Greetings from Charlotte,
This coming weekend we will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost that pictures the dramatic beginning of the New Testament Church—that Jesus said would continue to exist down through the ages in spite of difficulties and persecution (Acts 2; Matthew 16:18). Jesus also foretold that His disciples would carry His message "to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8)—which is happening today through the media and the travels of God's ministers. Mr. Meredith's semi-annual letter was mailed to more than 400,000 recipients, Mr. Ames' recent Tomorrow's World television program entitled "Vital Keys to Bible Study" drew nearly 7,000 responses, and this week we mailed out multiple thousands of invitations to Tomorrow's World Presentations that are being held around the world. On Monday we held a Living University graduation that marked the sixth year of operation. This weekend, a number of speakers from Charlotte will travel to cities in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean to observe the Sabbath and the Day of Pentecost with local congregations. Please continue to ask for God's blessing on these efforts to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to a world that needs to hear His message.—DSW
Church Administration
Carolina Singles Weekend 2013—Registration Deadline—Final Call
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
Living Youth Programs
Online Teen Bible Study—Friday Evening
The Bible Study on Friday evening, May 24, will be on "Church Eras—Lessons from the Seven Churches" 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 can be found on the Living Youth Web site.—Josh Penman
Ohio Teen Camp 2013—Last day to apply for Summer Camp: Friday, May 24, 2013
Only a very few spaces are still available for those wishing to come to the Teen Camp in Ohio this summer. We have already accepted over 260 people. Only four staff positions (two in volleyball and two in canoeing) remain; staff registration will remain open for one more week before closing down. We have very few spaces remaining for campers—so you will need to apply by next Friday, May 24 to secure one of the remaining available spots. It is wonderful to see such a large number applying to come to camp. It will be an exciting summer! You must apply ASAP!
Staff Assignments are now posted on the Youth Website.
Texas Pre-Teen Camp Is Full!—Repeat Announcement
Thanks to the tremendous enthusiasm for the Texas Pre-Teen Camp, we have now reached capacity for campers (even after adding a third dorm each for boys and girls)! Any further camper applications will be put on a waiting list in case any openings occur. We look forward to a great experience for everyone involved in this year's camp!—Phil Sena
West Virginia Family/Pre-Teen Camp—July 28-August 2—Repeat Announcement
Registration is open for the West Virginia Family/Pre-Teen 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].
Missouri Pre-Teen Camp Reminder!—Repeat Announcement
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].
Thank You for Youth Fund Donations—Please Announce
We would like to thank all of you who have so generously sent donations to support the Youth Program. We are going to be able to help several with scholarships, purchase new equipment, and offset growing camp costs as a result of your generosity.
We are still accepting donations should you still wish to help. You can send the check to the 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
2013 Israel Feast Tour—Please Announce
Due to the large response to the last announcement about a few spaces being available to attend the Israel Feast Tour in 2013, we now have enough people to add another tour coach. This new configuration of coaches for the Festival Tour will allow us to add a few more people while keeping the total of passengers per coach comfortable. Therefore we have asked the hotels for a few more rooms and should have the clearance to open up another 16 spots by Monday, May 20. If you are interested, please e-mail Jim Meredith at [email protected] right away.
Registration for 2014 Israel Feast Tour—Repeat Announcement
Registration is now open for the 2014 Feast Tour. If you are interested in going on this trip to the Holy Land, make sure you sign up soon. 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
Living University
LU Commencement 2013
Living University held its fifth Commencement exercises on Monday, May 13. We awarded certificates, diplomas and degrees to 14 students from five different nations. Dr. Douglas Winnail's commencement address focused on the impact that Living University is having on God's Church around the globe. Roughly 80 guests and graduates celebrated the completion of much study and hard work.
Summer Class Available
For those interested, Living University is offering one course this summer—THL 332: The Biblical Text. This three-credit course will be delivered over an abridged, eight-week period. It focuses on the authority, inspiration, canonization, literary unity, and textual criticism of the Bible. Emphasis is on Bible translations, versions, textual analysis, exegesis, and research. THL 332 is integral to several certificate programs, as well as the Diploma in Biblical Studies and our Associate and Bachelor programs. The class will not be offered during the 2013-2014 academic year. It begins on May 29 and ends on July 23. Interested students should register online as soon as possible. Because of the shortened duration of this course, students should plan to spend more weekly time on the course than they would on a traditional, 16-week, regular-semester class.
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
Employment Opportunity: Secretary/Clerk (Repeat Announcement)
The office of Legal Affairs and Risk Management is looking for someone to provide secretarial and clerical support in a busy administrative office. Duties include: research; working with and maintaining files and unique information databases; schedule and/or track events, deadlines, meetings and filings; assist field personnel; track contractual agreements and other documents; relieve administrator of typical clerical and administrative tasks. The ideal candidate is very organized and detail-oriented, able to work under pressure with moderate supervision, and has good communication skills. Familiarity with standard business concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field (i.e.: Business Administration, Law, Banking, Insurance, Nonprofit Management, Human Resources or Contract Administration) is helpful. This is a position of trust and involves a high level of confidentially. An ideal applicant has some college and/or equivalent work experience (a minimum high school diploma with two years of administrative experience in a field will be considered). Experience as a secretary or clerk would be helpful, but is not required. A more complete job description is available upon request. 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. Résumés / CVs may be sent to Human Resources: e-mail [email protected], or fax to 704-844-1973.
