From the Presiding Evangelist
Greetings dear fellow servants,
It was really great to see nearly all of you at our recent General Ministerial Conference! It was so wonderful to renew old friendships, make new ones and have the loving fellowship and inspirational talks that we did. Many, many of the older ministers expressed their feelings that it was the "best ever" conference even going back to Worldwide days.
So I want to thank all of you for your part, for your prayers, and for your love and loyalty. I especially appreciate the wonderful help in organizing and setting up this conference which came from Dr. Doug Winnail, from Mr. Ames, from Jim and Sue Meredith and so many others here at Headquarters. So many pitched in to make it a success—for which we are thankful. All remains well here at Headquarters, and we appreciate the outpouring of positive response to the conference and for the Work in general.
Please follow through by doing all you can to build, to strengthen and inspire our brethren around the world to draw closer to God and to do their part in this vital Work which Christ has given us to do! Please help them think through these "upgrades" in our understanding of the Wedding Supper, of the timeline of final events and also the great apostasy. This is a vital challenge for all of you, and I hope that you can be alert to anyone's misunderstanding and help them—or help your local elder to work with them to come to understanding on these basic issues and help them realize that these changes are, in fact, simply "updates" of our understanding. As you know, we have always said—at least I have—that "someday" we would get the chance to go to heaven to see our Father even before the end of the Millennium. But we have not nailed it down and given the details of all of this—as Mr. Ames has done in recent months. We have always indicated—at least Mr. Armstrong, and I—that the apostasy would be much broader than just the falling away of a few people in the Worldwide Church. As I indicated at the conference, over 99% of the world never even heard about the Worldwide Church and certainly nothing about that falling away. So the really huge apostasy is still ahead of us—as we have explained—and will affect billions of human beings before it is all over!
Also, I hope all of you will do all you can to "hustle" and personally contact or visit all of the new prospective members coming in from the telecast, from our campaigns and from the Internet and other sources. Please realize the opportunity we have out there right now—before they lose interest—and help bring these new people along and bring them into the Church, if God is calling them, so they can be truly strengthened and made part of the "body" which is helping back the Work and get this Message to the whole world.
Things are moving! Even since our conference, as you know, the state of North Carolina overwhelmingly voted against "same-sex marriage." Yet, the very next day, our American President came out in favor of men marrying men and women marrying women! As one who has been in the ministry now for about 60 years since my graduation from Ambassador College in 1952—this frankly is astonishing in one sense—though many knew this was in President Obama's heart all along. Never would we have even dreamed of such a thing back during the years of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower or Kennedy. May God have mercy upon us, and upon the other nations where all of us live. We need to pray for our leaders that they will at least not interfere with our opportunity to worship and to do the Work. But we need to cry out more than ever, "Thy kingdom come"!
It is very obvious that God's Government is desperately needed as more people in Syria are butchered by their own government, as more people are "starving" or being raped or humiliated in Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere, and as our own "western," former "Christian" nations turn further and further away from the God who gives us life and breath. But we can take heart, "fellows," for as Jesus said, "When you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near" (Luke 21:31).
May God continue to inspire, use and bless all of you in this end-time Work. My prayers are certainly with you—and I deeply appreciated seeing so many of you again. Thank you, again, for your love, your prayers and your dedication to serving God's people and preparing for His Kingdom!
