Greetings brethren,
Extreme weather continues to make the news. Tens of thousands of people are homeless and 88 dead in North Korea after horrific floods this month devastated villages and farmland. In contrast, severe drought in the American plains—with no end in sight—is now causing half of all U.S. counties to be considered "disaster areas" by the federal government. As Dr. Meredith continually admonishes us in this Work, it is time for our people—and for all of us—to "wake up!"
God's Work continues to thunder out that warning message, as well as the encouraging good news that Christ will soon come again! Mr. Pyle reports that he expects about 4,400 respondents to this week's telecast by Mr. Ames, "Five Ways to Improve Your Marriage." And 127 new visitors personally attended Tomorrow's World Special Presentations on three different continents last week (see announcements below). Dr. Douglas Winnail reports that the final leg of his Australasian trip—visiting in Manila and in Mindanao to meet ministers, brethren, and new visitors—has been a real success. He is heading home for Charlotte today. As the Work surges forward, let us all remember to pray for one another, especially those suffering health trials, and to pray for those traveling in service of God and His people.—RMcN
Church Administration
Tomorrow's World Special Presentations
Manila, Philippines: The TWSP yesterday (Saturday) went well. We had 19 visitors and 115 members. While the turnout was not large, the number invited was only 150-200, so the percentage of response was somewhere around 10%, which is well above our average. The members found the presentation very informative, and they were excited about hosting the presentation. Sabbath services also went well. The congregation here is very warm and enthusiastic. We leave for Mindanao this morning for a two-day conference and then head home to Charlotte on Thursday.—Douglas Winnail
Strasbourg, France: Mr. Vincent Lardé reports that Mr. Mario Hernandez's TWSP in Strasbourg on Monday, July 31, was a success. Eighteen people attended the presentation, including 10 prospective members. The presentation was titled, "Prophecy and History: An Unavoidable Rendez-Vous." "Everyone appreciated Mr. Hernandez's message and enthusiasm. The presentation lasted about two hours, and went longer with a question and answer session," wrote Mr. Lardé.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: Two Tomorrow's World Special Presentations conducted recently in Hamilton, Ontario, drew individuals eager to learn more about God's Truth. On Friday evening, July 13, I spoke on the topic, "Why the World Won't End in 2012." Thirty-eight guests and 17 members from nearby congregations attended. The follow-up presentation, titled "Has Religion Failed You?," was conducted on Friday, July 20. Thirteen guests, including three first-time guests, attended the follow-up along with 13 members from surrounding congregations. There is no existing congregation in Hamilton, a city of more than 500,000, so the TWSPs were supported by zealous members who traveled from other congregations to serve the people God may be calling. Follow-up efforts are underway and conversations have been very encouraging. We thank God for blessing these efforts.—James Ginn
Thunder Bay, Ontario: There were 26 total in attendance, 17 of whom were visitors, for the Tomorrow's World Special Presentation, titled "Why the World Won't End in 2012," that was conducted at the Victoria Inn in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada on July 27. The follow-up presentation occurred in the afternoon of the 28th (with Sabbath services being held in the morning). There were 18 total in attendance, nine of whom were visitors, with one first-time visitor, for this second presentation, titled "Has Religion Failed You?" According to Canada headquarters office, 306 invitations had been sent. The 5.8% response rate is one of the highest Canadian responses seen this year. We are thankful for God's blessings on the presentations and look forward to seeing how He will bless the seeds sown in Thunder Bay.—Adam West
Augusta, Georgia: On the Sabbath of July 28, Mr. Rod McNair conducted a very exciting TWSP in downtown Augusta, Georgia. To our delight, 23 brethren came from four congregations two or more hours away to help the local brethren welcome 45 very interested visitors, for a total of 80 in attendance. Mr. McNair's effective presentation on "The Gathering Storm" was greeted with evident attention and respectful responses throughout. The first visitor to arrive relayed to us the story of his trek to see the TWSP. At first, his son was going to bring him, but then unexpectedly had to cancel. So, the man started walking from 37 miles away! After walking some distance, he was able to get three rides and arrived an hour before the presentation began. The same gentleman stated he had been wanting to go to Charlotte to attend Sabbath services. When told there was a congregation right there in Augusta, his face beamed with excitement, as did several others.—Ron Poole
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania: Our sixth of eight scheduled TWSPs in the Northeast Region was a success this past Sabbath. The 40 guests joined 47 members for the presentation of "The Gathering Storm" at Chateau Resort in Stroudsburg. This brings the total number of guests to our most recent series of presentations here in the Northeast Region to more than 400 people. With upcoming presentations in Concord, New Hampshire and Bangor, Maine, we are looking forward to adding more "seeds sown."—Jonathan McNair
Philippines Update
The Ministerial Conference in Cagayan de Oro was positive and productive. We had more than 40 ministers, deacons and wives at the two-day conference. The four TWSPs conducted during this Australasian trip drew 266 visitors. Mr. Tyler, Paul and Lisa Kearns and I flew up to Manila this morning and then on to Tacloban, where MacArthur landed in WWII. We are staying at a hotel just about 200 yards from the statues of MacArthur and his staff coming ashore. We did some sightseeing this afternoon and met with some local members this evening. We fly back to Manila tomorrow morning and then I fly back to the USA on Thursday morning. This has been a very profitable trip meeting with brethren in our congregations in Auckland, Adelaide, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Manila and then with the ministers in Mindanao (along with Mr. and Mrs. Osillos, and Jes Puzon and his wife).
