Greetings from Charlotte,
As 2012 nears its end, dramatic events continue to erupt on the world scene. In the Middle East, fundamentalist Muslim forces are pushing for more power in Syria and Egypt and bringing more pressure on Israel. A missile launch by North Korea creates a significant threat against allies of the United States in that region. More changes in Europe appear to be coming, while America and other Israelite nations struggle with major internal problems. Here in Charlotte, Mr. Meredith has been holding meetings and has written another co-worker letter. Mr. Ames' recent Tomorrow's World program, entitled "Vital Keys for Bible Study," drew 7,873 responses. Mr. Wallace Smith's program last weekend, entitled "Prophets and Pretenders," is expected to draw nearly 6,000 responses. Dr. Wil Pierre is currently visiting congregations in the French-speaking Caribbean, and Dr. Scott Winnail will be visiting congregations in Trinidad, Guyana and Brazil this coming week. Mr. Rod King has returned safely to the UK after making Tomorrow's World Presentations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Lagos, Nigeria—see reports below. Mr. and Mrs. Jim Meredith have returned to the USA from Israel after finalizing Feast plans for 2013. Registration for Living University classes is underway. Please refer to the announcement below for classes being offered.—DSW
Church Administration
2012 Report—Tomorrow's World Presentations
Mr. Rod King and Mr. Sheldon Monson gave the final Tomorrow's World Presentations for 2012 last weekend. Ninety-five visitors attended Mr. King's presentation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and 24 attendees heard Mr. Monson's presentation in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area. During 2012 we were able to make 185 Tomorrow's World Presentations around the world and attracted more than 4,400 visitors. We greatly appreciate the help and support of all those in local congregations who contributed time and effort to make these presentations possible. We are currently developing a schedule for presentations to be held in 2013.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Lagos, Nigeria: Maybe for the first time since the Ethiopian eunuch brought the Gospel message home from Gaza (Acts 8:26), the people of this beautiful country received it once again last Sabbath. We sent out 220 invitations from the UK office and did not know how many visitors to expect. I rented a room for 100 people at the Addis Ababa Hilton Hotel and 95 people came to hear the message titled, "Ethiopia in Prophecy." Dr. Meredith's booklet Restoring Original Christianity was available for each one attending, along with selected titles that Mrs. Laura Denny had shipped over.
The words "Ethiopia" or "Ethiopian(s)" are mentioned more than 40 times in the Bible and most of them are positive in nature. It is clear from the attendance last weekend that God is working with some talented people there, including an accountant, an army colonel and at least one doctor who came to the lecture. There were many requests for literature and I will be able to visit Ethiopia again on my way to Kenya and South Africa in February. Mr. Simon Muthama from Kenya was with me for the TWP and he will work with future developments in the country. It is a short 90-minute flight from Nairobi to Addis Ababa.
If that was the sublime, the next day's TWP in Lagos Nigeria was not so. We sent out 74 invitations and only one man came along! All was not discouraging though, since all of our members were there and witnessed the ordination of Dr Akin-Ogundeji as an elder. He has faithfully served the Church for the last eight years and his wife and family have continued steadfastly in what is, at times, a difficult situation.
God is certainly working in Africa and we have a strong core of faithful members and ministers there. Thank you for your prayers and support.—Rod King
The following is a letter received from one of a group of four young men who came to Lagos from Benin to meet us and counsel for baptism. One of the men was baptized in the hotel pool – the first baptized member in Benin:
Dear Dr. Akin,
I want to thank you very much for everything you have done for us. All my life I have never been treated like you and all the other brethren and sisters have treated us. I felt like in a dream. By the literature I had studied, I was very convinced that the Living Church of God was the continuation of the Work of Christ and His apostles. But when I saw what I saw in Lagos I learned more from you. It was just great to see people that I had never seen in my life treat me like their blood brother. What struck me the most is still the warm welcome Mr. King and Mr. and Mrs. Ellis gave us. I think I will never forget these moments with you. I so want to stay with you forever and I hope that God will allow me more than ever because I feel I need to move forward in the knowledge and practice of the Truth. Dr. Akin, I've never met in my entire life as patient, caring and dynamic a man as you. God bless you and all the others. You cannot know how much I learned from you during this trip. All my thanks to you. Mrs. Akin, too, for her concern for us, especially Sunday night when she prepared food for us to eat even though we were all very tired.