Your brother in Christ,
Roderick C. Meredith
Church Administration
Greetings from Charlotte,
The big news locally is that North Carolina became the 31st state to define in its constitution that marriage must be between a man and a woman, in spite of heavy lobbying by politicians, the media and even some ministers to defeat this constitutional amendment. The current U.S. President found this decision by more than 60% of voters "disappointing" in light of the fact that the Democratic National Convention will be held in Charlotte, NC this fall. Elections in France and Greece appear to indicate that European unity is headed for rocky times. Here in Charlotte, Mr. Meredith has finished a semi-annual letter that will be mailed next week. Mr. Ames' Tomorrow's World Special Presentations last weekend in New York City drew nearly 300 visitors, and his Tomorrow's World program entitled, "Beyond World War III" drew more than 4,800 responses.—DSW
Tomorrow's World Special Presentation
Manhattan, New York: The New York City and Long Island congregations welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ames for "double-header" Tomorrow's World Presentations on May 5 and 6. On Sabbath, May 5, Mr. Ames presented "The Gathering Storm." Seventy-nine members welcomed 205 guests for this presentation. One guest commented on Facebook, "We attended this presentation yesterday in [New York City]. I was feeling down due to a disappointment on Friday, and going to this event was like attending a Balm in Gilead. The people were wonderful, positive and upbeat, and the information given was food for a starving soul." On Sunday, May 6, 35 members welcomed 79 guests, including 12 people who had not attended the Sabbath meeting. The topic was "Where Is the Church Christ Built?" The enthusiastic group warmly responded to the message, with a number of people asking to attend our weekly service.—Jonathan McNair
Healing
We have had a healing in the Indianapolis congregation. In the fall of 2010, as Mr. and Mrs. Tom Campbell were coming into God's Church, Mrs. Campbell was diagnosed with breast cancer. After studying anointing, she asked to be anointed and chose to rely on God for healing. She had no chemotherapy or radiation. Her latest tests showed she is now 100% cancer-free. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are most thankful to God and to all the brethren who have been praying for her. The healing has certainly encouraged the faith of the congregation here. Tom and Linda Campbell were baptized in early 2011.—George Dellinger
Personal Hymnals—Orders Now Being Taken Again!
We are now beginning another round of orders for personal hymnals! To access the order form, please go to the website: http://hymnals.lcg.org. Personal hymnals are in English, purple in color (to differentiate from the current hymnals) and have the option of standard or spiral binding, and option of standard size (same as current hymnal) or large print edition (9" x 11"). The cost per hymnal is $11, including shipping.
For this round of orders, please note that purchases are limited to one copy per family, since supplies are limited.
To order personal hymnals, please carefully follow the directions on the http://hymnals.lcg.org ordering form regarding payment. If you don't have Internet access, please contact your local Festival Advisor, who can download a paper form for you to fill out and mail in personally.
Brethren from International areas—if you would like to order a personal hymnal, please contact your Regional Office for specific instructions in your area.
Carolina Singles Weekend Deadline Approaching!
Space is filling up for the Carolina Singles Weekend—if you haven't yet signed up, the registration deadline is approaching fast! All payments must be received by Monday, May 21, 2012. You can either pay by check (payment in the mail must be received by May 21) or online. You can find the registration information as well as a full schedule of the weekend at our local website www.charlottelcg.org (not an official Church website).
As a reminder, discounted accommodations are available at both the Holiday Inn Express and the Quality Inn & Suites near the Headquarters building. Both are easily accessible from major highways. The rate at the Holiday Inn is $99 dollars a night and the rate at the Quality Inn is $79 dollars a night. To receive the discount, you must ask for the "fellowship" rate. This rate applies to weekdays and the weekend and is also available beyond the dates of the Singles Weekend, if you'd like to come in early or leave later.
Memorial Day is a race weekend in Charlotte, so try to make your reservation as soon as possible. Let us know if you have any problems making your reservation. For more information, contact Darren Brinson at [email protected].
Hotel information:
Holiday Inn Express
9420 East Independence Blvd
Matthews, NC 28105
Phone: 704-443-3100
Quality Inn & Suites
13470 East Independence Blvd
Matthews, NC 28105
Phone: 704-821-9800
Living Youth Programs
Teen Bible Study—Sunday Evening
There will be no Teen Bible Study this Sunday evening, May 13.
