Greetings everyone,
The hurricane season appears to hold more serious threats to the Gulf Coast region of the US mainland. As I write this, Hurricane Rita is heading for a landfall along the Texas coast just east of Galveston—which means that the Feast site in Corpus Christi could be seriously impacted, as well as the people living in that area of the country. We appear to be watching prophecies being fulfilled.
Mr. Meredith and Mr. Ames completed the taping of several more television programs for the fall season. Mr. Meredith recorded yesterday, Wednesday, a program titled "2006 and Prophecy," which airs on January 1 and will offer the booklet Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ's Return. Today, Thursday, Mr. Meredith recorded a second program titled "Counterfeit Christianity," which airs on January 8 and will offer the new booklet Satan's Counterfeit Christianity. Yesterday, Mr. Ames recorded a program titled "Lessons of History," which airs on January 15 and will offer the booklet The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy. Today, Mr. Ames recorded "America's Moral Meltdown," which airs on January 22 and will offer The Ten Commandments booklet.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
From The Burson Family
The family of David Burson would like to thank everyone for their prayers, calls, cards, flowers, support and encouragement through this most recent trial. You have all been a tremendous help in dealing with our loss. We are all doing well with the help of our Loving Creator's and Older Brother's help. The fall Holy Days will have a deeper meaning for us this year as we look forward to their fulfillment. May all of you have a wonderful Holy Day season.
In Christian love,
Patty, Doug, Heather and family
FEAST OF TABERNACLES 2005
Taos, New Mexico
Parents with children desiring to participate in the Children's Choir in Taos should contact Mrs. Myrtle Forrestier, Children's Choir Director, by e-mail [email protected], or by phone (903) 834-6459.—Harold Way
Clearwater, Florida
Family Day in Clearwater will be on Thursday, October 20, at beautiful Sand Key Park Beach. We have arranged to have a caterer come on-site and prepare fresh barbecued hamburgers and hotdogs with all of the "fixings" for lunch. The price will be $10 for adults and $5 for children under ten years old. As the caterer requires a total number of meals and a substantial deposit in advance of the Feast, a count needs to be taken in each congregation in the USA of those adults and children who plan to purchase this meal. Please e-mail those numbers to Jim Meredith at [email protected] by early next week. Thank you.—Rod Reynolds
A Dinner-Dance Cruise for adults and singles 18 years or older is scheduled for Sunday evening (7 to 10 pm), October 23, at the Clearwater, Florida Feast site aboard the luxury yacht "Starlight Majestic." Sabbath wear is appropriate. The cost will be $40 per person, with tax and gratuity included for a Filet Mignon dinner. The live dance will be tailored to Church standards. If 80 people sign up, our Church group will have its own private room. If 160 people sing up, we will have the entire boat chartered. As a complete head-count is needed along with advance payment, those interested in making the cruise should contact and send a check to:
Mr. Fritz Winnail
7037 Sunset Drive South Suite # 505
St. Petersburg, Florida 33707
E-mail [email protected]
Tickets may be picked-up at the Clearwater Feast site at the Festival hall information table.
NOTE TO SPEAKERS: CONTENT OF SERMONS AND SERMONETTES
Speaking at services and at the Feast is an important responsibility. We are told in the Scriptures, "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (II Timothy 4:2). As the fall Holy Days arrive lets make sure that we focus on explaining the meaning of these days as they reveal the plan of God and show how these days relate to the Church and the world in a personal way. Please take time to pray about your speaking assignments and prepare thoroughly for your presentation. We need to remember that sermons and sermonettes are for "edifying the body of Christ" and for promoting the "unity of faith" (Ephesians 4:12-13). Speaking opportunities should not be used for airing personal ideas and theories about doctrine, prophecy, etc. The apostle Paul states that elders should be "holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict" (Titus 1:9). Paul also warns about "insubordinate…idle talkers and deceivers…who subvert whole households, teachings things which they are not to" (Titus 1:10-11). Unfortunately, this happens when speakers use their speaking opportunities to promote their own pet doctrinal ideas. This simply should not be—if we really believe in living by every word of God. Let's resist the temptation to promote personal opinions and focus instead on the true meat of the word—and not get sidetracked on peripheral, speculative ideas—that promote division instead of the unity of the faith.
COMMENTS
With the fall Holy Days just around the corner, please pray that God will protect the Feast sites and His people from the trials that increasingly face the world. The Feast is a commanded assembly that Satan certainly wants to disrupt. We need God's guidance and protection.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas Winnail