Greetings from Charlotte,
Dr. Meredith's live on-line Tomorrow's World Presentation last Sunday entitled "Prophetic Events Leading up to the Return of Christ" was viewed by an estimated 7,000 to 7,500 people who watched the presentation on more than 2,600 connections. This week Dr. Meredith has written a co-worker letter that will be mailed to more than 13,000 recipients. This weekend, Mr. and Mrs. Ames will visit our Ripley, West Virginia congregation for services and an activity. Mr. and Mrs. Rod McNair will be in Barbados for a congregational visit this weekend. The Regional Conference we conducted last weekend in Baton Rouge, Louisiana was a very profitable experience for all who attended.—DSW
Church Administration
Dr. Meredith's December 8 Online Tomorrow's World Presentation Was a Big Success!
Thank you all for your prayers for Dr. Meredith's recent on-line Internet presentation. God truly blessed the event! If you were not able to watch the presentation live, or if you would like to watch it again, please visit the Tomorrow's World Web site homepage to access the archive, or click on this link: http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/page/tw-presentation-archive. Dr. Meredith's presentation was extremely powerful. It was streamed live over YouTube, Amazon and Roku services and was viewed by many thousands on devices ranging from iPads to Android smart-phones to personal computers, and on home televisions using Roku, Apple TV and other devices in locations ranging from the United States to Australia, and from the United Kingdom to Russia!—Wyatt Ciesielka
Prayer Request
Your prayers are requested for Mrs. Jeanine Hodebar in Martinique, who was recently diagnosed with uterine cancer. She is now in critical condition because of complications from an infection that has set in. Dr. Wilner Pierre anointed her last week while he was in Martinique and he is asking the brethren for prayers for Mrs. Hodebar. She and her husband, a deacon, are pillars in the Church in Martinique.
2013 Charlotte Anniversary Weekend
We are looking forward to welcoming many guests next weekend in Charlotte for the Anniversary Weekend. There will be seminars, basketball and volleyball tournaments and other activities. At Sports Day on Sunday, we will also have free play courts available for anyone not on a team. For detailed information of the events, go to your MyLCG page on the www.cogl.org Web site or to https://www.facebook.com/LcgCharlotteWinterWeekend/events, our FaceBook page, for more information. There are still rooms available at the host hotel, the Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel. The $92 rate includes a full buffet breakfast for two adults. You may use the hotel's Passkey Web site at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/LivingChurchOfGod2013 to reserve your room or call 704-357-1414 and mention the Living Church of God to book your reservation. The hotel provides free shuttle service from and to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport so those who fly in should not need to rent a vehicle. To utilize this service, call the hotel at 704-357-1414 once you have arrived at the airport and claimed your luggage. Transportation to the Sports Day and Indoor Trampoline Activity will be arranged for those who need it. We hope many of you can join us for a weekend of spiritual rejuvenation, fun, food, and fellowship!—Jim Meredith
2013 Kansas City Family Weekend
The Kansas City Family Weekend's theme, "Tropical Getaway," needs a good tropical meal. That's why we're serving Italian. (That island may or may not be Sicily.) It's imperative that we receive payment by December 22 from those who plan on eating the catered meal or you will get the opportunity to eat at one of Kansas City's many fine restaurants. Send a check made out to the Local Church Activity Fund and mailed to: John Wells, 2329 Lake Breeze Lane, Lee's Summit, MO 64086.
Or you can go to the KC weekend Web site to pay via PayPal at lcgkc.org (not an official Church Web site). Once there, click on KC Weekend then look for the PayPal button. The meal is being catered by the Holiday Inn for $10 per person ($11/person if you use PayPal).
This hearty "island style" meal will include a feast of cavatappi noodles in meat sauce, salad, breadsticks and a bread pudding with caramel sauce.
All Friday and Saturday activities will be at the Holiday Inn. On Friday night, there will be a Bible study at 7:00 p.m. Sabbath morning may include a seminar or Bible study at 10:30 a.m. Sabbath services will be at 2:00 p.m.
After dinner Saturday evening, we'll put on some fine entertainment by a host of our talented people. If you would like to add your talents to the fun show, this week will be the last call for acts. Play your best reggae song, bang on the steel pan drum or luau the night away (fire dancing may be discouraged by the hotel)... If your talents lie somewhere outside of the theme, don't worry, be happy and sign up anyway. Fun show registration is on the KC Weekend Web site in the Fun Show section.
After the dinner and entertainment portion of the evening, we'll have a Tropical dance. Wear your best tropical shirt or dress to the dinner and dance. Or if you prefer, head over to the CoCo Key water park. Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased at that rate on that evening or throughout your stay at the hotel.
Sunday's activities will include basketball, volleyball, Lori's extreme exercise clinic, children's games and fellowship time, once again at the Okun Fieldhouse. We're still only at four teams for both basketball and volleyball, so please sign up soon! The deadline for team signup is Sunday, December 22.
