Hello from Charlotte!
Passover is just six weeks away! It certainly seems that time flies by much faster than it used to, doesn't it?
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
We are delighted to announce that the following people are coming full-time into the ministry:
- Mr. Darrell Lovelady and his wife, Lori, and two children are moving to Kansas City in April to enter the Pastoral Training Program there. Once Darrell has completed training, he and his family are tentatively scheduled to move to Seattle in November and he will become the Area Pastor for Seattle/Tacoma, Richland, Spokane, and Alaska. Mr. Don Haney, who has been pastoring a huge area for years, will then have a more reasonable workload while continuing to pastor the Portland, Medford and Eureka congregations.
- Dr. Scott Winnail and his wife, Dinah, and their two children will move to Headquarters in June to enter the Pastoral Training Program here. Once Scott has completed training, he and his family are tentatively scheduled to move to Austin in November to replace Mr. and Mrs. Keith Walden, who are transferring to St. Louis. Dr. Winnail will pastor the Austin, Temple, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Houston congregations.
- Mr. Wally Smith and his wife, Jeanine, and their four children will move to Kansas City in June to enter the Pastoral Training Program. Once Wally has completed training, he and his family are tentatively scheduled to move to Bluefield in November to replace Mr. Val Burgett, who will be transferring to Kansas City. Mr. Smith will pastor the Bluefield, Ripley, Logan, Bristol and Floyd County congregations.
Congratulations to everyone on their new assignments and responsibilities in serving God and His people full-time! They will be fulfilling very big needs in this great Work and we deeply appreciate their eagerness to do so.
South Africa Update
Mr. Syd Hull, Regional Director, reports: We have very positive news about people on our LCG mailing list who are contacting us on virtually a daily basis. It seems that many of them are now waking up. None too soon!
This morning we had a very positive visit with a lady who came into contact with the Plain Truth Magazine twenty years ago. She and her son and daughter will hopefully very soon be members of God's Church.
Earlier this week I met a man who was a member of WCG years ago until they changed God's Truth! He was a very good member of the Spokesman's Club as well. This man will for the first time attend Sabbath services with us. On Sunday we will be baptising a husband and wife in Johannesburg.
We are receiving visit requests virtually on a daily basis. To say the least, we are very thrilled about this new development.
My wife and I are looking forward to the conference in May. Warm regards.
Kenya Update
Dr. Doug Winnail, Regional Director, reports:
My recent trip to Kenya (following the departure of our minister there) was both informative and encouraging. It appears that a majority of the brethren in Kenya and Tanzania are determined to remain with the Living Church of God.Upon arrival in Nairobi I spent several days meeting with brethren and listening to their questions and concerns—in addition to dealing with various business and legal arrangements that needed attention. On the Sabbath I gave a sermon entitled "How to Avoid being Deceived" and then conducted a Bible study to review what the Scriptures reveal about various issues that had been raised. On Sunday we drove to western Kenya to meet with one of our larger congregations in that region. After delivering the same sermon we again had a Bible study and I answered questions.
It was encouraging to learn that many of our brethren in East Africa were able to see through this recent attempt to divide the Church. We are assembling a team of capable individuals that I will work through in both Nairobi and in western Kenya in order to more effectively do the work of God in this part of the world. The brethren in East Africa send their greetings, and they ask that you remember them in your prayers.
MEDIA
This week we aired program #236, "Prophetic Milestones Ahead," which offered Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled! (RU). From Thursday through Monday, we received 2,903 calls, and we are expecting the total for the week to surpass 3,400.
This is the eighth time for RU to be offered on the telecast. The previous seven offers averaged 1,967 responses per program, ranging from a low of 1,335 in August 2004, to a high of 3,727 in January 2005.
This was a super week for our new station in Memphis, WPTY. Our 6:30 am airing this past Sunday has already generated 66 phone replies at $6.74 per response (including airtime, tape, shipping and 800-number calls). In addition, at least seven other replies came through the Internet reducing the CPR to only $6.22.—Wayne Pyle
Attention Pastors, Deacons and Video Recipients (Not To Be Announced):
Please consider whether anyone in your congregation might be qualified, as well as interested, in applying for the positions below. If so, you should contact the Director of Church Administration or Human Resources at 704-844-1970.MANAGEMENT ANALYST. Gather, analyze + implement int'l economic/growth statistics for int'l nonprofit church. Min BA in Int'l Bus, Econ or Acct., Fluency in Spanish. Salary DOE.
AUDIO/VIDEO TECH. Record and edit live sermons and presentations for distribution worldwide. Min. 1-year exp. in sound recording. Salary DOE.
COMMENTS
The hymnals are now finished and in the hands of the printer for one more inspection in their quality control process. They have assured us that they will be delivered to the Headquarters building this coming Monday, March 14. We will then start packing and distributing them to all of our congregations around the world. This means that most congregations, in the Living Church of God, should be singing from the new Bible Hymnal by the end of March or the first part of April. We know this has taken longer than any of us expected, but we think the end results will be well worth the wait.
The representative of the printing company called and said she has seen the hymnal and that it is beautiful. In fact, she said she wanted to buy her own personal copy, but we assured her we would give her one. She has gone above and beyond to help us in this entire project as have so many other people in so many ways. Please pray that God will bless the delivery and distribution of the hymnals so that at last the long-awaited and anticipated time when we will have our own songbook will finally be a reality.
Have a happy Sabbath and get ready to sing better than ever!
Charles E. Bryce