Hello from Charlotte,
Mr. Dibar Apartian has been doing a great job keeping all of you up-to-date on the news from here; however, he and his wife are spending time with their family, so I will attempt to do that this week. Mr. Roderick C. Meredith has written an important co-worker letter, which is being sent out today. Please pray that God will bless this letter and guide those who receive it to read it and be moved to action in their personal lives as these last days grow more and more ominous.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
The Living Youth Camp in Michigan is in full swing. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ames are there for the first half of the session. We solicit your prayers for the safety, fun, and profitable educational experiences for all involved in this most-important Church activity.
Llandudno, Wales, UK
Anyone planning to attend the Feast of Tabernacles in North Wales, and wanting to receive detailed travel and accommodations information, should contact Mr. Jim Bennett by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at 44-1492-540-834.
Festival Coordinators Teleconference
We held a Festival Coordinators teleconference recently. We appreciate the work of Mr. Don Davis who did such a good job of organizing this meeting. It lasted about two hours and was helpful to all involved. We were inspired to see how all of these men have their Feast responsibilities so well in hand. It looks like we are going to have the best Feast yet, and in just over three months at that!
Feast of Tabernacles Registration
(Announcer: Please emphasize the importance of everyone pre-registering so the Festival Office can satisfy as many transfer requests as possible). THIS IS URGENT.
This is a reminder to all those who still intend to request a Festival site transfer that the deadline is July 31. All those still waiting to hear about their transfer request will receive an acceptance or apology letter by the end of the 1st week of August. In some cases a second or third choice may be approved. The sites that are still open to receive transfers are: All three Canadian sites, Corpus Christi, TX, Taos, NM, and Rapid City, SD. Even if you plan to attend your assigned site, we need your yellow or online pre-registration right away. This will help us determine the number of available seats for those who are on the waiting list to hear about their transfer requests. There are only 12 weeks left until the Feast!—Don Davis
Disfellowshipment and Marking Notice
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. and Mrs. Ben Faulkner for the spiritual protection of our members. Therefore, for your own spiritual well-being, you are advised to refrain from contact with these individuals, including attending any meetings held by them or their representatives (Romans 16:17-18). He is no longer a minister and they are no longer members in the Living Church of God. We bear Mr. and Mrs. Faulkner no ill and we should all pray that God would grant them repentance.—Church Administration Department
Healing
I'm happy to pass on the encouraging news of the healing of a prospective member attending in Portland. Mrs. Jessie Banta, who just began attending with us a month or two ago in Portland, was recently scheduled for bypass surgery. Before proceeding with the surgery, she asked to be anointed by our ministers. The next time she went back, they said she didn't need the surgery after all! She also was able to stop having to take nitro-glycerin, and she has been able to cut back on other medications. We are certainly thankful for God's mercy in the situation of Mrs. Banta—please thank God for His intervention.—Rod McNair
Canadian Update
We have seen a leveling off in attendance this quarter, although this is not equal everywhere. Some congregations have picked up while others have dropped off, but the overall average has stayed about the same. We continue to see growth in Calgary, and Toronto continues to hold onto the gains made earlier in the year.
God continues to pour out His blessings on the Canadian work when it comes to finances. Income for the year through June stands at 27.4 percent above last year at this time. This is not to say we are rolling in money as we know much of this will be consumed by the new television station going on line in October. I talked to Dick Janik and he said the station has about 1.8 million households currently lined up, but they are hoping to bring in another contract that will boost it up to 3.5 to 4 million households by the time the station starts up. As with Vision TV, this station covers all provinces across Canada.
We are seeing a number of letters from people who used to follow Mr. Herbert Armstrong. Mr. Meredith's references to him have struck a chord with many people and they are very pleased to know of our connection with him. I believe this was a very wise decision on Mr. Meredith's part to let people know where we come from without worshiping a man.—Gerald Weston
RISK MANAGEMENT
Activities and Fundraisers (to be read by Pastors, Elders, Deacons and Video Recipients, not announced)
The standard list of approved Local Activities & Fundraisers can be found on the Ministerial Resources website at the section labeled "Activity Insurance Request Form"; it is an Adobe Acrobat PDF document. Once open, the top of the first page actually reads "Local Activities & Fundraisers". The list exists to provide guidance and increase our understanding. Any activity that falls outside the realm of those listed, in each category, is not currently insured and should be submitted for approval on a Special Event Insurance Request form well in advance (i.e. 45 days please).
