Greetings from Charlotte,
World events continue to move in prophetically significant directions. The influence of the United States continues to wane on the world scene. In Europe, Germany is again becoming the dominant nation, and the new Pope intends to pursue Roman Catholic efforts to unite all churches. In the turbulent Middle East, Islamic fundamentalists continue their quest to extend their influence and gain more power. These trends all point toward the fulfillment of the prophesied end-time struggle between a king of the North and a king of the South. Here in Charlotte, Mr. Meredith has finished a semi-annual letter that will be mailed to more than 400,000 people. Mr. Ames is taping a new Tomorrow's World program today. The Spring semester of Living University classes will conclude this week, and we are also busy preparing for a Council of Elders meeting next week. Please continue to ask God to bless His Work and hear our prayers on behalf of His people.—DSW
Church Administration
Carolina Singles Weekend 2013—Registration Deadline
We are excited about the upcoming Singles Weekend here in Charlotte! If you would like to join us, there is still time to register but it is getting short. Our registration deadline is May 19! You can register on our Charlotte congregation page, charlottelcg.org (not an official Church Web site), as well as see the full schedule. The dates are Friday, May 24 to Monday, May 27. We will be having lots of wonderful messages, exciting activities, great fellowship and delicious food. There will be a Question and Answer session with Mr. Richard Ames. If you would like to submit a question for this Q&A session, please e-mail it to Darren Brinson at [email protected]. And if you have any questions about the weekend, feel free to contact Darren Brinson at that address. We hope to see y'all there!—Darren Brinson
Rocky Mountain Saratoga Family Weekend—June 14-16
Greetings Everyone! Please put these dates on your calendar for June 14-16. It's the annual Rocky Mountain Saratoga Family Weekend! It will again be held at the Riviera Lodge, 104 E. Saratoga Ave., Saratoga, Wyoming. Reservations can be placed by calling the Lodge at 866-326-5651 or 307-326-5651. Mention that you are with the Living Church of God reservation under Ben Whitfield's name. Book your room now before the summer reservations come in. For those hearty souls who may be interested, there is camping for a nominal fee at the Saratoga Lake just a short distance from the Riviera Lodge... the fishing should be great!
This year's special guest speaker will be Mr. Rodger Bardo, long time Church Pastor from the Southwest Region of the United States. You won't want to miss his special presentations. A Bible Study Friday at 7:30 p.m. will start the weekend, Sabbath brunch at 10:00 a.m., Sabbath services at 2:30 p.m., a covered-dish meal and steak cookout afterwards, Saturday evening seminar, Sunday morning breakfast followed by a workshop... then good old family recreational time on your own for the remainder of Sunday. Lunch at Alan and Sarah Williams' home will wrap up the weekend.—Ben Whitfield
Living Youth Programs
Online Teen Bible Study—Friday Evening
The Bible Study on Friday evening, May 10, will be on "Just What Do You Mean—Born Again?" and will be presented by Mr. Sheldon Monson. If you haven't had the opportunity to join us for the online Bible Studies yet, I encourage you to do so. It is a wonderful way to start the Sabbath Day.
The chat room is open at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) and the Bible Study runs from 8:00-9:00 p.m. You can access this Bible Study at livingyouth.org. We hope as many of our youth as possible will join us for this wonderful opportunity for godly fellowship and learning. For those of you who are unable to make it to the study, archives of previous Living Youth Bible Studies, including last evening's on "The Law of God," can also be found on the Living Youth Web site.—Josh Penman
Pre-Teen Camp, West Virginia—July 28-August 2
Registration is open for the West Virginia Family Camp to be held at the beautiful Glenwood Recreational Park and 4-H Camp in Princeton, West Virginia. The grounds encompass 325 acres including a 55-acre lake. Camp is open to families with one or more children between the ages of 8 and 13. While the activities are geared to the pre-teens, a significant effort has been made to include parents and younger children in the program. Most of the campers are accompanied by their families or a designated adult. Activities include Christian Living, Archery, Canoeing, Life Lessons, Music/Guitar, Sports and Team Building. You may register online at lyc.lcg.org. If you need a hard copy of the application, you may request one from Jenny Penman at [email protected]. For further questions, contact Mr. Paul Shumway, the Camp Director, at 304-425-0025, or [email protected].
Teen Camp—Camp Lazarus Ohio—Final Week for Staff to Apply (Must Read)
This will be the last week for those who wish to work on the "Camp Staff" to apply at our Teen Camp in Ohio. Those applying after Friday, May 10, at sunset EDT, will only be accepted if room permits, and will be assigned to work "where needed" rather than "where requested." All staff will be notified of their acceptance the following week—if you have not already received notification. Staff assignments will be posted on the youth Web site prior to Pentecost weekend. Thank you for signing up to serve at camp!
Missouri Pre-Teen Camp Reminder!
We need anyone who wants to come to the Missouri Pre-Teen Camp this year to apply as soon as possible!
