Greetings from Charlotte,
We can certainly be thankful to God for a wonderful Feast of Tabernacles! Reports coming in from around the world are all extremely positive—especially about inspiring sermons, warm fellowship and a strong sense of unity and purpose. Mr. Meredith was very encouraged by his visits to two sites (Branson, Missouri, and Panama City, Florida) and being able to speak to more than 1,900 people. Mr. and Mrs. Ames are due back in Charlotte tonight after their trip to New Braunfels, Texas, and Prescott, Arizona for the Feast. Mrs. Meredith reports that she is feeling much better after her fall in Branson. Mr. Apartian had health problems on his return trip from Martinique and was taken to a hospital in Puerto Rico. He is now back in Charlotte and will be in the hospital here for a number of days—he is apparently doing better as he has been teasing the nurses! Please keep the Apartians in your prayers. We are very appreciative that everyone, as far as we know, has returned safely from the Feast, and we are looking forward to a challenging and exciting year ahead! Mr. Gerald Weston has scheduled five Tomorrow's World Special Presentations in Ontario this coming week. Please keep those in your prayers.
Church Administration
Indiana Hospitality Weekend
The Knox, Indiana, congregation invites you to experience Hoosier Hospitality at its finest by making plans to attend the annual "Down on the Farm" weekend on October 30-31, 2010. Activities will include a hayride, bonfire, sing-along, and family games, and you will also enjoy good old-fashioned country cooking along with great Christian fellowship. For more details and additional information contact Todd Lawrence at 574-220-0929 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Hope to see you there! E-I-E-I-O!!!
Living for Tomorrow (L4T)—Winter Camp
Plan now to attend our winter L4T activity! Young singles, aged 18-25, are invited to take part in our new, exciting "Winter Camp." The location will be at Lutheridge, in the Asheville, North Carolina, area. Arrival will be on December 26, with departure on December 30. In between will be three days packed with activities and fellowship. We will be taking a ski outing, as well as spending time previewing selected LU classes, and having other classes related to young adults. There will be fellowship, friendship and fun! For more information, including cost, registration and further details, contact Mr. Jonathan McNair at [email protected]. Registration will begin right after the Feast, and space may be limited.
Comments
Are You Teachable? The Scriptures reveal that one of the important qualities of character that God is looking for in Christians and in future leaders in the Kingdom of God is teachability—the desire and willingness to listen and learn. Abraham was teachable and responsive to God's instructions (Genesis 12:1-4). Moses was a very capable leader, yet also humble and teachable (Numbers 12:3). David's attitude comes through in Psalm 119:33 when he writes, "Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes." Solomon recognized his human inadequacies when he asked God for wisdom and an "understanding heart" so he could rule the people of Israel wisely (1 Kings 3:9). When Jesus said the meek and the poor of spirit are blessed, He was emphasizing their teachability and their willingness to learn and grow (Matthew 5:3-5). The Scriptures make it plain that when we harden our hearts to God's instructions, we will reap serious consequences (Proverbs 28:14). We have been called to reign with Christ in the Kingdom of God, and being teachable is one of the keys to attaining that reward!
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—October 7, 2010
Pope Makes Historic Visit to England. In September 2010, Benedict XVI made the first official state visit to England by a Roman Catholic Pope since the Protestant Reformation. Although atheists threatened to have him arrested for covering up the activities of pedophile priests, the Pope apologized for the scandal, met with the Queen, and addressed an assembly of British politicians as "the Successor of Peter" and a representative of "the Catholic faith that comes to us from the Apostles" (Telegraph, 18 September 2010). In a show of unity, Benedict prayed together with the head of the Anglican Church, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. During the visit, the Pope warned about the growing marginalization of Christianity in modern societies and urged Anglicans and Roman Catholics to meet the challenge of aggressive secularism by overcoming their differences and fighting together against this common enemy. After beatifying Cardinal Henry Newman, an Anglican priest who converted to Roman Catholicism, the Pope used his final speech to urge a "restoration of full communion" between the two churches that separated nearly 500 years ago. This ecumenical outreach by the "mother church" to regain her separated "daughters" has long been predicted in the Scriptures (Isaiah 47:1-8).
Toxic Red Sludge Could Enter Danube. The Danube, Europe's second-longest waterway, could be threatened by a toxic red sludge that has entered one of its tributaries. This week, a reservoir for toxic sludge at an aluminum plant in Hungary burst, releasing 1 million cubic meters (more than 35 million cubic feet) of sludge into two neighboring towns. So far, four people have been killed, three are missing, and 120 have been treated for chemical burns. The sludge is a by-product of the aluminum refining process. Officials fear that if the sludge enters the Danube (45 miles away), an environmental disaster could ensue, impacting half a dozen other European nations. Workers in hazmat suits have been laboring all week to clear the hardest hit towns. Hungary's federal investigation agency is now involved in determining the cause (Associated Press, October 6, 2010). This disaster is likely not the "beginning of the end." However, the Bible predicts end-time events will result in contamination of one-third of all waters in rivers and springs (Revelation 8:10-11). Exactly "how" this end time catastrophe will occur remains to be seen. However, as we witness increasing disasters around the earth, we can glimpse the potential devastation that modern industries could inflict on creation. Aluminum plants exist around the globe and "holding reservoirs" for toxic sludge can be breached by intense rains, earthquakes, as well as terrorist activities. This event in Hungary could be a sobering foretaste of events to come…
Floods in Diverse Places. In the past several weeks, extensive flooding has inundated the U.S.A.'s East Coast and upper Mid-West, Jamaica, Barbados and Cuba, parts of Europe, the Southeast Asian nations of Indonesia and Viet Nam, and the Chinese island of Hainan. As of Wednesday morning, the death toll across Asia had reached 110, with tens of thousands displaced, and bridges and homes destroyed due to the flooding (Associated Press, October 6, 2010). In Jamaica, 11 people died and thousands went without power and water for several days (Canadian Press, October 3, 2010). In the American upper Mid-West, some towns were inundated with up to 12 feet (nearly 4 meters) of floodwater and entire towns were destroyed (CBS.com, September 25, 2010). In Luke 21:8-11, Jesus said that "signs of the end of the age" would include pestilences, earthquakes in various places, and fearful sights. The prophet Amos foretold that rain would fall on some cities while drought would affect other areas (Amos 4:7). As we come closer to the end of the age, we will see increasing natural and man-made disasters… signs that Christ's return is approaching. John Meakin, Sue Bennett and Scott Winnail