I am excited to see you again.
I love you all.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for everything!
Fire Destroys Long Island Meeting Hall
Last Sunday evening, the meeting hall that the Long Island congregation has used for more than 20 years was completely destroyed by fire, apparently by arson. Thankfully, no one was hurt but we may have lost a good bit of equipment that was stored there, either to the fire or because of water damage. We'll know when we can get into the building again. Right now, no one is being allowed access to the building for safety reasons, as well as due to the ongoing arson investigation. In recent months, there have been two break-ins to the building and items have been stolen. We have a temporary hall arranged for the next three weeks, but will continue looking for a new home for our congregation.—Jonathan McNair
20th Anniversary Celebration in Charlotte—Must Read
The 20th Anniversary Celebration in Charlotte is now only one week away! To all who have registered, thank you very much! If you still plan to attend and haven't registered, we really need you to do so as soon as possible. To register for the various activities, and for activity payment instructions, go to your MyLCG page on the www.cogl.org Web site. If you do not have Internet access, your local Festival Advisor may register for you.
PLEASE NOTE: menus for the dinner on Saturday night are on the "Overview and Schedule" page. Even if you have already registered to attend the dinner, you still must go back into your registration and choose your entrée by December 17. If we do not have an entrée selection from you by the deadline, we will have to randomly order for you since we have to give the count to the hotel in advance. We have extended the date by which payment for the dinner and indoor climbing activity must be received to December 21.
Please make your checks payable to: "Charlotte Local Activity Fund" and mail them to:
Living Church of God
Attn: December Weekend
2301 Crown Centre Dr.
Charlotte, NC 28227
For more information and updates on events and venues see our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LcgCharlotteWinterWeekend/events. If you are looking for roommates or teammates you may post your request on the Facebook page.
For those of you planning to participate in the indoor climbing activity at Inner Peaks Climbing Center on Monday afternoon, you must complete their online liability waiver at http://innerpeaks.com/e-waiver as well as the Church's Participation Agreement, prior to the event. Those under 18 will need a parent's or legal guardian's signature before they can participate. Please note: Those with bad backs or other similar injuries should not participate due to the strenuous and jarring nature of the activity.
We look forward to seeing you in Charlotte for a "December to Remember!"—Jim Meredith
Kansas City Family Weekend—Repeat Announcement
Deadlines for the Kansas City Weekend are coming up soon! The deadline for reserving a hotel room at the Sleep Inn is Saturday night, December 15. The deadline to register a sports team is Monday, December 17. Also, there is very limited space to stay with brethren at this point, so register soon! We appreciate all those who've signed up and paid their registration already. If you haven't already done so, please visit the event Web site at lcgkc.org/kcweekend (not an official Church Web site) to register for the weekend and to view event and housing information. We are asking each person to pay $10, or up to $40 per family. PayPal options are on the Web site. Or you can make a check out to "Local Church Activity Fund" and send it to: John Wells, 2329 Lake Breeze Ln., Lee's Summit, MO 64086. If you cannot afford the cost, please come anyway!
Services and all activities on Friday night and Saturday will be held at the Liberty Community Center in Liberty, MO: 1600 Withers Road. We will have a Friday night Bible Study beginning at 7:00. Services on Saturday will begin at 1:00 p.m. We will be serving taco salad with all the fixings for dinner after services. Or if you'd prefer, there are plenty of options for restaurants in the area. After the meal, we'll be having a fun show and dance.
The theme for this year's fun show and dance is "Through the Ages." Dress up in your favorite fashions of any decade in the 20th century. Remember, you don't have to dress in "church clothes," but the tasteful styles that might have been worn by Church brethren during a specific decade in the 1900s. Of course, casual wear, including jeans, is acceptable. For entertainment before the dance, the "Through the Ages" Radio Show will "broadcast" timeless songs, skits and fun for all ages. We would love to add YOUR talents to the show! If you care to share, please visit the Web site and click "Fun Show" to sign up. If you can perform or put a spin on a song, comedy routine, famous radio broadcast or even a commercial of the 1900s, please sign up.