Feast of Tabernacles 2012
Activity Registration Will Begin JUNE 24
The Feast of Tabernacles is still five months away—but will be here before we know it! In preparation for the Feast, our Festival Coordinators are now busy planning the schedules and activities for this year's Feast. Please note: Activity Registration for all Living Church of God Feast sites will begin Sunday, June 24, 2012. At that time, brethren will be able to sign up for activities that are hosted at their Feast site. (If you have not yet registered to attend a site, please do so at your convenience.) If you have any questions about the upcoming activities that will be available, contact your Festival Coordinator, or check out the Feast website by going to the LCG website (www.lcg.org) and then clicking on the "Feast of Tabernacles" link. More information about signing up for activities will be forthcoming in the coming weeks! —Festival Office
Human Resources
Employment Opportunity: Web Application Developer
To all Area Pastors: God is opening up exciting new doors for His Church to proclaim the Gospel, and as a result the Internet Operations Department needs a Web Application Developer to assist with the increased workload. Please review the job description below. If you know of an experienced web developer, or application programmer with web design skills who is a Church member, who is creative and who can work well under deadline pressure, please e-mail me ([email protected]). A successful candidate will be expected to relocate to Charlotte, and the Church will pay for reasonable moving expenses. Also, the candidate should submit a resume to Mrs. Suzanne Pyle, ([email protected]), fax 704-844-1973, at the Human Resources Department here at Headquarters. We request that only those applicants who live and can legally work in the United States apply for this position. Thanks for your help.—Wyatt Ciesielka, Internet Operations Manager
Employment Opportunity: Web App Developer
Are you a Web App Developer? Do you have experience with Drupal, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, Java, Android application development, and/or iPhone/iPad application development, and Linux, Apache and MySQL environments? Are you enthusiastic about web development, new technology, social-media, multi-media, and developing next-generation apps? Are you even more enthusiastic about participating in the greatest Work on the earth at this time by directly helping the Internet Operations Department support the Church's efforts to proclaim the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God to the entire world!? If you are motivated, passionate about the Truth and about the Work of God; if you are a team-player and an innovator who is goal-oriented and who thrives under pressure, then we invite you to submit your resume and apply for our Web App Developer opening.
The ideal candidate will either: a) have a Bachelor of Science degree and at least one year of professional experience, or will b) have at least five years of related professional experience. The ideal candidate will be a team-player who will be able to cooperate effectively with staff in all Headquarters departments. The ideal candidate will also have a positive, "can-do" attitude and will be creative, but able to stay focused and deliver projects without a lot of supervision. Applicants should be truly dedicated to the Church and to the Truth. A successful candidate will be expected to relocate to Charlotte, and the Church will pay for reasonable moving expenses. We request that only those applicants who live and can legally work in the United States apply for this position. If you are interested in the Web App Developer position, please send your resume to: Human Resources Department, Living Church of God, PO Box 3810, Charlotte, NC 28227-8010. Fax: 704-844-1973; e-mail: [email protected].