We look forward to seeing you soon!—Michael Keesee
Living Youth Programs
No Online Teen Bible Study on Friday Evening, December 20
There will not be an online Teen Bible Study on Friday evening, December 20. The next online Teen Bible Study is scheduled for Friday evening, January 3. Archives of previous Living Youth Bible Studies can be found on the Living Youth Web site at livingyouth.org.—Sheldon Monson
Living University
Registration for Second Semester
Registration for second semester classes is now underway. The spring semester will begin in just about five weeks, on Wednesday, January 15. Students may register for the spring semester (fall in the Southern hemisphere) anytime between now and January 14. Those of you who have never taken a Living University course will need to enroll in the University first and then register for your selected course. We are offering a number of repeat courses and even a couple of brand new courses. A complete listing of second semester courses can be viewed on the Living University Web site under the link "2014 Spring 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.
Comments
The Value of Education: Over the years, some have concluded that getting an education is of little value to true Christians. Since Satan is the god of this world, and we are to come out of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4; 6:14-18), some have assumed that getting an education in this world is ungodly and/or a waste of time. Such ideas overlook how God has used individuals who were schooled in this world. Moses was raised as a prince in Egypt and was "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians" (Acts 7:22). Solomon was knowledgeable in many areas (1 Kings 4:32-34), and he collected wise sayings in the book of Proverbs. Daniel was one of several intelligent young Jewish captives who were educated in Babylon before they were used by God (Daniel 1:3-4). Paul studied at the feet of Gamaliel, the leading rabbi of his day, before being used by God to write 14 books in the New Testament. Numerous studies show that more education results in larger incomes. Education also enables Christians to provide better for their families. Christians who understand the Truth of God and the Plan of God should take advantage of opportunities to gain an education that will help them prepare to serve others now and in the Kingdom of God. This one of the reasons we have developed Living University—to help God's people prepare for the future.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—December 12, 2013
Banner Year for "Gay Rights": "From twin pro-gay Supreme Court rulings, to the president of the United States referencing 'our gay brothers and sisters' in his inaugural address, to the first male pro athlete coming out of the closet, 2013 has been a 'banner year' for gay rights" (YahooNews, December 2, 2013). "Years of campaigning started paying off at warp speed, prompting Fred Sainz of the Human Rights Campaign to call 2013 'the gayest year in gay history'" (ibid.). "The change in public opinion in favor of same-sex marriage is among the most dramatic on any public-policy issue in the past decade. And much of that shift is due to young people, born after 1980, coming of age and bringing with them more liberal attitudes on the subject. Seventy percent of millennials aged 18 to 32 said they support same-sex marriage in a March 2013 Pew poll, almost twice the 38 percent of baby boomers who back it" (ibid.). While many celebrate the great "achievement"—including professing Christians, few seem to care what the Bible reveals about this issue. Just because 70 percent of 18-32 year olds believe homosexual marriage is OK, is it? The Scriptures reveal in very strong terms how God views homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:22-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9). For more on how God views homosexuality, see our informative article, "What Is Wrong With Same-Sex Marriage?"
Murder in the Central African Republic (CAR): Muslim violence against professing Christians is rising in many parts of the world. However, in the CAR, the brutal violence appears to be the reverse (Deutsche Welle, December 5, 2013). "Christians" and others, calling themselves Anti-Balaka (anti-machete) have joined together to form militias, claiming the need for self-defense. In this deteriorating situation, hundreds of thousands have been displaced by the violence, many aid organizations have pulled out of the region and the World Food Program has warned that "more than a million people in CAR are not getting enough to eat. That is a quarter of the country's population" (ibid.). Christians and Muslims both claim to worship the one true God, yet Jesus Christ ("Great Prophet" to Muslims) stated, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). True children of God simply don't kill each other (Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21-22). End-time prophecies reveal that ethnic and religious fighting will increase (Matthew 24:5-8). But soon, Christ will return and usher in world peace (Isaiah 11:9). For more on this coming world of peace, read our booklet, Armageddon and Beyond!
Global Slavery Will End! "A new report claiming to be the most comprehensive look at global slavery says 30 million people are living as slaves around the world. The Global Slavery Index, published by the Australia-based Walk Free Foundation, lists India as the country with by far the most slaves, with an estimated nearly 14 million, followed by China (2.9 million) and Pakistan (2.1 million). The top 10 countries on its list… accounted for more than three quarters of the 29.8 million people living in slavery, with Nigeria, Ethiopia, Russia, Thailand, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar and Bangladesh completing the list" (CNN, October 17, 2013). "Worldwide, almost 20% of all trafficking victims are children. However, in some parts of Africa and the Mekong region [southeast Asia], children are the majority (up to 100% in parts of West Africa)" (United Nations, 2009). Slavery has existed throughout the history of Satan's world but it will come to an end with the return of Jesus Christ as the King of kings. At His return, He will "proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound" (Isaiah 61:1). For a clearer picture of this coming world of freedom, read our encouraging article, "God's Kingdom Is a REAL Government!"—Scott Winnail and Justin Ridgeway