On Sunday, all activities will be held at the Okun Fieldhouse in Shawnee, Kansas, where we've held them in the past: 20200 Johnson Drive. There will be basketball, volleyball and a fitness class as well as children's games and plenty of time and space for fellowshipping and other activities. Team sign-up is available on the Web site. You must be registered for the weekend to sign up for the Sunday activities. Every team is guaranteed to play a minimum of three games. Again, the deadline to sign up is December 17. The tournaments will follow similar formats as in the past. However, volleyball will be separated into two distinct tournaments: one will be for recreational teams—or casual play—and the other for those who play regularly—or competitive teams. The format of the basketball tournament will be determined by how many teams sign up. As we did last year, we are hiring referees, so we'll be charging a set fee to each basketball team to offset that cost.
For more up-to-the-minute updates, you can "Like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lcgkcweekend* or request to follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/lcgkcweekend*. If you do not have Internet access and would like more information about the weekend, please call Michael Keesee at 816-847-5635. We look forward to seeing you soon!—Michael Keesee
* not an official Church social media page
Attention Pastors and DVD Video Recipients—Downloadable FTP Sermons—Repeat Announcement
We are currently implementing a way to get sermons to local areas faster and also reduce shipping costs. This is a new, optional program whereby the Video Recipient can download the recorded sermons (in DVD and CD formats) from a secure Web site location. Then the sermon can be copied to DVD(s) or CD(s), or played from a computer. If any Video Recipients are interested in receiving HQ sermons this way, please contact your Area Pastor (or Regional Pastor, if in an international area) who will e-mail [email protected] to let the Mail Processing Department know. MPD will then send you an e-mail with instructions, password information, and a "download manager" suggestion that will speed up the download process, as well as help to manage the download process. Please note, the sermon videos are large files, so to utilize this service, you will need to have high-speed Internet access. Again, this is an optional service that should save the Church money, and should also let us get sermons out much more quickly (especially when shipping internationally). However, we only want you to try this new download option if it is convenient for you. Thank you to those who can do this, and thanks to all of you again, for giving of your time and energy to serve God's people.
Living Youth Programs
Teen Bible Study—Sunday Evening
This Sunday evening the topic is "Stephen: Lessons from his life," presented by Mr. Josh Penman. The chat room is open at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) and the Bible Study runs from 7:00-8:00 p.m. You can access this Bible Study at www.livingyouth.org.
Living University
Living University Facebook Page
Living University has been blessed to have more on-site students this year in Charlotte and with these extra resources, God has enabled us to add to the Living University Facebook page. The LU news team plans to post regular updates on academic affairs, student body news, field trips, and on-site activities that we hope are of interest to the Living Church of God membership as well as to our online LU student body. If you are not a Living University Facebook fan, please consider becoming one today, and help us help others "Recapture True Values" with the opened door of social media. You can find the LU Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/LivingUniversity. Thank you, brethren, for your continual prayers and support!—Living University News Team
Living University—Registration for Second Semester
Registration for second semester classes is now underway. Classes will begin January 16, 2013 and students may register anytime between now and January 16. For those who have never taken a Living University course, you will need to enroll in the University first, and then register for your selected course. The following are brief descriptions of several courses being offered next semester. A complete listing of "Spring Semester" courses (spring in the northern hemisphere), can also be viewed on the Living University Web site under the link "Spring 2013 Class Schedule." To make application to Living University, to register for courses, and to find out more, please visit the www.livinguniv.com Web site. For additional information, please contact Mrs. Michelle Broussard at [email protected] or 704-708-2294.
THL 399: Undergraduate Open Seminar—The Israelites in History and Prophecy. In this brand new course, Dr. Douglas Winnail will examine the history of the Israelites, biblical prophecies about their future, the impact of Israelites on Western civilization and their influence on the world. This course will also examine the evidence for and criticism of the identity of modern Israelite nations—especially the so-called "Lost Ten Tribes."