Comments
Pride vs. Humility: Bible prophecies reveal that in the last days people will be proud, boastful, haughty and headstrong (2 Timothy 3:1-5) and that scoffers will ridicule the idea that a real God inspired the Scriptures (2 Peter 3:3-5). Many today are largely unaware of what God reveals about pride and humility. The Bible states that "pride goes before… a fall" (Proverbs 16:18) and that humility is a prerequisite for honor in God's sight (Proverbs 15:33; 29:23). God says that He looks on the humble (Isaiah 66:2), that He dwells with the humble (Isaiah 57:15), that He raises up the humble (Psalm 147:6) and that He gives grace (unmerited pardon) to the humble (Proverbs 3:34). Jesus said "blessed" are the humble (Matthew 5:3-5). Peter urged Christians to "be clothed with humility" (1 Peter 5:5). The Scriptures reveal that God used Moses because he was humble (Numbers 12:3), and that Jesus was exalted because He humbled himself by dying "the death of the cross" for our sins (Philippians 2:8-9). While many today doubt that God exists, or wonder what His will is, the Bible clearly explains what God is looking for in each of us—"to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—May 10, 2012
Will France (Reuben) Divide Europe? On May 6, 2012 France elected François Hollande as the new president, ousting Nicolas Sarkozy. Mr. Hollande, a socialist, has pledged to reverse the course set by Mr. Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (BBC News, May 7, 2012). The outcome of this election is "the victory that both Angela Merkel and the markets had feared: French voters on Sunday night elected François Hollande, who has pledged to halt Europe's austerity measures and renegotiate the European Union's fiscal pact." The Germans have warned that "the president-elect should clarify that he will not follow through with his campaign promise to change the European Union fiscal pact, a deal reached earlier this year that forces signatories to anchor balanced-budget measures in their constitutions and halt deficit spending in order to stabilize the common currency" (Der Spiegel, May 5, 2012). This abrupt change is in keeping with Bible prophecies about Reuben (the ancestor of the French). Jacob told his son Reuben that in the latter days he would have dignity and power, but he would be unstable as water (Genesis 49:3-4). France is a leading nation in Europe, but its fluctuating governmental policies may force Germany to assume a more dominant role in Europe. Daniel prophesied that the ten toes (kingdoms or nations) of the last revival of the Roman Empire would be an unstable mixture of iron and clay—partly strong and partly fragile (Daniel 2:41-42). The recent French election will aggravate the already strained relations between nations in the EU and may further divide France and Germany. For more information on this important topic, read our free Tomorrow's World article "The End of Liberté?"
"EU Plot to Scrap Britain": This sobering headline appeared recently in a British paper, The Daily Express, as more details emerged from a covert meeting of the Berlin Group. This elite group of nations aims to create a super-president that opponents believe will be "a modern-day equivalent of the European emperor envisaged by Napoleon Bonaparte or a return to the Holy Roman Empire of Charlemagne that [once] dominated Europe." UK MEP Paul Nuttall observed, "It sounds as if they are trying to go back to the days of the Holy Roman Emperor…" "The holder of this new office would be both Europe's political and administrative leader, giving them far more powers than those given to the US president." Some suggest "This [new post] is a plot by people who want to abolish nation states and create a United States of Europe." "
The only hope for Britain is to leave the EU and become an independent nation" (Daily Express, May 4, 2012). The covert meetings of the Berlin Group have received broad press coverage in Europe. Bible prophecy indicates that Europe will produce a strong, singular leader known as the Beast, who will direct and lead ten final kingdoms or nations for a short time (Revelation 17:12-13). During this same period, many Israelite-descended nations—including Britain and the United States—are prophesied to be taken into a national captivity (Deuteronomy 28:47-48, 64-68; Ezekiel 22:15; Amos 6:3-8). For more information on this sobering topic, review our booklet The Beast of Revelation.
Germany & Iranian Nuclear Power: At a recent Jewish Global Forum meeting in Washington, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle stated, "the international community will block Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon… The current Iranian nuclear program represents an enormous danger, not only to Israel but to the region as a whole." Germany, as a northern European nation, has recently become more outspoken in regard to Iran. Although Mr. Westerwelle advocates more negotiations with Iran, he has clearly stated there is a "limit" to Germany's patience if Iran continues to threaten Israel. He noted, "I want you to know that we will continue to stand by Israel's side" (Israel National News, May 4, 2012). The prophet Daniel foretold a power struggle between kings of the North and South—a European Beast power and an Arab-led southern power (Daniel 11:29-43). While these kings of the North and South are not yet clearly identified on the world stage, Iran's actions could help galvanize the remaining Arab states. Germany's actions in support of Israel could lead to its deeper involvement in Jerusalem to counter actions by aggressive Arab nations (Daniel 11:41; Luke 21:20-24; Revelation 11:2).—Scott Winnail, Justin Ridgeway and John Wheeler