Greetings from Charlotte,
The summer seems to be moving swiftly! Living University begins its fourth year of operation in just over a week—on August 16—and I hope that many will take advantage of this opportunity to increase their understanding of the Scriptures. Two Living Youth Camps are also underway, in Pennsylvania and in the United Kingdom. Next month we will be observing the Fall Holy Days. Mr. Meredith has been writing this week, and Mr. Ames taped a new Tomorrow's World program today, titled "Questions Evolution Cannot Answer," that will offer the booklet The Real God: Proofs and Promises. Mr. Wayne Pyle reports that last week's TW program by Mr. Meredith, titled "2010 in Prophecy," drew more than 4,200 responses, and that the response rate for TW programs this year is nearly 11% greater than last year (see below). Mr. Charles Ogwyn reports that 40% of those who respond to our online advertising request literature and that the average cost for our Internet advertising is 81 cents per response. Mr. Joe Brown reports that 18 repeat visitors attended the follow-up TW Special Presentations (titled, "Where Is God's Church Today?") last weekend in Thomasville, Georgia and Lake City, Florida. Mr. Mario Hernandez is moving to Charlotte this week so the Spanish Work can be coordinated from here. This coming weekend I will be in Knoxville, Tennessee, for services and a Tomorrow's World Special Presentation. Next week we have a Living University Board meeting and a Council of Elders phone meeting. Your prayers will be appreciated for these events.
Church Administration
Healing
Mr. John Hunter reports: Two Sabbaths ago I was asked to anoint a young lady (12) whose thumb had been slammed in a car door on Monday of that week; her mother had put a splint on it. A homeopathic doctor who had examined it found it to be broken and put cushion on the splint to add comfort. It was still throbbing when the girl and her parents came to me for an anointing on the Sabbath, after the service. After anointing her, I felt what seemed to me to be that "evidence of things unseen," and I told the girl, "I think the Eternal is going to give you a blessing here very quickly." Well the pain stopped very soon. Then during Sunday night the splint fell off. When she awoke to find it off she found she could wiggle the thumb and there was no pain! The thumb was completely healed! Praise to the Eternal our Healer!
New Zealand Update
Mr. Kinnear Penman reports: We are delighted with the ongoing response we are receiving to the Tomorrow's World program. During July, we averaged a total of 228 responses to each program. Of these, an average of 96 (42%) were first-time callers. We are receiving many favorable comments from viewers who are excited by the information we are giving them. We have had approval for the broadcast of three new 30-second spot ads directing prime viewers to the new program time of 8:30 a.m. on Sundays. During July we mailed 1,422 pieces of mail containing 2,506 individual items of literature. Year-to-date, we have mailed 18,880 individual items of literature. We dispatched 56 sets of Bible Study Course lessons during July.
Jamaica Update
Mr. Lascelles Fraser reports: July started with good attendance in Kingston and Ocho Rios on the first Sabbath. On the second Sabbath, to coincide with the visit of our Regional Director, we had a combined service in Kingston with 108 in attendance (a record for the Living Church of God). After services, we had a meal together and Dr. Scott Winnail had time to fellowship with the brethren. This was not the only record we were to experience during the month—on July 4, the Tomorrow's World telecast, "Teach Me to Pray," presented by Mr. Ames generated a record 145 responses. On Sunday, July 11, we had a "Sermonnette Workshop" and the workshop was followed by a brief Feast of Tabernacles preparation meeting with the leading men present and some words of encouragement from Dr. Winnail.
Living University
Fall Semester 2010 Registration
Living University classes begin on August 16—just over a week away. Although more than 100 students have already registered, space is still available in most of our classes. If you are interested in taking an LU course this semester, you should plan to register and purchase textbooks this week. This week we highlight two more courses being offered this semester. We encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to develop even more spiritual understanding by taking one of the many courses offered by LU this Fall. This week we are highlighting THL 399— Codex "W" in Retrospect and THL 476—Archaeology of Jerusalem. For a complete list of courses being offered this semester, please visit our website at www.livinguniv.com.
THL 399—Seminar: Codex "W" in Retrospect
Students will undertake a chapter by chapter analysis of First Century Gospels Found which will serve to inform them on forensic textual analysis. There are no exams or quizzes, students will complete a one page critical analysis of each chapter in the book. See www.washington-codex.org.
THL 473—Archaeology of Jerusalem
This course deals with the development of Jerusalem from prehistoric through the Byzantine Period in light of archaeological discoveries and extant historical details. Emphasis will be placed upon key stages of the city's past as Canaanite Jebus, the City of David and Zion, Nehemiah's Jerusalem, Herodian Jerusalem, Roman Colonia Aelia Capitolina, and Byzantine Jerusalem. Special emphasis will be placed on the Temple Mount, Cenacle, and Golgotha. By the end of the semester, students will better understand Jerusalem's fascinating history and also the city's features and key structures.