THL 416: General Epistles and Revelation (Prerequisite THL 136). This course introduces the historical setting, purpose, and central theme of the letters of James, Peter, John, and Jude and the book of Revelation. Emphasis is on the use of critical, historical, archeological, and cultural analysis. Students will learn to use analysis tools to read, understand, explain, and expound these biblical writings. In this course you will encounter information concerning the New Testament and some issues and matters not dealt with elsewhere in the New Testament. In this class you should find opportunity to hone your critical thinking skills and aptitudes in discerning and understanding the teachings of God's word.
THL 422: History of Christianity II (Prerequisite THL 421). This course deals with the history of Christianity from the time of the Reformation to the present. Its focus is on the Protestant Reformation, Roman Catholic reform, Protestant liberalism and fundamentalism, the ecumenical movement, Christianity in developing countries, and the decline of Christianity in the industrialized West.
Human Resources
Employment Opportunity: Please review the following job opening (but it is not necessary to read the whole announcement)—Repeat Announcement
TV Production Manager
Job Description
The TV Production Manager will have the following responsibilities:
- Manage various video productions, personnel, editing suites, and various audio / video related equipment and software for the Living Church of God
- Manage and produce televised productions, and manage related workflows and schedules
- Manage a TV studio and its related equipment and materials
Requirements
- Minimum of an Associate's Degree in Film / Video Production is required; a Bachelor's Degree or higher is preferred
- Several years of TV production management is required
- Demonstrated knowledge of video editing software is required (i.e. Avid Media Composer – PC)
- Demonstrated experience with digital video cameras and hardware is required; as well as experience filming and editing in HD for broadcast TV
- Demonstrated knowledge of Windows and Mac systems required
- Have knowledge and experience managing and producing televised productions—including specific knowledge of all aspects of audio / video production, including: filming, editing, Avid Unity media management, closed captioning, duplication, and various methods of distribution
- Have experience managing a TV studio, its personnel, and its related equipment and materials
The right candidate for this position will be a "team player" able to produce results quickly in a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment. This job is in Charlotte, NC. The Church will pay for reasonable moving expenses. Applicant must meet the legal requirements to work in the United States, and must be a Living Church of God adherent, in good standing, who is truly dedicated to the Work.
If you are interested in this position, please send your résumé, along with a cover letter and a letter of reference from your area pastor, to: Human Resources Department, Living Church of God, 2301 Crown Centre Drive, Charlotte, NC 28227. Email: [email protected]; FAX: 704-844-1973.
Finance Department
As the U.S. government speeds towards the "fiscal cliff," it is time to think about how you would like to manage your year-end donations. There could be changes in the tax code for 2013 that will affect charitable donations for many people. Donations are credited to your 2012 statement for the purposes of tax deductions if the donation is dated and postmarked by December 31, 2012. Donations dated or postmarked after that date will be credited to 2013.