We will begin sending approval notices soon and apologize for the delay to those who have completed their applications. Counting applicants, we are almost at our limit for pre-teen girls, with a little more room for pre-teen boys. We have a need for able staff members to fill counselor positions and many other support capacities, and, as always, parents are invited to apply and work on our staff so they can enjoy camp right alongside their kiddos! If you've been waiting to apply, wait no longer—please apply ASAP!
Camp is a little later than usual this year, running from Sunday, July 7, through Friday, July 12, but it will be here before you know it. Please head out to lyc.lcg.org and complete an application as soon as possible if you would like to come. If you have any questions, please contact the Missouri Camp Director, Mr. Wallace Smith, at 816-308-0875 or [email protected].
Youth Fund—Please Announce—Repeat Announcement
The Living Church of God is striving to have the best summer camps possible! We seek to have excellent programs offering a variety of exciting and challenging activities at all of our camps. It is our goal to keep the cost of tuition low enough that our young people can afford to attend and to offer scholarships to deserving young people. The Living Church of God has allotted some resources to help make this possible. However, in our quest to "raise the bar" we would like to purchase additional equipment (i.e. water polo goals, a backstop for softball, some new mattresses, etc.) for the Teen Camp in Ohio, as well as purchase five additional bungalows (small 10ft x 10ft buildings) for staff housing. We also would like to continue to offer an outstanding Adventure Camp and quality pre-teen camps in Texas, Missouri, and West Virginia.
In order to keep the tuition costs low, we could use your donations. If you would like to donate to the Youth Fund to offset program costs that are above and beyond the monies we collect for tuition, you can send a check to Living Church of God and designate the check for the "Youth Program." Your donations will be greatly appreciated. This is considered a charitable donation and you will receive a receipt at the end of the year for tax purposes.—Jerry Ruddlesden and Sheldon Monson
Feast of Tabernacles
Cuzco, Peru—Repeat Announcement
Cuzco is located in a valley surrounded by scenic mountains and is situated at an elevation of about 11,000 feet above sea level. It was the capital of the Inca Empire and is near many interesting archaeological sites. English translation will be available. We will have room for a number of international transfers. For more information, contact Cristian Orrego at [email protected].
New Vanuatu Feast Site—Repeat Announcement
The new Feast site in Vanuatu still has places available for overseas visitors. This year the Feast will be held in Luganville which is on the island of Espiritu Santo. Luganville has many restaurant and accommodation facilities.
The island has an abundance of beautiful, almost deserted sandy beaches. There are "blue holes," which are large, natural, fresh water springs in the jungle. These are encrusted with coral and are wonderful for swimming or snorkeling. There are many ocean sites for snorkeling or scuba diving over WWII wrecks or coral reefs. The sea around the island is a fisherman's paradise. For those who enjoy hiking, there are many bush trails over a variety of terrains. Espiritu Santo was home to the stone-age Lapita people and there are archaeological sites relating to them and to Spanish occupation. There are also rich sites relating to American/Japanese action during WWII.
If you have never experienced Melanesian culture, food and hospitality, come to Luganville for a memorable Feast of Tabernacles.—Kinnear Penman
Openings for 2013 Israel Feast Tour
We have had some openings for the 2013 Israel Feast Tour due to some brethren who have had to back out for various reasons. Currently there are only six spaces available, so if you are interested please contact Jim Meredith at [email protected] right away. Attendance on this tour requires an immediate deposit of $1,050, and the balance must be paid by June 14. All of the tour information and pricing is on the My LCG page of the cogl.org Web site. Please make sure that you can afford this trip before applying.—Jim Meredith
Registration for 2014 Israel Feast Tour
We will be opening up registration for the 2014 Feast Tour this Sunday, May 5 at 12 noon, Eastern Time. Registration will only be open for a few weeks, so if you are interested in going on this trip to the Holy Land, make sure you sign up early. The tour for 2014 will be very similar to the 2013 Feast tour. You can see the information regarding this year's trip on the Jerusalem, Israel page of the fot2013.lcg.org Web site. A more complete and downloadable description, including this year's costs for the tour, are on the My LCG section of the cogl.org Web site. If you can afford the time and money to go on this tour of a lifetime, get ready to sign up.—Jim Meredith
Human Resources
Employment Opportunity: TV Production Assistant (Repeat Announcement)
The Headquarters Office is looking for a TV Production Assistant with experience in video editing and TV studio equipment. The successful candidate will enjoy video production and will have some experience in video editing software (such as Avid or Final Cut). 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. E-mail: [email protected]; FAX: 704-844-1973.—Wyatt Ciesielka
Comments
Loose Bricks or Big Picture? How do you view the Church of God and the Work of God? Many who come into contact with the Living Church of God are excited to learn the Truth of God for the first time. Others are grateful to reconnect with the Truth they once learned from the Scriptures. Yet, from time to time, some, who are actually part of the very Church that is doing this Work, begin to look for loose bricks. They begin to compile lists of what they think are problems in the Church—editorial mistakes, misspoken words in a sermon, supposed doctrinal errors or decisions they disagree with. However, we need to remember that David and Samuel, Peter and Paul all had their problems and their detractors, yet God used these imperfect human beings to carry on His Work. The human leaders of God's Church today are no different, and detractors have not disappeared. We need to appreciate the fact that the Tomorrow's World magazine and television program are reaching millions of people and hundreds of thousands are responding. The Internet presence of the Church is growing, and lives are being changed. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God and the message of salvation through Jesus Christ are being preached, and the world is being warned about sobering events that lie just ahead. Little stay-at-home groups are simply unable to do a work of this magnitude or carry out this God-given mission. This is the big picture to keep in mind instead of being caught up looking for loose bricks!