I read in the newspaper this afternoon that a typhoon went through Luzon (north of where we were) on Sunday and did quite a bit of damage. We had overcast skies today here in Tacloban, and had no problems flying in and out of Manila today.—Douglas Winnail
Omaha Zoo Activity 2012
Brethren from Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma gathered with brethren in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 28 and 29. On the Sabbath, 98 brethren were in attendance for services at Ralston High School. Darryl Greene encouraged brethren to be careful about what kind of entertainment they permit themselves and their children to view. Special music, a vocal duet, was provided by Michelle Wright and Julie Oberlander singing, "Your Hands" by JJ Heller, accompanied on piano by Melissa DeSimone. Associate Pastor Brian Pomicter expounded upon the teachings that Paul listed in Hebrews 6.
After services, brethren were partakers of warm fellowship and a covered-dish meal. That evening, four teams of brethren also took pleasure in a "Bible Bowl" trivia activity presented by Adam Binns, consisting of questions drawn from the Scriptures, geography, and Church history.
Sunday morning, 78 local brethren and visitors met to tour Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo. One of the region's best attractions, the Zoo is well known for its conservation work and cutting-edge exhibits. A catered buffet lunch was provided by local brethren and enjoyed by participants at a large shaded picnic pavilion between the Zebra exhibit and a Zoo train depot.
Be sure to make plans to join us for next year's visit to Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo.—Brian Pomicter
Living Youth Programs
Teen Bible Study—Sunday Evening
The Sunday evening online teen Bible studies will be cancelled for the following three Sundays, due to the Ohio Teen Summer Camp. They will resume on August 26.
Feast of Tabernacles 2012
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon CDs
Attention Pastors: Please send Mrs. Dorothy McNair, at [email protected], the names of those in your congregation(s) who will be unable to attend the Feast and will need to receive the Feast of Tabernacles sermons on CD. The deadline to submit these requests is August 15 for international recipients, and August 31 for recipients in the U.S. Note: Feast sermons will also be uploaded (one per day) during the Feast at www.lcg.org, for those who have Internet access.
Activity Payment (Repeat Announcement)
Feast of Tabernacles activity payment is now open for those Feast sites that are using the online payment system. Please go to www.LCG.org, click on the "Feast of Tabernacles" link and select your location. Click on the "Activities" tab and you will be prompted to log in to your MyLCG account. Once logged in, you can register and pay for activities of your choice.
Living University
Living University classes begin on August 15, and there is still time to enroll in the university and register for classes. But those interested need to do so quickly and order textbooks. That way you will be ready when the semester starts. High school/secondary school students interested in taking LU courses may do so by enrolling in the Dual Enrollment Program. To do so, students must be entering grade 10 or higher. Dual enrollment students can take courses in the Certificate of Biblical Christianity program, along with their regular high school curriculum, at a greatly reduced cost (the equivalent of US$10 per credit hour, plus fees and textbooks). For more information on the dual enrollment program or courses, see the online catalog on the www.livinguniv.com website. For those who have never taken LU courses before, be sure to visit our website at www.livinguniv.com and complete an Application for Admission to the university—this will allow you to register for a class. The website also provides detailed information on our programs, fees, courses, and much more. We encourage you to consider taking a class for credit if you want to work toward a degree or certificate. Or just "audit" a course if you desire the content without the stress of exams and papers. If you have questions, please e-mail or call Ms. Michelle Bottella at [email protected], or 704-708-2294.
