Greetings from Charlotte,
We have had a number of visitors in Charlotte this week. Dr. Germano was in town for meetings regarding Living University. Mr. Wallace Smith is here to tape several programs for the Tomorrow's World telecast. Mr. Smith's most recent telecast, End-Time Powers of the Middle East, should draw more than 3,100 responses—which includes more than 1,600 first-time callers. This is a very encouraging response for one of our newer presenters. Mr. Meredith is writing a new co-worker letter. This Sunday, we will conduct a Regional Conference for the elders, deacons and wives of the Headquarters church, the office staff and a few others in this area. Many are traveling this week to Michigan for the Living Youth Camp. Please keep everyone in your prayers.
**Please read the following announcement about Living University registration.
Living University
Announcement to be read at services this week
Due to computer-related problems, Living University will extend registration of students for the fall semester up until classes begin on August 15. Individuals who would like to enroll in one or more single courses, but who do not intend to pursue a certificate, diploma or degree, may do so through the University's Open Learning Program. Open Learning Program students may accumulate up to fifteen (15) hours of designated courses before they must fulfill the regular admission requirements. This fall, students may select classes from: THL 134 (Life, Ministry and Teachings of Jesus), THL 200 (Principles of Christian Living), and THL 332 (The Biblical Text). To enroll, visit the university's website at www.livinguniv.com and select Enroll Now in the Open Learning Program.
Human Resources
Employment Opportunity. Please review the following job description. If there are any candidates in your Church areas who might fulfill the requirements for the Internet Operations Department, please encourage them to send a résumé to Suzanne Pyle in the Human Resources Department.
Assistant Webmaster in the Internet Operations Department. Responsibilities will include interacting with Linux servers via a GUI and the command line as well as working, to varying degrees, with PERL, shell scripting, HTML, JavaScript, MySQL, PHP, and C. The right candidates will exhibit a desire to further develop their programming skills.
If you are interested in one of these positions, please submit a résumé to:
Living Church of God
Human Resources Department, Attn: Suzanne Pyle
PO Box 3810, Charlotte, NC 28227
FAX: 704-844-1973; Email: [email protected]
Church Administration
God's Intervention
Recently we received a few reports of divine intervention in the lives of brethren. We would like to share some of them with you:
Louisiana: Doctors noticed a growth on the vocal cords of one of our members in tests made during a hospital visit. The member asked for prayers and was anointed. In a follow-up test six weeks later, the doctors could find no evidence of the growth. They seemed excited when comparing the pictures and could only exclaim, "It's gone!"
Florida: A member was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of a heart attack. Prayers and anointing were requested. Subsequent tests revealed no evidence of a heart attack. However, doctors found a 4 cm shadow of a large aneurysm on the aorta and a 1.6 cm shadow on the lung, which appeared to be very serious. Over the next two days, the member was examined by a cardiac specialist and a pulmonary specialist who both concluded that our member had "nothing to worry about."
England: The home of one of our members was recently threatened by rising flood waters. While waiting to be evacuated, our member watched the water rise to within one inch of coming into the home—when it stopped rising! The home and belongings were spared. Nearby homes were flooded and may have to be demolished.
Zambia: Two months ago, a zealous and dedicated prospective member in Zambia requested our prayers concerning his job situation. His employment contract had been mysteriously and abruptly terminated. Just last week, he was hired for an even better job. He said, "It is surely a miracle—a very big answered prayer… God has directly intervened in my life."
Australasia Update
Mr. Bruce Tyler reports: I am back home in Adelaide after visiting our brethren in Brisbane and Christchurch... I spent some profitable time with both Mr. and Mrs. Dayrell Tanner in Brisbane and with Mr. Kinnear Penman in New Zealand… It's gratifying to see the response to the Tomorrow's World telecast. While in New Zealand, Mr. Penman and I visited a dozen or so people who were mostly "new." Undoubtedly, Mr. Penman will be baptizing a few of them in the very near future. It's good to see the fruit the program is bearing and that God is calling more individuals into His family.
Malaysia and Burma: Mr. Moses had a very busy week when he visited with brethren in Bahau, Malaysia. He reports that the brethren were very keen to continue with the second lesson of the Living Leadership Course in the morning before the usual Sabbath services in the afternoon. During the Leadership Course, the Scriptures were read in both the Tamil and English languages, which made the lesson all the more interesting! Mr. Thomas Tial Hoe, our elder in Burma, baptized two members in Sakhan Gyi village on his last trip there.