Have a profitable Sabbath!
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—May 2, 2013
Germany Pushed to Lead: Germany has recently become more assertive in making decisions for its future, with or without its allies. "Germany became the first NATO country to announce its firm intention to participate in a training mission for the Afghan army after the current ISAF mission ends in 2014… Berlin had actually wanted to wait for the US… to set the tone…With Washington unable to decide and postponing a detailed plan until the fall of 2013, Berlin has opted for another solution" (Der Spiegel, April 19, 2013). Germany appears to be getting frustrated with its ally's lack of concrete decisions in dealing with world affairs. "Progress in the European Union is stalled at the moment because France and Germany can't get along… A year into Hollande's term, Franco-German relations are even worse than pessimists in both countries predicted. Berlin and Paris are at odds on almost every issue when it comes to tackling the current crisis…" (Der Spiegel, May 1, 2013). "Global politics have come to a standstill in recent years, with the United States unwilling to show leadership and Europe and other major powers unable to fill the vacuum… Europe isn't in a position to provide decisive leadership. And the US doesn't want to anymore" (Der Spiegel, February 1, 2013). The Bible describes an end-time European Beast power led by Germany (Assyria) that will dominate the world economically and militarily (Isaiah 10:5-14; Revelation 13:1-4; 17:12-14). With Germany's allies showing less of a desire to lead the world, Germany may be pushed into a leadership role without desiring it (Isaiah 10:7). See article, Resurgent Germany—A Fourth Reich?
A Perverse Spirit in Egypt: The Arab Spring brought great hope as it swept through the Middle East, but something has changed. In recent months, increasing Egyptian lawlessness has included public lynchings (BBC, March 18, 2013), gang violence and public rape blamed entirely on women (Atlanta Journal Constitution, March 30, 2013; Agence France-Presse, March 29, 2013)—events seldom seen during the Mubarak regime. In a recent interview, a former PLO operative who has since renounced his terrorist ways, reported on a recent celebration at an Egyptian wedding, where "a group of men in a frenzy tear apart a live chicken by hand, then scrabble over its pieces to eat its raw flesh" (WorldNetDaily, April 22, 2013). Walid Shoebet (the interviewee) suggested the behaviour at the wedding "demonstrates the 'demonic' spirit that has gripped the nation since its 2011 Islamic revolution" (ibid.). Many are starting to long for a strong ruler who will again enforce the law as Hosni Mubarak did, and bring back a time when "no one dared to do such things" (ibid.). Reports of Egyptian anarchy reflect a Bible prophecy: "The LORD has mingled a perverse spirit in her midst; and they have caused Egypt to err in all her work, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit" (Isaiah 19:14). As sobering as these events may be, we know that with Christ's return, Egypt will face a brighter future. "In that day Israel shall be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, 'Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance'" (Isaiah 19:24-25). For more information, review our booklet, The Middle East in Prophecy.
Belief in God and Improved Mental Health: A recent Harvard study of 159 mental health patients found that "Belief [in God] was associated with not only improved psychological well-being, but decreases in depression and intention to self-harm" (PsychCentral, April 26, 2013; Journal of Affective Disorders, April 25, 2013). In addition, "Patients with 'no' or only 'slight' belief in God were twice as likely not to respond to treatment as patients with higher levels of belief [in God]" (ibid.). Study authors speculated that "results suggest that belief in the credibility of psychiatric treatment and increased expectations to gain from treatment might be mechanisms by which belief in God can impact treatment outcomes" (ibid.). However, this leaves out what Christians would consider "the obvious"—that it is God who heals (Exodus15:26; Psalm 103:3). It is not a belief in the procedure, but rather a belief in God to heal (Psalm 119:165). However, faith in God also requires obedience to His commandments—like, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13)—which forbids self-harm and ideas of suicide. God's ways lead to "life" (Matthew 7:14), and those who put their faith in Him reap true rewards. For more on this topic, review our free booklet, Does God Heal Today?—Scott Winnail, Justin Ridgeway and Michael Tyler