A big hello from Charlotte,
Mr. and Mrs. Roderick Meredith will be out of town for the next few days. They are visiting some of our congregations in Florida. Please ask God to guide, protect and bless them on this entire trip in every way.
NOTICE OF DISFELLOWSHIPMENT AND MARKING
We regret that it is our duty to inform you that, based upon biblical instruction, an ecclesiastical determination has been made to disfellowship and mark Mr. Ernest Owino for the protection of our members. Therefore, for your own spiritual well-being, you are advised to refrain from contact with this individual, including attending any meetings held by him or his representatives. Romans 16:17-18.
He is no longer a minister or member in the Living Church of God. We bear Mr. Owino no ill and we should all pray that God would grant him repentance.—Church Administration Department
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
Prayer Request: Mr. Walter Warrington
Your continued fervent prayers are requested for the healing of our local Elder in the Akron, Ohio, area, Mr. Walter Warrington, who has been very weak and not able to get out of bed for long periods of time. Thankfully, he's experiencing very little pain. Mr. Warrington's wife, Mary, is taking very good care of him (he says she's a good cook and nurse!). Cards and letters of encouragement may be sent to Mr. and Mrs. Warrington at 3815 Depot Road, Salem, OH 44460.
Living Youth Camp
It's hard to believe, but it is already time to start making plans to attend the Living Youth Camp in Michigan, or the pre-teen camps in Missouri and Texas. This year we have made registering even easier; starting Sunday February 13, 2005, you will be able to register online for any of the three camps.
The Web address is www.youth-web.org. Once you are on the main Web site, select from the menu "Living Youth Camp" or "Pre-Teen Camp." Further instructions for registering will be under each of these links. If you do not have Web access, don't worry, you can still register by obtaining a form from each of the addresses listed on the back of the Jan-Feb 2005 Living Church News.
Visit to Trinidad and Tobago
We were very pleased with our trip to Trinidad and Tobago. We had 5 new people in attendance in Trinidad last Sabbath and the attendance set a new record at 84! On Sunday, there was a Church picnic which was attended by 57. There were all kinds of races and games and other activities. I had my first personal exposure to the game of cricket. I thought a background in baseball would be far more helpful than it proved to be. The members brought a wide variety of local dishes which my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed. Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time. It was sad to leave our new friends and we look forward to our next visit!
Please remember our brethren in Guyana. They've been having the worst flooding in over a hundred years--and this is the "dry season"! To date, our members are OK, but the situation is very serious. Not only is the flooding problematic, but with all the dead animals in the water, terrible diseases are threatening many. The high water also brings crocodiles into areas not usually bothered by these animals. One large croc entered a school yard and attacked a child. A crowd of people distracted the animal with loud noises and by hurling bricks at it. The confused crocodile was killed by the crowd and no one was hurt. I read a story where the raging waters brought a crocodile into a TV studio. What a surprise for the news commentators and others in the room!—Paul Shumway
INTERNATIONAL FEAST SITES 2005
Taupo, New Zealand
The Feast of Tabernacles in New Zealand for 2005 will again be held in Taupo. This is on the shores of Lake Taupo in the centre of New Zealand's North Island. Many have commented that Taupo does provide a millennial-like setting in which to worship God and fellowship together. It is an area of natural beauty. Mountains, the lake, rivers, natural bush all provide ample opportunity to appreciate God's creation.
Taupo is not a large town and, while it is a favourite tourist spot, has not been spoiled by garish developments. It has ample facilities such as restaurants, shops and accommodations to cater for all interests and budgets. We are presently planning to meet in the fine Community Centre at Acacia Bay, which is a quiet village just five minutes from downtown Taupo. For some Feast-goers services will be within walking distance.
We expect about 80 people will attend the Feast in Taupo and we welcome visitors from overseas. Visitors from USA and Europe will find the exchange rate very favourable to them. Taupo is three hours from Auckland over good roads. It is conveniently placed to allow afternoon excursions to the cities of Rotorua (thermal areas, lakes, adventure tourism) and Napier (wine trails, art deco architecture). Many visitors have arrived in New Zealand in time for Atonement and taken the opportunity in the intervening days before the Feast to visit the famous Bay of Islands and the Northland region. Those with Internet access will find the site www.laketauponz.com of great help in planning their trip. Numbers of overseas visitors may have to be restricted, so please contact the New Zealand Festival Coordinator, Mr. Kinnear Penman, early. His email address is [email protected].
Orap, Malekula, Vanuatu
Members in Vanuatu will again be keeping the Feast of Tabernacles in the village of Orap on the island of Malekula, which is a one hour flight north of the capital Port Vila. About 30 members will attend and there may be an opportunity for a limited number of overseas visitors to join them. Accommodations for visitors would likely be at the Rose Bay Bungalows, which is an eco-tourism facility within walking distance of Orap. Accommodation costs would range from US$19 per day, per couple (with breakfast) to US$30 per day, per couple (with breakfast and dinner). www.islandsvanuatu.com/pages_uk/rose_bay.html is a useful website.
Numbers of visitors will be very restricted so, if you are interested, please contact Vanuatu elder Kinnear Penman at [email protected].
COMMENTS
Because the Passover falls on the weekly Sabbath this year, right before the Night to be Much Observed on the annual Sabbath of the First Day of Unleavened Bread, some brethren have asked how best to prepare and keep the Night to be Much Observed because of the unusual time frame (which last occurred in 2001). After discussing it with Mr. Meredith and the other HQ Evangelists, our thoughts in general are:
- Brethren can get together in groups at one another's homes, as usual, and just bring covered dishes for the meal. Instead of the host preparing the whole meal, it would be a combined effort from all attending with each family bringing food and drink, etc. That way, no one person will have too much to do on the Sabbath day.
- Planning the meal at a nice, quiet restaurant or hall is also an option. If a private room can be reserved and the group isn't too large, this can be a wonderful evening completely in keeping with the Sabbath day and the meaning of the evening.
We trust this helps in your planning for this very special time of the year. Notice Exodus 12:41-42, "And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations."
Time flies by so fast that the next 2 ½ months will be gone and we'll be keeping the Spring Festivals before we realize it! Let's start preparing now so we don't get caught off guard then.
We hope all of you have a great Sabbath day!
Charles E. Bryce