Weekly Update

Greetings from Charlotte,

This week the President of the United States gave his annual "State of the Union" address, viewed by nearly 32 million people.  Perhaps the defining statement was, "The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the Union is strong."

Is America strong?  The state of modern, end-time Israel is not strong; it is crumbling, because of an ever-increasing contempt for God's way and His laws.  The book of Hosea describes end-time Israel as "a silly dove," and with "gray hairs" of which he is not aware.  Its actions are "sowing the wind, reaping the whirlwind."  God says, "They return, but not to the Most High" (Hosea 7:9, 11, 16; 8:7).

But Hosea also describes a watchman for end-time Israel (Hosea 9:8). That's our job!  And this week the great Work of God continues, with ever-increasing urgency.  On Tuesday, the January co-worker letter, written by Mr. Ames, was sent out to 12,689 members and co-workers (U.S. figures only). On Thursday, Dr. Meredith recorded another Tomorrow's World telecast.  We are now practically reaching close to 100 percent of TV households in the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand, according to the Media Department (with increasing coverage in the UK as well), and are pleased to announce that the telecast is now also available on Amazon Fire TV.  International Web responses are surging, with many from European, African and Asian countries.  Dr. Douglas Winnail is travelling in Africa with Mr. Peter Nathan; Mr. Mario Hernandez is in Honduras; and Dr. Wil Pierre will be in St. Maarten this weekend for a TWP.  Continue praying for God's Work all around the world!—RMc

Church Administration

Passover 2015—Repeat Announcement

Important Notice to All Pastors:  In 2015, the Passover Service will be observed on Thursday evening, April 2. Please let us know as soon as possible if any of the congregations you serve will need additional Passover Service supplies (bread trays and/or wine trays or glasses) or a copy of the Passover Service recording and letter instructions (available in English, French and Spanish). To ensure timely delivery and to save on shipping costs, we need this information before February 5 for international congregations, and by March 12 for U.S. congregations.

Also, let us know of any scattered members who are unable to keep the Passover with a congregation and who need to receive the Passover Service recording and letter instructions for observing it at home. International requests should be received before February 5 and U.S. requests before March 12. Please direct your requests to the Church Administration Department at [email protected] as soon as possible.

2015 Southwest Regional "Fun in the Sun" Weekend—February 14-15

The Phoenix Congregation will be hosting the 2015 Southwest Regional "Fun in the Sun" Weekend on Presidents Day weekend, February 14 and 15.  Evangelist Richard Ames will be the guest speaker. Events will include a formal Black & White Ball (Sabbath attire or better), Brunch and Learn seminars and a Variety Show followed by a wine reception to wrap up a very memorable weekend!

For information, including the schedule of events, go to LCG "Fun in the Sun" on Facebook.  Please click on the "Going" button to register your attendance. If you have a "plus-one" or additional family members, please add a post to give us the number, or contact James Populo at [email protected] or 480-263-2881.

The local congregation will provide housing and transportation on a first-come, first-served basis, so please RSVP.

To register for the Variety Show, please e-mail Adam and Myriah Pujat at [email protected].  We need all acts finalized by February 1.—Rodger Bardo

Northeast Spring Holy Day Weekend

The Northeast Region will once again host its annual Spring Holy Day Family Weekend.  This year, the activity will run from April 2 through April 5, including Passover, the Night To Be Much Observed, and the First Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  The Frost Valley YMCA, located in the picturesque Catskill Mountains, will provide an uplifting setting for four days of education, inspiration, and fellowship.  Join brethren from throughout the Northeast Region as we enjoy activities for all ages together.  Please go to http://nelcg.org/?page_id=22018 (not an official LCG Web site) for more details regarding location, activities, accommodations, cost and other information.  Or you can go to the Northeast Region Web site at www.nelcg.org (not an official LCG Web site) and look for the announcement about upcoming activities.—Jonathan McNair

Internet Department

Tomorrow's World now on Amazon Fire TV

The Tomorrow's World telecast is now available on Amazon Fire TV.  Now, in addition to channels on Roku, Google TV and Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV users can watch Tomorrow's World 24/7 in high definition at their convenience!  Please visit our Web site at TomorrowsWorld.org/tune-in for a complete channel listing.—Wyatt Ciesielka

Feast of Tabernacles 2015

St. George, Utah, Feast Housing

For those who are planning to go to the St. George, Utah, Feast site and will be staying off-site, we are encouraging early housing reservations. This is for all facilities except the Feast hotel, where services will be held and at which the Church has reserved a block of guest rooms for members' use. The Feast this year occurs at the end of the "high season" for St. George, so availability at other facilities may be limited. Please contact Festival Site Coordinator Rodger Bardo at [email protected] for preregistration approval before booking early. Make sure you clearly know the cancellation policies in case your plans change. Information about the Feast hotel accommodations will be announced shortly and if you need that information, please also contact me directly. Condos for rent can be found at: http://www.visitstgeorge.com/condos-villas/.—Rodger Bardo

Kauai, Hawaii Feast Registration in Progress—Must Read

Aloha! Over 500 brethren have already registered to spend the 2015 Feast in the tropical sun on the beautiful island of Kauai! From Mount Waialeale (one of the wettest places on earth) on the stunning Na Pali coast to Waimea Canyon ("Grand Canyon of the Pacific"), Kauai is known for its scenic vistas, beautiful beaches and warm, balmy temperatures.  The island has much to offer in the way of accommodations, with everything from resort hotels to reasonably priced condominiums to luxurious oceanfront homes. Kauai offers a seemingly endless list of outdoor activities including (but not limited to) snorkeling, scuba diving, boat trips to the Na Pali coast, ATV rides, scenic helicopter tours, hiking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, zip-lining and golfing. If you haven't been to Kauai before (or just want to go back again), take this opportunity to join us at this millennial paradise.

