceful and restful Sabbath and keep up the good work!

Charles E. Bryce