LIST OF ACTIVITIES: Church Worship Services, Bible Study Service, Pot Luck/Covered Dish Meal, Picnic, Dinner, Dance, Dinner/Dance, Talent/Fun, Night/Show, Movie Night, (must obtain appropriate copyright © permissions), Beach Get-together (picnic/barbeque), Family, Teen, and/or Singles Hike (difficulty level: low to moderate), Family, Teen, and/or Singles Campout (difficulty level: low to moderate).
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Whitewater rafting, riflery, archery, sky diving, spelunking, rock climbing, scuba diving, bungee jumping, water skiing and other such hazardous activities are not on this list and must not be engaged in – the Church is not insured for such activities.
(Activities Reminder: Please ensure that you have a sufficient number of individuals trained, and preferably certified, in water safety and related life saving techniques at any water activity. By way of example, this would include hotel swimming pools with no hotel lifeguard present, but would not include a group visit to a "water park", where the establishment is providing such safety supervision and support).
LIST OF FUNDRAISERS (no "Multi Level Marketing" organizations, please): Car Wash (minors not allowed behind the wheel), Garage Sale, Arts & Crafts Sale, Coupon Book Sales (Grocers, Restaurants, Car repair, etc.), Fruit Sales (from recognized provider, but not transported to buyers across State lines), Event Concessions (contracted with local sports arena food services agents), Selling Safety Products for home or auto, Discount cards (pizza, etc.), Sell Personalized Children's Books, Sell pre-paid phone cards, Sell Grocery Coupon Certificate Books.
(Local Funds Reminder: HQ does not account for, audit or track local church funds. Local church funds should be placed in an account entitled "[INSERT NAME OF COMMUNITY HERE] Local Activity Fund" – or some similar concept – NOT "Living Church of God" or any other legal name of the Church. Please refer to the document on Local Activity Funds).
Thank you for your help. Please let us know if you have any questions and we will be glad to help you.—Tom Turner
Summer Swimming Activities: Make Sure They Are Safe (necessary to read, but not to announce, unless you wish to)
Summer is in full swing and many church youth groups are heading for the water. While few churches own a swimming pool, they regularly sponsor activities that include swimming. It may be a pool party for the youth at the home of a church member, a beach or lake trip, the use of a hotel swimming pool, or participating in a camping program with swimming in a lake or a pool. Reducing risks associated with swimming are critical because of the risk of drowning or severe brain damage. Slippery surfaces also contribute to slips and falls resulting in head injuries and fractures. In addition, drainage ditches and fish ponds also present water hazards that require proper barriers. Here are some basic guidelines to enhance swimming safety.
1. Have a signed parental permission slip that authorizes minors to participate in swimming activities.
2. Test each child for his or her swimming ability. Only experienced swimmers should be permitted in the deep end of a pool or other swimming area.
3. Diving should never be permitted in shallow water, or in water where the depth is unknown or hazards may be present.
4. Periodically clear the pool to give swimmers a chance to rest.
5. Closely supervise water and swimming activities. One adult should be designated to be the "watcher." The "watcher" stays completely focused on watching the children in the water. When several adult supervisors are together, it is easy for them to begin to visit with one another and to lose eye contact with what is going on in the pool. Adults should rotate with each person taking a turn being the watcher.
6. Each swimmer should have a "buddy" to help keep track of one another.
7. Try to have one or more individuals who work with youth learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). If at all possible, have such a person present for swimming activities.
8. Emergency equipment, including a telephone, should be available by the pool.
9. Supervisors should know how to shut off the pump in an emergency.
10. Instruct children never to sit on a pool or spa drain, or to get their hair near the drain. Children with long hair should not put their head under water while sitting in a spa because of the risk of it getting caught in a drain.
11. Never swim in the ocean if rip tides are present.
(Reprinted with permission by ChurchLawToday.com)—Tom Turner
May you all have a restful and pleasant Sabbath,
Charles E. Bryce