Since Kauai is a transfer-only site, for planning purposes we need brethren to register soon. We don't anticipate having to turn anyone down due to lack of space as we do have a very nice, large place to meet in the Performing Arts Center of the Kauai Community College. To register, go to your MyLCG page of the www.cogl.org Web site and click on the "Hawaii  Registration" button. I look forward to seeing many of you there!—Jim Meredith

Living Youth Program

Online Teen Bible Study Friday Evening

The online Teen Bible Study on Friday evening, January 30, will be on "What Is True Masculinity?," presented by Mr. Sheldon Monson.  If you haven't had the opportunity to join us for one of the online Bible Studies yet, we encourage you to do so.  It is a wonderful way to start the Sabbath day.

The Bible Study runs from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. (EDT) and the chat room will be open for a half hour before and after the study.  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, "What Is True Femininity?," can also be found on the Living Youth Web site.

Youth Program Donations Requested

Thank you for your continuing support of our youth programs.  These programs allow teens around the world the chance to fellowship and learn new skills in a Godly environment each summer.  As our program expands in number and in size, we are constantly faced with rising expenses of food and facility rentals plus the addition of new camps around the world and in the United States.

Additionally, we would like to add dormitories for the boys, and purchase a used ski boat in good condition for our new, and very popular, water ski program at the Teen Camp in Ohio.

And of course it is also our desire to continue covering camp tuition for international campers travelling to the U.S. as they already spend a large sum of money to purchase plane tickets, passports, etc. to get here.  Young people in these international areas are very scattered, and these camps provide opportunities for them to meet new friends, and build godly relationships that will last a lifetime!

If you would like to make a contribution to further these programs which are designed to serve young people in God's Church, it would be greatly appreciated!  Please send donations to the Living Church of God and earmark them for the youth program.

2015 LYC Adventure Trip—Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

The imposing peaks of the Teton Mountain Range boldly stand nearly 7,000 feet above the valley floor below. These rugged mountains rise through steep coniferous forests into alpine meadows strewn with wildflowers, past blue and white glaciers, to solid granite summits. The valley floor is covered with sagebrush punctuated by forested buttes and occasional groves of aspen that support pronghorn antelope, deer and other animals. The wetlands created by the Snake River and the jewel-like string of lakes set tightly against the foot of these mountains are fed by crystal clear, cool, mountain streams. Home to grizzly bear, black bear, moose, elk, beavers, trumpeter swans, and all sorts of other birds, this is truly one of the most spectacular places on earth! You won't want to miss this opportunity to climb high into the mountains, circling around behind the Grand, Middle, and South Tetons before arriving at "the wall," and beginning the steep descent to Jenny Lake and the valley floor thousands of feet below! Sign up beginning February 8—as space is limited at this premiere camp!

Dates:              Camper and Staff Arrival – Tuesday, July 7, 2015 (no later than 5pm)

                        Camper and Staff Departure – Thursday, July 16, 2015 (no later than noon)

Tuition Cost:   $450 – campers (ages 13-20 – preference will be given to those 15 years and up)

                        $350 – staff (ages 21+)

Difficulty:          Strenuous!

Includes:         Whitewater rafting trip on the Snake River (Level III – IV Rapids)

                        Dinner & show at the Bar J Chuckwagon Dinner Theatre

LYC 2013 Yearbook Now Ready!

With apologies for the delay, Living Youth Programs is happy to announce the availability of the 2013 Living Youth Camps yearbook. For further details and ordering information, go to LivingYouth.org/album2013/. The yearbook covers the Texas and Missouri Pre-Teen camps, the Ohio Teen Camp, and the Yosemite Adventure Camp. Books must be ordered by February 15, and will be shipped by the end of March. We look forward to releasing the 2014 yearbook later this year.

Finance

Attention U.S. Ministers!—Repeat Announcement

Greetings from Charlotte! The accounting team is busy working on closing out calendar year 2014. For those who have 2014 expenses, please send your expenses in no later than January 25, if possible. Remember that you can scan and e-mail them to [email protected]. Thank you for your diligence, dedication, and hard work!—Jerry Ruddlesden

Comments

Warmth in Winter:  Wisconsin and Minnesota are known for their harsh winters.  During a recent trip to these states, we experienced a "January thaw"—around 40 degrees above the previous week—for which we were certainly grateful!  But it won't last for long.  Soon, temperatures will plunge again up north.  Winter is not over yet in the Northern Hemisphere!

