Greetings from Charlotte,
We are getting back to a normal schedule here in Charlotte after nearly two weeks of meetings. The Council of Elders meetings went very well, and the Ministerial Conference was outstanding. Many of the 230-plus ministers and wives from 18 countries who attended have commented that it was the best conference they have ever experienced. There was a strong sense of unity and shared focus on the mission of reaching this world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, warning the nations of what lies ahead and preparing a people to reign with Jesus Christ in the coming Kingdom of God. Mr. Meredith began each morning session with a special message. Mr. and Mrs. Dibar Apartian were given a plaque to commemorate their years of service to the Church, and Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Weston were given one to commemorate their years of service to the Church's youth. A more detailed write-up of the conference will appear in the next issue of the Living Church News.
Mr. Meredith finished a semi-annual letter this week. This coming weekend Mr. Ames will make a Tomorrow's World Special Presentation in the New York City area. Your prayers for these efforts will be greatly appreciated.
Church Administration
Memphis and Arkansas Weather Update
Mr. Wyatt Ciesielka reports: As you may have heard, most of Arkansas and most of Tennessee (and other parts of the country) have been hit pretty hard by very severe thunderstorms, a few tornadoes, flooding, etc. We had a couple of tornados come through Arkansas and miss our brethren by only eight or nine miles. Huge parts of Memphis and Nashville are under water right now. I have been able to talk to most of the brethren in the Little Rock, Russellville, Newport and Memphis congregations, and I am very thankful to say that it appears that everyone has received God's protection from these storms…. No homes damaged. No flooded homes.
Mr. James Sweat reports: God has indeed protected our brethren in the Nashville area. Most brethren have had a difficult time getting around and some have lost electrical power and have soggy lawns, but we do not know of any who have lost property or health due to flooding!
Australia Update
God Protects His People in Northern Queensland: Members Rod Edgar (Bowen, QLD), Fred Tappert (Mackay, QLD) and Robert Jupe (Mackay, QLD) were spared the severity of Cyclone Ului, but there was a lot of damage in the Proserpine and Airlie Beach areas which received the full force of the storm. Both Bowen and Mackay experienced the outer part of the storm which contained horizontal rain and strong winds gusts of over 100 km/h…. The last bad storm to hit Mackay was in the 1950s, which destroyed one of its bridges. Mr. Tappert, Mr. Edgar and Mr. Jupe are all doing well and are thankful to God that there was no damage to their properties.—Mark Mager
Melbourne Storms: In Melbourne, severe storms wreaked havoc with 100 km/h winds on Saturday, March 6, 2010. The city centre and metropolitan areas were covered in hail larger than golf balls. At least 300 homes and cars were damaged by hail stones and rain. Melbourne received one month's worth of rain in one hour. Comments included "things you never thought you'd see." Brethren were sitting in services listening to Dr. Meredith's sermon on the "fast day" and, at times, were unable to hear the message with the hail beating on the roof and bouncing outside the hall. The heavy black storm clouds could be seen over Melbourne from the hall, but members only experienced the edge of the storm—reminiscent of Psalm 91. No members' cars were damaged, for which we thank our loving God.—Lyn Hayhurst
Perth Hail Storm: On March 22, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. the sky went unusually dark and, out of nowhere, hail stones, some the size of tennis balls, came crashing down onto anything in their way. The dreaded feeling of disaster, shock and devastation hit when thousands realized the severity of the storm. Roads were flooded and about 200,000 homes were blacked out. Many homes and businesses were damaged because of flooding and glass windows or doors being smashed by the large hail stones. Thousands of cars were left with damage, some beyond repair. The storm hit closer to home when the children's early learning facility I was working at was affected. Large hail stones smashed through a glass window and through the undercover areas surrounding the centre. The centre's van and staff vehicle, including the hire car I had, had windows smashed and huge dents all over them. The storm has also brought a hike in prices for our locally grown vegetables; lettuce, which normally costs about $1.50 each, has risen to a whopping $5! Perth is currently still counting the cost. The present damage bill stands at $650 million. However, there are fears that the total damage bill may hit $1 billion in the coming months.—Deb de Silva
Thank You from East Texas
Earlier this year, the home of a Church family in east Texas burned in an accidental fire. The Church, through the disaster relief fund, and local brethren came to their aid. The affected members recently wrote, "We wish to express our appreciation to you and all the brothers and sisters of the Church for all the gifts and prayers after our home burned. We have never felt more loved by anyone or any group in our lives. Thank God for leading us to His Church and to all His children. Cards were sent to us from as far away as Ireland and gifts from all over the United States. We received inspiration from our local ministers and elders from the Hawkins church from the day of the fire up to this very day. They have come with gifts and they have helped with the work however they could. Special thanks go to the local people who helped in putting together a place for us to live…. The brothers and sisters worked for days sacrificing their time and income to help us. A loan of an RV trailer gave us a place to stay in while the construction took place…. May God bless each one of the brethren and we wish to let each one know we love them. We feel that God's Church came together and worked to provide comfort for one of their family. God may not have burned our home, but you could see His hand in providing what was needed in rebuilding us a place to live…. We feel that this is God's Church and hope that His Kingdom will be set up here on earth soon."