For more information and to register for classes, please visit us online at www.livinguniv.com or call Dr. Scott Winnail at 704-708-2292.
Living Youth Camp
Teen Camp—Pennsylvania
Mr. Jonathan McNair reports: Pennsylvania Living Youth teen camp is off to a great start! Forty-eight girl campers and 28 boy campers arrived on Tuesday, August 3, and the next day jumped right into orientation and a full day of activities. We have 53 staff members who have done an exemplary job of adapting to the challenges of a new setting and facility this year. A storm brought some rain Wednesday afternoon, knocking out electricity for some in nearby Pittsburgh, but thankfully the camp was spared the worst of it. Activities and classes include dance, archery, ultimate frisbee, aquatics, speech, life roles, adventure class and wilderness trip. And, in the Christian Living classes, we are enthusiastically teaching the "Seven Laws of Success"! We'll be posting information from camp on the www.livingyouth.org website, including a daily feature written by one camper a day called "Letters to Home." For pictures and daily updates about camp, check the www.livingyouth.org website.
Teen Camp—United Kingdom
Mrs. Shayne King reports: All is well and the kids are having a ball at United Kingdom Teen Camp in Croft House, Northampton! In the last three days they have done sailing, raft-building, rock-climbing, cycling, bat-watching, swimming and orienteering. Along with the forums on Christian Living, they also participated in a career analysis on Wednesday. Mr. Rod King is heading up the cooking, with two ladies to help, including one from Malaysia, who prepared a seven-dish Asian banquet (we were slicing and preparing all day)! Fanny Ellis is working on a presentation each day and Mr. John Meakin is videoing the highlights. The Ellis' have done a brilliant job of putting it all together and their approach with the youth is wonderful. All in all, we feel very blessed for our first camp for the European area.
Feast of Tabernacles 2010
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon CDs
Pastors have been asked to provide us with a list of those who will be needing Feast of Tabernacles sermon CDs because they are unable to attend the Feast. If you will be unable to attend the Feast this year, please see your pastor to be put on the list. Note: Feast sermons will also be uploaded (one per day) during the Feast at www.lcg.org, for those who have Internet access.
Services Before and After the Feast of Tabernacles
We will also be putting together a list of where Atonement services, and weekly Sabbath services after the Feast, will be conducted so, as you are travelling to and from the Feast, you will know where you can attend while on the road. When we put this list together, we will post it on the MyLCG website (www.cogl.org). Festival Coordinators are also determining whether or not they will have Sabbath services following the Feast at or near their Feast site—please contact your Festival Coordinator for more information.
Financial Assistance
We are now going over the Festival Assistance request forms, and are having to make difficult decisions because of our limited funds available. We want to let all of our brethren know that festival assistance decisions have to be based on biblical priorities, with priority for assistance going first to widows and orphans (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). If you have only recently begun attending services, and have thus not saved enough second tithe to attend the Feast, we may have difficulty helping you with assistance. If you are just newly attending and are notified as not approved for second tithe assistance, we encourage you to attend whichever days of the Feast you can—such as the first and last Holy Days or the weekly Sabbath during the Feast if you are close enough to the Feast site. In other words, attend within the limits of the funds you personally have available this year. Then, begin saving second tithe for next year so you can attend the entire Feast. You can also benefit from our sermons posted daily during the Feast on the Church's website, www.lcg.org.
Speaking Schedules
United States and Canada speaking schedules for the Feast of Tabernacles have now been sent. Most international speaking schedules have also been sent. If you are on the speaking schedule, please begin preparing now for your assignment(s), placing special emphasis on giving meat in due season (2 Timothy 4:2), specifically on the Good News of the return and wonderful reign of Jesus Christ on earth! Sermonette and sermon speakers: please submit the title(s) of your message(s) to your festival coordinator by September 1.
Prescott, Arizona
Festival Chorale and Children's Choir: The Prescott Feast site still has a need for volunteers to serve in either the Festival Chorale or the Children's Choir. If you wish to participate in the Chorale or if you have children who would like to perform in the Children's Choir, and you did not sign up at registration, please contact Vincent Fratto at [email protected] or at 480-220-7948.—Darrell Lovelady
Panama City, Florida
Children's Choir: Good news, brethren! We have a director for our Children's Choir at the Panama City Feast of Tabernacles. Mrs. Rachel Nicholson is prepared to send practice CDs to all children who would like to sing in the Children's Choir in Panama City. If you have a child who would like to sing in the choir, please send your name and address to [email protected].
Services after the Feast: If you are staying after the Feast in Panama City, please contact the site coordinator at [email protected]. Early responses indicate there is enough interest to hold Sabbath services in Panama City, but we need to make sure we book a space that is large enough.
Media
Television Update
The new ION Network is really helping boost our summertime audience. Each week more than 68% of our ION respondents are brand new, first-time callers (the normal percentage for TV stations and networks is about 50%). So far this year, over 138,000 people have responded to Tomorrow's World television programs. Please pray that God will continue to bless these broadcasts.—Wayne Pyle
Internet Update: New E-List Launched!