Winter cold sometimes adds unusual sacrifice to human suffering.  The winter of 1776-1777, during the American Revolution, was one such time.  The Continental army was in retreat, just one step ahead of the pursuing British, and in desperate shape.  One officer later wrote that, during their march across New Jersey, many of the American soldiers were "so destitute of shoes that the blood left on the frozen ground, in many places, marked the route they had taken" (1776, David McCullough, 2006, p. 269).  It is hard to fathom times like these when we are safe and warm.  We are greatly blessed today, living in conditions infinitely more improved than most of humanity throughout history.  When it is cold, we turn up the thermostat, add another blanket, or put another log on the fire, and are safe and secure.

Let's not take this for granted!  Jesus predicted a time when His people would have to flee to a place of divine protection.  And that this would not be an easy time.  He said we should "pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath" (Matthew 24:20).  As the temperatures plunge—as they certainly will—let's be grateful for the care God gives us every day.  And let's not forget to ask God to give us the comfort, safety and security we're going to need in the uncertain times ahead.

Have a thankful Sabbath,

Rod McNair

News and Prophecy—January 22, 2015

Switzerland Disconnects from the Euro: After several years of the value of the Swiss franc being capped against the euro, "The euro lost nearly 20 percent of its value against the Swiss franc on Thursday [January 15] after the central bank abandoned the cap on the franc's value against the single currency" (EU Observer, January 15, 2015). "The value of the Swiss franc increased by around 30 percent in the hours following the announcement… The euro also fell to new lows against the dollar and sterling. 'The euro has depreciated substantially against the US dollar and this, in turn, has caused the Swiss franc to weaken against the US dollar,' said Thomas Jordan, the chairman of the Swiss National Bank. 'In these circumstances, the SNB has concluded that enforcing and maintaining the minimum exchange rate for the Swiss franc against the euro is no longer justified,' he added" (ibid.). Switzerland's disconnection from the euro clearly indicates its distrust of the common currency of Europe. Although the increasing value of the Swiss franc will likely hurt trade between Switzerland and the Eurozone nations, the comparative increasing financial stability of the Swiss will no doubt be seen in a negative light among that group. Switzerland is also an Israelite-descended nation and it will be no surprise if it finds itself ostracized by central EU nations (like Germany) as time goes on. For more information on the plight of Israelite-descended nations like Switzerland, be sure to read The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy.

Muslim-European Conflict Heating Up: Last weekend Belgium sent troops to protect sites across the nation, including some Jewish sites. "It was the first time in 30 years that authorities used troops to reinforce police in Belgium's cities" (Times of Israel, January 17, 2015). "Britain's police chiefs, meanwhile, increased patrols at Jewish sites and were studying ways to increase protection of police officers…" (ibid.). The extreme PEGIDA movement which drew 15,000 people in Dresden last week appears to be moving abroad to Spain and Denmark (Globe and Mail, January 19, 2015; AP, January 19, 2015). This group organizes rallies calling for a stop to Muslim immigration into Europe. Meanwhile, last Friday in Jerusalem protestors gathered against the latest Charlie Hebdo cover featuring another caricature of Muhammad. "In a video uploaded by the Hamas-affiliated Shehab News Agency, protesters are seen burning a French flag, and shouting: 'Burn it, burn it... in the cause of God, Allah. the greatest. Prophet Muhammad is our leader forever'" (Jerusalem Post, January 17, 2015). EU leaders will meet this week to address terrorism in Europe. Bible prophecy shows how the king of the south will push against the European king of the north at the end of the age—and the king of the north will push back (Daniel 11:40-42)! The terrorist activities in Europe appear to be "pushing" the Europeans to take actions they were once loathe to take. It will be interesting to watch what happens in both Europe and the Middle East this year, as both regions grapple with the impact of terrorist extremists. For more information on this topic, read The Middle East in Prophecy.

Severe Flooding in Malawi and Mozambique: "More than 170 people have been killed and 200,000 displaced by torrential rain and flooding in Malawi. Large areas in the south are underwater and homes, crops and livestock have been washed away" (BBC, January 19, 2015). Drinking water sources have been either submerged or contaminated and officials fear an outbreak of cholera (ibid.). "The Malawi Defence Force has reportedly rescued at least 4,000 people, but there are fears that many more still need help" (Al Jazeera, January 19, 2015). More excessive rain is anticipated as a tropical cyclone arrives this weekend (ibid). Across the border severe flooding has also impacted Mozambique where the president has now asked for urgent international assistance (BBC, January 19, 2015). The devastation and destruction in Malawi and Mozambique should be gut-wrenching to watch. Severe weather is prophesied as one of the signs of the end of the age (Luke 21:8-11). It is also sad to see that corruption of government leaders likely also plays a role in the lack of resources available to the people (Al Jazeera). Thankfully the Bible reveals a coming time when God will give "rain in its season" (Leviticus 26:4) and when people will no longer suffer major emotional trauma—from losing a home or a loved one (Revelation 21:4).  For a clearer vision of this wonderful future, read The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?—Scott Winnail, Deborah Lincoln-Strange, Francine Prater and Chris Sookdeo