Feast of Tabernacles 2010
Feast Registration Update: As of May 6, 2010, 3,498 brethren have registered for the U.S. and Canadian sites, which is about 74% of our U.S. and Canada average Church attendance. Here are the registration numbers at this point for our U.S./CANADA sites:
Anchorage, AK—255
Prescott, AZ—193
Panama City, FL—936
Helen, GA—456
Branson, MO—380
Cobleskill, NY—149
Newport, OR—240
New Braunfels, TX—239
Wisconsin Dells, WI—220
Penticton, British Columbia—139
Mount Orford, Quebec—148
Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland—143
Panama City, FL prayer request: The recent BP oil spill is threatening some of the Gulf Coast communities, including possibly Panama City. In light of our Feast plans there, please pray that God would protect Panama City from any adverse effects in this situation.
This week we feature abbreviated descriptions of sites in the Philippines (Davao) and Sri Lanka. Unabridged descriptions are available at the MyLCG section of www.cogl.org.
Davao, Philippines
This year, brethren in Eastern-Southern Mindanao, Philippines, will once again be attending the Feast of Tabernacles at Hope Mountain, in Davao City. Hope Mountain lies on a hilly site 400 meters from Ulas, on the national highway connecting Davao with Bukidnon. The area around Hope Mountain is surrounded by beautiful lush green trees, fruits and plants. One can look down and enjoy beautiful views of a flowing river on the slopes and the surrounding countryside, where cool breezes blow very soothingly, freshening one's senses. The location is ideal for brethren to dwell together in peace and unity, and we have exclusive use of the facility, which caters for 100 people or more. The messages are given in the local dialect, mixed with English. An English-speaking person will have no difficulty understanding what is said.
Accommodations for visitors are plentiful in Davao, with many fine hotels and motels offering good accommodations, all the way up to five-star level. From overseas, one would fly into Manila, and then by air to Davao City. The local brethren would meet you at the airport to guide you to your accommodations in Davao City, and the Feast site. Access to the Hope Mountain site is easy, only a short drive from the city center. Take a taxi, car, or charter a Jeepney at minimal cost, or contact Festival services for an escort in your own vehicle. We may even be able to give you a free ride to the Feast site each day from your lodgings. If you would like to attend the Feast in Davao, Philippines, this year, please register at the MyLCG section of www.cogl.org. For further information on this site, contact the coordinator, Mr. Felipe Casing, at [email protected].
Sri Lanka
Come and enjoy a Feast of Tabernacles with a difference on the tropical island of Sri Lanka. Here the sea breezes greet the palm-studded sandy beaches, while the inland mountains provide a refreshing atmosphere that even the ruling kings sought after. Each year God has placed his name at a resort, comfortably housing all the brethren in one place, creating a wonderful atmosphere of continual fellowship and learning from morning to evening. The world outside, including parking and traffic problems, can all be forgotten so there will be an excellent opportunity to focus on the meaning of the Feast. The brethren will travel together to the Feast site in an air-conditioned, chartered bus from Colombo, with lots of singing as they look forward to the enjoyable time together. So, bring a healthy appetite and a happy disposition!
Accommodation for all of the brethren is in one hotel and services are held in the same venue. Sumptuous food, local and international cuisine, are served buffet style—breakfast, lunch and dinner, with tasty bites for morning and afternoon tea—all for approximately USD$60/person/night. The shared-meals setting provides plenty of opportunity for fine fellowship, caring and sharing. If you would like to attend the Feast in Sri Lanka this year, please register at the MyLCG section of www.cogl.org. For further information on this site, contact the coordinator, Mr. Zig Svalbe, at [email protected].
