Greetings from Charlotte,
It has been very encouraging to read the very positive reports about the Feast of Tabernacles coming in from around the world. Many have indicated that this was the best Feast they have ever attended. Sermons were inspiring, the fellowship was warm and in most cases the weather was extremely pleasant. God certainly blessed the Feast this year! Mr. and Mrs. Meredith were in Virginia Beach for the Feast. Mrs. Meredith is feeling better and stronger. Here in Charlotte, we are getting back into our regular routines. Mr. Meredith has been writing this week, and he has completed a co-worker letter that is being mailed to more than 12,000 individuals worldwide. It was also very encouraging to see that the responses to the Tomorrow's World television programs that aired during the Fall Holy Days were well above 5,000 for all programs. Mr. Ames' program, entitled "Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled," drew 7,501 responses. Your prayers will be appreciated for Tomorrow's World Special Presentations in Peterborough and Kingston, Ontario; and Dubuque and Davenport, Iowa, this weekend.—DSW
Church Administration
Tomorrow's World Special Presentations
Building on the momentum of the Feast of Tabernacles, we held three TWSPs in Ontario last weekend, where I spoke on the topic, "Why the World Won't End in 2012." On Friday evening in Peterborough, we had 34 guests and 14 members for a total of 48. The next afternoon, we held a presentation after Sabbath services in Kingston, where 16 guests joined 37 members for a total of 53. On Sunday, 15 members drove down to Belleville to join 10 guests who were invited to the follow-up presentation to be held an hour away in Kingston this Sabbath. There will also be a follow-up in Peterborough. We thank God for opening this wonderful door to preach His Gospel.—James Ginn
20th Anniversary Celebration in Charlotte
All brethren from around the world are cordially invited to attend a 20th Anniversary Celebration in Charlotte. December marks the 20th anniversary of the Global/Living Church of God. A long weekend of special activities for all ages is being planned. Arrival will be Friday, December 21, and departure will be Tuesday, December 25. Bible Study, Sabbath services, and a dinner-dance will be held at the Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel. A special group rate has been negotiated at the Renaissance Suites and other area hotels. Sunday will be a full day of fun for all ages including basketball and volleyball tournaments, children's games, and other activities. There will also be a BBQ lunch served for all who attend. On Monday morning we will be having various seminars for teens, singles, and married couples, followed by singles and youth activities in the afternoon. Online registration will soon be available. We hope many of you can join us for a "December to Remember"!—Jim Meredith
Kansas City Family Weekend
Mark your calendars! The Kansas City Family Weekend will be December 28-30. We will be hosting a Bible Study on Friday evening; services, meal, fun show and dance on Saturday; and sports and family games on Sunday. The theme this year is "Through the Ages."
If you would like updates on the details of the weekend as they become available, please "like" us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/lcgkcweekend (not an official Church social media page) or request to follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lcgkcweekend (not an official Church social media page).—Michael Keesee
Feast of Tabernacles 2012
2012 Festival Survey: Now that everyone is home from the Feast, we would like to remind brethren to fill out the online feedback form if you have not already completed one. This information is invaluable for future festival planning. You can access the online form at http://fotsurvey.lcg.org. Thank you!—Festival Office
Living Youth Programs
Teen Bible Study—Sunday Evening
This Sunday evening the topic is "Gideon: Strength of the Humble," presented by Mr. Marc Arseneault. The chat room is open at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) and the Bible Study runs from 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Internet Operations
New Features on TW Web Site: Just before the Feast of Tabernacles, we implemented two new features on the Tomorrow's World Web site to better serve you. Notice that at the bottom of the TW home page, we are now displaying the Tomorrow's World telecasts which are being recorded in our Canadian office for networks such as TBN and for broadcast into China. Also, notice that we now include the five most recent Twitter "tweets," which are typically Bible or prophetic news items that you don't want to miss. More than 25,000 people currently subscribe to the Tomorrow's World Twitter account, and more than 28,000 people have signed up as Tomorrow's World Facebook "fans." And our reach is rapidly growing every week! If you have not yet checked out these services, please do so.—Wyatt Ciesielka
Comments
Goals for the Coming Year: Solomon advised in the book of Proverbs, "Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil" (Proverbs 4:26-27). As we return from the Feast, inspired by the sermons and fellowship, it is a good time to think about setting goals for the coming year. What changes would you like to make—or do you need to make—in your life? In what areas would you like to grow? How can you serve God and others more effectively? In the days just ahead, it will be profitable to think and pray about changes to make in your life to better prepare for the coming Kingdom of God. Are there books you can read, classes you can take, experiences you can have that will help you grow? Jesus told His disciples that God is glorified when we "bear much fruit" (John 15:8). The Apostle Paul urged Christians to "walk circumspectly [carefully, diligently]" and make the most of the time and opportunities at our disposal (Ephesians 5:15-16). Peter exhorted his audience to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). What goals can you set and work towards in the coming year that will help you become a more profitable servant in the Kingdom of God?