Comments
God's Incredible Plan: Many assume that God's purpose is simply to get people to believe in Jesus so they can go to heaven. However, the Scriptures reveal something very different. Isaiah 46:9-10 states that God has a purpose that He will accomplish. The Apostle Paul mentions in Ephesians 1:11 that we are called to be part of God's great plan and that Christians are "predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel [purpose] of His will." Paul also explains in Ephesians 3:9-11 that this "eternal purpose" is a mystery to the world. However, God has revealed His plan and purpose in the biblical Holy Days—that Jesus, the apostles and the early Church continued to observe (John 7; Acts 18:21; 1 Corinthians 5:8). This coming Sunday, we will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, which pictures the beginning of the New Testament Church with the outpouring of God's Spirit—which is a gift that God gives to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32). We must never forget that it is God's Spirit that enabled His Church to understand the incredible plan of God (John 14:15-17; 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14). Let's be thankful and nourish that Spirit so we can continue to be led by Him and do His work.
Have a profitable Sabbath and Pentecost!
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—May 15, 2013
Sobering Traits of the Millennial Generation: "Millennials" are the generation of youth now in their teens and twenties. Raised on technology and self-esteem, this generation is described as one of the laziest, most narcissistic, and most entitled generations yet (Time, May 20, 2013). Author Joel Stein also writes that a "National Study of Youth and Religion found the guiding morality of 60% of millennials in any situation is that they'll just be able to feel what's right" (ibid.)—which is the opposite of the Biblical injunction (see Jeremiah 17:9). Also, "Millennials got so many participation trophies growing up that a recent study showed that 40% believe they should be promoted every two years, regardless of performance" (ibid.). The millennials have many positive characteristics, but sadly, they are a product of their time and society, and they possess traits that are prophesied to permeate society at the end of the age. Paul warned that the end-time generations would be "lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power…" (2 Timothy 3:2-5). What we see reflected in youth around the globe are predictable character traits that God knew would permeate a world adrift with its own morality. Only Christ's return will reverse this moral freefall! To understand what is really ahead for mankind, read our free booklet The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?
Christian Exodus from the Islamic World: A recent news article described, "A mass exodus of Christians is currently underway. Millions of Christians are being displaced from one end of the Islamic world to the other. We are reliving the true history of how the Islamic world, much of which prior to the Islamic conquests was almost entirely Christian, came into being" (Fox News, May 7, 2013). Professing Christians are leaving Islamic nations in droves. In Iraq, churches have been bombed and those who profess Christ have been tortured and killed and even crucified and beheaded. More than 100,000 members of the Coptic church have departed Egypt since the Arab Spring began (ibid.). Crackdowns on those who profess Christ are occurring in Mali, Iraq, Syria, and even Bosnia, from where some 400,000 have fled since the war in the 1990's (ibid.). In the Sudan, Muslim government forces are interrogating and tracking the movement of professing Christians (Frontpage Magazine, May 13, 2013). When Jesus was asked what "signs" would mark the end of the age, He predicted, "they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake" (Matthew 24:9). Although typically applied to true Christians, these verses reveal a time when all those who profess Christ will come under additional scrutiny and persecution! For more insights into this developing story, be sure to read our informative article, "An Islamic Wind?"
Nations Compete for Arctic Resources: Melting ice in the Arctic has fueled global lusts for energy and natural resources. Many nations are lining up to join the Arctic Council to exploit these new resources. "... China, India, Japan and South Korea are seeking permanent observer status…. Canada, Iceland, Norway, Russia, the USA and EU members Denmark, Finland and Sweden are currently members, while six indigenous groups are permanent participants… the EU is seeking permanent observer status for itself" (Deutsche Welle, May 14, 2013). The EU bid for membership is putting pressure on Canada—the Council's next leader. The EU product ban [on seal products] has prompted "indigenous groups to circulate a petition urging the government to keep the EU out unless the ban is repealed" (ibid.). U.S. attention is directed at China. "If you're an American strategist today, you are afraid of China as much as you used to be of Russia 20 years ago… What we're seeing is that the Arctic in the 21st century will be the center of the world. Not Central Asia, not the Middle East… If you control the Arctic, you control the world" (ibid.). Bible prophecies indicate a European-led Beast Power will eventually control a global economic system (Revelation 17:17-18; 18:3, 9-24), and this Beast will be "troubled" by an Asian superpower (Daniel 11:44; Revelation 9:13-18; 16:12). Those who understand Bible prophecies will not be surprised that the EU and China are both seeking to control this vital, resource-rich region.—Scott Winnail and Justin Ridgeway