We greatly appreciate the faithfulness of our members and co-workers in supporting God's Work!—Dexter Wakefield, Business Operations Manager
Comments
Prove Your Beliefs: Many assume that "believing in Jesus" and "accepting Him in your heart" are all that is required to be a Christian. Yet, the Bible teaches differently! The Scriptures warn that false teachers using Jesus' name will deceive many people (Matthew 24:3-5; 2 Corinthians 11:1-4). The Apostle Paul advised Christians to "Test [carefully examine and prove] all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Paul also states that our faith should be based on substance (assurance, solid ground) and evidence (confidence, proof) that can be assembled and understood (Hebrews 11:1)—not just on warm feelings in your heart! Luke writes that the early Christians' belief in the resurrection of Jesus was based on "many infallible proofs" of seeing Jesus alive after His crucifixion (Acts 1:1-3). Josephus, the famous Jewish historian in the first century A.D., documented the historicity of Jesus and the first-century Church when he wrote about "the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James" (Antiquities of the Jews, 20:9:1). Peter emphasized that the apostles
were eyewitnesses to the things they were teaching (2 Peter 1:16) and that Christians should be able to give sound reasons for their beliefs (1 Peter 3:15). Paul confidently provided a defense for his beliefs (Acts 26; Philippians 1:7, 16-17). If we take time to carefully prove what we believe and understand the evidence for our beliefs, we, too, can confidently defend and explain what we believe to anyone.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—December 13, 2012
Britain to "Pare Down" Relationship with EU: In a recent speech, Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has called for Britain to negotiate a new "pared down" relationship with the European Union. He said that Britain should "remain in the single market but pull out of the political union" and consider forming an "'outer-tier' of the EU with countries like Norway and Switzerland" (BBC News, December 4, 2012) He stated, "I don't understand why we continually urge the Eurozone countries to go forward with this fiscal and political union, when we know in our hearts that it is anti-democratic and therefore intellectually and morally wrong" (ibid.). After the speech he observed, "the euro had been a 'nightmare' for its members, and predicted: 'It will eventually blow up but I wouldn't care to bet on when'" (ibid.). Mr. Johnson expressed hope that the British people would be given the opportunity to hold a referendum on whether or not to stay involved with the EU as it moves toward an economic and political union. His desire is to remain "friends" with other EU nations and have "a relationship in which we are not endlessly made to feel bad for not sharing every doctrine of the euro-religion" (ibid.). Bible prophecies have long-foretold the emergence of a ten-nation, German-dominated "Beast" power that will arise in Europe just before the return of Jesus Christ (see Daniel 2 and 7; Revelation 17). Bible prophecies also indicate that this European power (led by Germany-Assyria) will be an adversary of the Israelite nations—including Britain (Hosea 5:5; 8:11-14; 11:1-5). For more information on end-time events see our booklet The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy.
Impact of America's Drought: The drought that is ravaging over two-thirds of the U.S. is also taking its toll on the central artery of U.S. trade and commerce, the mighty Mississippi River. Sixty percent of all grain exported from the U.S. travels down the Mississippi (National Park Service), in addition to vast quantities of other products. By mid-December, water levels in some parts of the river will be so low that experts believe all commerce through these portions may come to a stand-still unless the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers clears dangerous underwater rock outcroppings over a 200-mile stretch of the river (USA Today, November 28, 2012). The Mississippi is "the major river highway" in the U.S. and is extremely busy on most days. If falling water levels bring river "traffic" to a stop, this could be a partial fulfillment of an ancient Bible prophecy that "your highways shall be desolate" (Leviticus 26:22). Long ago, God warned that serious consequences would come upon His people if they turned away from God. Today, as Israelite nations turn further away from God and His ways, these prophesied events are coming to pass. To learn more about this sobering topic, be sure to review our informative booklet, Who Controls the Weather?
Approving Immorality in Auckland: As New Zealand's Parliament presses ahead to legalize same-sex marriage, the nation's slide into immorality is also gaining momentum. Recently, four independent commissioners cleared the way for the construction in the heart of Auckland of a fifteen-story entertainment complex containing a number of brothels (Steve Hopkins, "Central Auckland Super Brothel Approved," November 30, 2012). The complex will be built opposite the icon of Auckland—the SkyCity Tower—that stands in the heart of the city. No longer are such "shady businesses" hidden on some back street, they are now openly available in the middle of the city! Despite more than 200 public submissions against the brothel, the commissioners gave their approval to the complex, ignoring moral concerns and stating that they did not "see how the proposed brothel could be said to… cause a nuisance of serious offence to ordinary members of the public" (ibid.). Although the governmental system of New Zealand may not have a problem with sexual immorality and prostitution, the God of the Bible certainly does (see Proverbs 23:27-28). Prostitution was forbidden in ancient Israel with a stern warning to obey the laws of God, "lest the land fall into harlotry, and… become full of wickedness" (Leviticus 19:29). Tragically, New Zealand is following America and Britain in a downward plunge into publicly sanctioned immorality and selfish gratification. Thankfully, this slide into immorality will be stopped and reversed by the return of Jesus Christ. For a refreshing glimpse of how God desires human beings to live, read and review our booklet, Your Ultimate Destiny.—Dan Bennett, Paul Kearns and Scott Winnail