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—October 18, 2012
Germany Sees Europe Without Britain: Britain appears to be moving away from the EU. The British now realize that their sovereignty is more important than political union with Europe. UK opinion polls show that almost "50 percent of Britons say that they would vote for a withdrawal from the EU in a referendum" (Der Spiegel, October 15, 2012). Prime Minister David Cameron has also sent the message that "the government in London no longer has much in common with Europe" (ibid.). The UK is planning to "withdraw from a Europe-wide system of cooperation among judicial and police authorities. The decision affects more than 130 regulations, which also include the European arrest warrant" (ibid.). Last year the British blocked creation of a German-led EU military headquarters and, "Now the plan is to be revived and implemented, even against London's resistance" (ibid.). The new British attitude is causing Germany to rethink the European dream. "Great Britain is turning away from the EU and the German government is allowing it to do so" (ibid.). The EU is preparing for a stronger political union which may "only be achievable without Great Britain" (ibid.). God prophesied that Ephraim (Britain) would mix "himself among the peoples" and would not notice when foreigners "have devoured his strength" (Hosea 7:8-9). This is what happened when Britain signed the Lisbon Treaty and gave up much of its sovereignty. Like a "silly dove, without sense" they made an alliance with "Assyria" (Germany), and God is now bringing them low for rejecting Him (Hosea 7:11-16). Britain's lack of commitment to the EU is increasingly evident. Now a frustrated Germany is preparing for a Europe with or without Britain. Based on Bible prophecies, the Church of God has for years foreseen a British exit from the EU.
EU Wins Nobel Peace Prize! "At a time when the EU looks to be on the brink of a break-up, the Nobel Committee has decided to remind people that the Union emerged from the Second World War and has successfully prevented new conflicts, especially between Germany and France over the last 60 years. 'Today, war between Germany and France is unthinkable,'" noted the Nobel committee chairman (Telegraph, October 12, 2012). Some claim the Nobel Prize is meant to be a morale booster for the EU, and the jubilation in Brussels appears to support this claim. Now the challenge will be to determine which of the three EU presidents will accept the prize in December (ibid.). However, many are confused and frustrated by what they see happening in Europe. Angela Merkel was recently greeted in Greece by angry protesters dressed as Nazis. Catalonia wants to secede from Spain. In the wake of these and other divisive events, the prize committee chairman also warned that "The collapse of the EU could lead to a resurgence of the 'extremism and nationalism' that had led to so many 'awful wars'" (Guardian, October 12, 2012). Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to the EU accentuates the divergent nature of the Union—an institution that has helped maintain peace on a war-torn continent, but is also driving wedges between nations on the same continent. This was actually predicted by the prophet Daniel some 2,500 years ago, when he described the emergence of the final phase of a European power with links to the ancient Roman Empire as a mixture of iron and clay (Daniel 2:41-43).
New York City (NYC) Schools Give "Morning After Pill" Without Parental Consent: NYC schools can now give chemical contraceptives and the "morning after pill" to under-age high school girls (New York Post, September 24, 2012). Under the guise of keeping young girls from dropping out of school, nurses distribute medication without informing parents to girls having "unprotected sex." Ironically, the same schools do not allow pain medication (like Tylenol) to be given out. Seven thousand school girls in NYC became pregnant last year, of whom nearly 4,500 had abortions (ibid.). Critics of this program feel the measure gives girls "license" to continue unprotected sex. The school program aims to put a "band aid" on a much larger problem—increasing immorality and a lack of leadership that cares enough to change conditions hurting teenagers. Long ago, God gave a loving command to abstain from sexual immorality (Exodus 20:14; Acts 15:20) so the diseases and problems of surrounding nations could be avoided (Exodus 15:26). Today people reject God's law of love and follow their own self-destructive desires. Thankfully, this will soon change. For more information, review our exciting booklet, The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?—Scott Winnail, Justin Ridgeway, Dan Bennett and Sue Bennett