This week a new e-mail subscription list—the LCG Weekly Digest—was added to the Church website, www.lcg.org. This will allow subscribers to the LCG Weekly Digest to receive an e-mail each Saturday which provides an overview and a link to each of the featured items added to the website in the previous week. This will include the website Commentaries, News & Prophecy briefs, as well as a sermon from Headquarters. This new e-mail subscription list will provide an alternative to the Commentary e-mail list which is programmed to be delivered automatically each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. These e-mail lists provide a way for interested individuals to stay abreast of the new content added to the website each week. Since January 2008, these e-mail campaigns have resulted in more than 670,000 clicks to our websites! To start receiving the LCG Weekly Digest in your e-mail inbox, simply visit the website—www.lcg.org and click the "Subscribe for E-mail Updates" link at the top of the page.—J. Charles Ogwyn
Comments
Gentleness is Godliness: We understand from the Scriptures that Christians have been called to become kings and priests—civil and religious leaders—in the Kingdom of God. In this world, leaders often feel that to appear as a leader, they must exert control over others to show who is in charge. Yet, Jesus said this human tendency to "lord it over" others will not be tolerated in His coming government (Matthew 20:25-28). Instead, God is looking for individuals who are able to serve and lead in a gentle—but not weak—manner. David records how God dealt gently with him (Psalm 18:35). Solomon said that patience and gentle words can persuade difficult people (Proverbs 25:15). The Apostle Paul dealt gently with brethren instead of using his position to make demands and issue orders (1 Thessalonians 2:6-7). Paul also urged Christians to be humble, gentle and patient when dealing with others (Ephesians 4:1-2). Bible prophecies indicate that while Jesus Christ will return and rule with a "strong hand," He will gather His flock as a shepherd and "gently lead those who are with young" (Isaiah 40:10-11). Anyone who hopes to lead in the Kingdom needs to remember that gentleness is a trait of Godly leaders.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—August 5, 2010
China's Growing Global Threat. "ALMOST half of Australians believe that China will become a military threat to Australia within 20 years," according to a recent Lowy Institute poll. While most Australians appreciate the economic benefits of a relationship with China, most believe that their government has allowed too much Chinese investment in Australia. A majority also feel China's goal is to dominate the Asian region. The survey revealed that Australians "were positive about China's economic growth but fearful of its military aims" (The Courier-Mail, May 31, 2010). While Bible prophecy does not indicate that China will "rule the world" prior to Christ's return, it does inform us that populations of Israelite-descended nations, like Australia, will experience captivity by gentile nations at the end of the age (Amos 5:3; Deuteronomy 28:41-50). God often uses other nations as the "rod of His anger," in order to get the attention of the people He works with. Egypt and Assyria are two historic nations God has used. Might He also use China to "bring Israel low"? Time will tell, but events certainly appear to be moving in this direction.
More Oil Spilling. Monday, July 23, witnessed another oil spill—this time in the state of Michigan. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the spill at more than 1 million gallons. Oil began spilling from an aging pipeline built in the 1960s along the Kalamazoo River. Officials fear the environmental ramifications if the spill travels through the river and reaches Lake Michigan. The owner of the pipeline apparently delayed cleanup efforts for three days following the spill, creating a public outcry about this safety violation-plagued company (Associated Press, July 29, 2010). Crumbling infrastructures and an apparently insatiable demand for petrochemicals has set up situations ripe for disasters—as is being witnessed around the globe. As the creation itself "cries out" for Christ's return (Romans 8:19-22), we should be moved with compassion as Christ was, and follow His command to pray to the Father, "thy kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10). Only after God's Kingdom is set up on earth, will man's futile attempts to create a perfect society be set right, as the world learns to live by the perfect law of liberty (Isaiah 2:2-4; James 1:25).
Water and the Future. Population scientists and world leaders warn that water will be a major factor in future geopolitics. As the world population soars and global demand for food grows, the finite water supply available for food appears to be dwindling. In fact, in some areas of the world, farmers are vying for irrigation water with those who need it for drinking water. The World Bank's vice president recently warned "the wars of the next century will be about water" (UncommonWisdomDaily.com, July 28, 2010). Other experts believe that water shortages in the future will lead to higher food prices around the globe (Daily Mail, April 19, 2010). Bible prophecies reveal that increasing famines and pestilence will appear as we approach the end of the age (Matthew 24:7). In addition, hyperinflation will also affect the cost of food (Revelation 6:5-6). The time is coming when "The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, their tongues fail for thirst…" (Isaiah 41:17). Although difficult times are ahead due to nations rebelling against God and His way, there is also hope, because God promises that He will eventually cause rivers to open in "desolate heights" and He will make the wilderness a "pool of water" (Isaiah 41:18-20).—Scott Winnail