Comments
The Importance of Working Together: Jesus referred to His disciples as His "friends" and encouraged them to "love one another" (John 15:12-17). The Apostle Paul called those who assisted him in his ministry "my fellow workers" (Romans 16:3) and "fellow workers for the kingdom of God" (Colossians 4:11). He also referred to members of God's Church as "God's fellow workers" (1 Corinthians 3:9) and "workers together [co-workers] with Him" (2 Corinthians 6:1). This is an exciting opportunity that carries a big responsibility of learning how to do this! It is not surprising that the Scriptures provide important guidelines about how to work together. We are instructed to "be perfectly joined together in the same mind" and not let contentions divide us (1 Corinthians 1:10-13). We are also advised to get along and live in harmony, to avoid being haughty and conceited or ambitious for a position, to be humble, easily entreated and do what is right—to live and work together peacefully (Romans 12:16-18). If we can learn to "love one another" and treat each other as "friends" we will be more effective "fellow workers for the kingdom of God."
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—May 6, 2010
The Future of the EU and the Euro? Speculations abound regarding the fate of the EU and the euro, and there is increasing concern that one or both could fail. The U.S. bank, Morgan Stanley warns "…that the Greek debt crisis is setting off a chain of events that may prompt German withdrawal from the eurozone" (Telegraph, April 15, 2010). "The former Governor of the Bank of Israel, Prof. Yaakov Frenkel, predicts a possible collapse of the Euro within the next three years" (IsraelNationalNews.com, May 2, 2010). Swiss economics professor, Franz Jaeger, predicts there is only one way left out of the euro-crisis: The currency must be split in two! He envisions a stronger "northern euro" to serve the nations in Northern and Western Europe, while a weaker "southern euro" would serve the Southern European nations. Professor Jaeger sees eight nations in each of the southern and northern euro zones (Bild am Sonntag, May 2, 2010). These predictions all fit with the opinion of many EU experts—there will be a two-speed or two-tiered Europe, with the stronger and more financially stable core of nations pulling ahead. Such a realignment of European nations could eventually result in the prophesied ten-kingdom power of Daniel 2 and Revelation 17. The Bible states that this political power will consist of "10 kings" who willingly "give their power and authority to the beast" for a short time (Revelation 17:12-13).
Could Belgium Disappear? Last week, Belgium's Prime Minister tendered his resignation to King Albert II, opening the door for new elections (CNN.com, April 26, 2010). Belgium is being torn apart because of disagreements between its French-speaking and Dutch-speaking communities. "The conflict between Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia is a long-standing one, but the most recent episode has prompted the Belgian public and policymakers to remark that it could be the end of Belgium, with the possibility of a split in the country that would lead each half to be either fully or partially integrated with neighboring France and the Netherlands. This would have geopolitical repercussions for Europe — not just because Belgium hosts the headquarters of both the European Union and NATO, but also because of the symbolism such a split would have for a Europe skittish of border alterations." Elections will likely take place on June 13, one month before Belgium is set to take over the six-month rotating EU presidency (Stratfor, April 30, 2010). Jesus warned that one sign of the end of the age would be nation (or ethnic group) rising against nation (Matthew 24:7). The prophet Daniel also told of the "iron and clay" nature of the final revival of the Roman empire (Daniel 2:40-44).
Environmental Catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico. Following an explosion at a British Petroleum deep water oil well on April 20, 5,000 barrels per day of crude oil have been pouring into the Gulf of Mexico (Stratfor, May 3, 2010). Because the "fail-safe" shut-off valves have also failed, BP is frantically working to reduce the impact of the spill and to come up with alternative means of collecting the oil. More than 7,900 Gulf-Coast residents, mostly fishermen, have been hired to distribute oil booms that will help protect coastal wetlands—nurseries for much of the sea life in the northern Gulf. BP has also begun using chemical dispersants at the point of the spill, a mile under the sea surface. Dispersants help prevent the accumulation of oil on the surface, but their effects on marine life and the ecosystem are not fully known. They also do not totally dissolve the oil. One fear is that there could be a more serious blowout on the oil well head, resulting in the spilling of more than a million gallons of oil daily (AP, May 5, 2010). From fishing to tourism, the Gulf is the engine of the Gulf-Coast economy. Not only does this current spill have the potential to greatly impact the lives of millions of people, what might happen if several wells were to fail along the coast from Louisiana to Texas? God warns Israel that because of its many sins, "…the land will mourn; and everyone who dwells there will waste away… even the fish of the sea will be taken away" (Hosea 4:3). This spill could bring about all three results, impacting the land, the people and the sea life. God can even use oil spills to punish Israel for rejecting His way.—Scott Winnail, John Meakin, Adrian Käfer, Ben Whitfield