Cameroon Update
Mr. Samuel Bapes, our coordinator in Cameroon, reported that the French-speaking brethren in Douala have been affected by the continual rains. However, they are all well and will join us for the Church-wide fast on August 4.
Feast of Tabernacles 2007
Feast Registration (to be announced at all USA and Canadian congregations)
Plans are moving forward for the Feast of Tabernacles 2007. We had a profitable Festival Coordinators teleconference last Tuesday to discuss site plans, budgets, and many other matters. Our coordinators are working very hard to prepare for the Feast—which is now just under 11 weeks away!
As a reminder, our registration deadline is this Sunday, July 15. If you have not registered yet, please make every effort to do so. Almost 90 percent of U.S. and Canadian brethren have registered, but we are still missing registrations from several hundred people. Registration helps us greatly in our festival planning.—Rod McNair
Comments
Forgiveness: The Scriptures indicate that we have all sinned, and that we can be forgiven because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who died for our sins (Romans 3:23-26; John 3:16). However, Jesus taught that we must also be ready and willing to forgive others who offend us—or God will not forgive us (Matthew 6:12-15). Forgiving others will involve not holding grudges or harboring bitterness against others, not seeking to get even, and not gossiping or saying derogatory things about others who may have hurt us. This is not always easy, especially when emotions are involved, but this is how real Christians function—they forgive!
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—July 12, 2007
Pope Promotes Catholic Traditions. Pope Benedict XVI has given visible support for conservatives who desire to return to the pre-Vatican II days by signing a document paving the way for "voluntary" return to the Tridentine Mass—an idea he supported as Cardinal Ratzinger (The Times, June 19, 2007). In another attention-grabbing move this week, the pope released a document re-asserting that the Catholic Church is the one true church (San Antonio Express News, July 11, 2001) and stating that Christian denominations outside of Catholicism are not really true churches—due to their alleged inability to trace their bishops back to Christ's original apostles. Observers question the rationale of the pope in releasing this controversial paper just prior to his three-week vacation (BBC, July 10, 2007). God warns of the powerful role to be played by a religious figure and his church in end-time events (Revelation 16:13; 17:1-6, 18; 19:20). Historians note that most leaders think in terms of years, but popes think in terms of centuries. Actions taken by the pope and the Vatican today are designed to fit into a bigger plan for Europe and the future.
Zimbabwe Is Unraveling. The government of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe is crumbling, with even some of his own leaders calling for the President's resignation. Hyperinflation exceeding 5,000 percent has a choke-hold on the nation. A loaf of bread, if it can be found, now costs about $40,000 Zimbabwe dollars (28 U.S. cents). President Mugabe, in an attempt to slow inflation (and some say save his presidency), has mandated slashing prices on products, but many shopkeepers will not comply. As a result, some 1,300 shop managers and owners have been thrown into jail (Allafrica.com, July 10, 2007). Inflation has created a black-market situation where goods cost triple their value. Police have also been seen forcing price-slashing and then buying up the goods for themselves. President Mugabe's 27-year rule is coming to a close and many of his countrymen will be relieved to see him go. His recent crushing policies on farming, trade and commerce have resulted in a nation and an economy that may come to a grinding halt as gasoline supplies run out later this week (Johannesburg Sunday Times, July 8, 2007). Meanwhile, many in Zimbabwe are starving. King Solomon wrote, "A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor…" (Proverbs 28:16). God wants all judgments made righteously (Leviticus 19:15), but when they are not, people suffer. The Bible tells of the future when all judgments made will be righteous and done in love and mercy. God speed that day!
Changing Climates and War. A recent study of 899 wars in China over a 900-year period suggests that regional conflicts are associated with changes in agricultural production, as a result of changing temperatures and rainfall. Based on this data and other observations, scientists and military experts are warning of increasing international tensions related to food and water supplies. As some areas of the world become more arid and some become wetter, the difference between the "haves" and "have-nots" is predicted to become more pronounced, and the risk of regional conflicts and war is likely to increase (Yahoo News, July 9, 2007). These observations are essentially the same as end-time prophecies recorded in the Scriptures. Jesus Christ predicted that in the last days several events would mark the "beginning of sorrows," including famine, disease, pestilence, and wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6-8). The Bible further predicts that the Israelite-descended nations will grow crops that are consumed by their enemies (Deuteronomy 28:33)—indicating the great struggle for food that lies ahead. Mankind is going to see that what God predicted long ago will come to pass.—Scott Winnail, Daniel Bennett, and Ellis Noll