Comments
Examples to the Believers: The summer is shaping up to be another fantastic round of camps for scores of our young people across the United States and around the globe. There will be a total of eight youth camps conducted around the world by year's end! My family and I have enjoyed the exciting opportunity to serve at the West Virginia Pre-Teen Family camp this week, organized by Mr. Paul Shumway. And with more LYC camps beginning next week—in Columbus, OH and Northamptonshire, U.K.—perhaps it is a good time to thank our volunteers who have invested time and money to assist at camp this year. We could not do it without you. And thank you to all the parents who have supported the camp program and encouraged your young people to participate.
One of the highlights of being at camp is feeling the positive energy and exuberance of our young people. Their eagerness to learn and their enthusiasm for God's way is inspiring to many. Their response to positive peer pressure in a godly environment can be a foretaste of what will occur in the Millennium around the globe! Paul told Timothy in his first letter, "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). That message is to all of us, no matter how many years young we may be.
Young people—thank you for striving to be the positive examples that God wants you to be. And keep up the good work!
Have a joyous Sabbath,
Rod McNair
News and Prophecy—August 2, 2012
Flooding in China: Some are calling the torrential rains and flooding in Beijing the "Chinese Katrina," in comparison to the devastation and government ineptitude after the powerful hurricane that hit the U.S. Gulf coast in 2005. Torrential rains inundated China's capital city last weekend, overwhelming the drainage system. More than 75 people died and 65,000 had to be evacuated due to the powerful rains and subsequent flooding (China Daily, July 26, 2012; BBC, July 26, 2012). Many Beijing residents were left wondering how a world-class city that hosted the Olympics just a few years ago could have an infrastructure that cannot withstand torrential rain. Some cited the governmental focus on promoting its external image to the world, while neglecting the basic needs of its citizens. Many Chinese question the legitimacy of the government-reported death toll (Los Angeles Times, July 25, 2012). Extreme flooding is just one of many signs to watch for as the end of the age approaches (Amos 4:7). Additionally, the Bible tells of world leaders who "eat the fat" and neglect their own people (Ezekiel 34:3-4). China's situation is not unique in the world. Many of today's leaders rule for themselves and support only those who will support them. "Selfish ambitions" are a key motive among leaders in this Satan-inspired world (Galatians 5:19-21). However, one day soon, Christ will return to this earth and usher in 1,000 years of righteous government (Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 5:10; 20:4-6). For greater insight into this incredible future time, review our eye-opening booklet, The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?
Ethnic Violence in Northern India: Ethnic violence has again broken out in the northeast India district of Assam. Local people are predominantly Hindu and some are "Christian," although there are more than 200 separate tribal groups in the region. Much of the violence is aimed at Muslims—many of whom have come across the border from Bangladesh and Bhutan (The Globe and Mail, July 24, 2012). Hundreds have been involved in the violence and the government has sent 6,000 troops and security forces to help stem it. As of this writing, more than 40 had been killed, 500 villages had been burned, and 200,000 people had fled their homes for relief camps (Associated Press, July 26, 2012). Satan has masterfully deceived the majority of mankind into thinking that "differences" make one evil. The reality that all humans are made in God's image (Genesis 1:26) and that all have the potential to become members of His family one day (2 Peter 3:9) has been hidden from society and man's many religions. One day, there will be only one religion and one God—the one true God. The current religious confusion and its resulting inhumanity will cease as all come to know the one way that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14). Only then will true and lasting peace permeate the earth. Again, our encouraging booklet, The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?, is a must read!
Cattle Culling in U.S. Mid-West: Drought is covering 97% of the high plains and 86% of the entire Midwest in the U.S. "Conditions in the Midwest, which produces roughly three-quarters of the corn and soybean crops in the world's largest producer and exporter, worsened despite the first measurable rainfall in a month in some areas" (Reuters, July 26, 2012). "Surging animal feed prices [mainly corn]—the biggest input costs for livestock producers—also led some farmers to cull their herds in the main cattle producing region of the Plains" (ibid.). "Cattlemen are selling animals they can't graze or afford to buy feed for… The number of cattle in the U.S. has been dropping for years. The Agriculture Department says the nation's cattle inventory is the smallest since the agency began a July count in 1973" (Associated Press, July 24, 2012). Thousands of years ago, God warned of the sobering consequences of rejecting Him and His commandments. "I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce…" (Leviticus 26:19-20). "Therefore the land will mourn; and everyone who dwells there will waste away with the beasts of the field…" (Hosea 4:3). God wants to bless those He created in His image, but disobedience forces Him to remove His blessings and protection (verses 1-7). God does control the weather and yearns for His people to return to Him so that He can once again bless them with "rain in due season" (Leviticus 26:1-4, KJV). For more information on extreme weather conditions, review our insightful booklet, Who Controls the Weather?—Scott Winnail