Greetings from Charlotte,
World events continue to move in prophetically significant directions—in Europe, the Middle East, in Russia and China—and in the Israelite nations that are approaching moral bankruptcy. Many people today in the so-called "Christian" nations of the modern Western world have simply forgotten that there is a God who is going to judge this world in the not-too-distant future. This is part of the message that God has commissioned His Church to deliver as we approach the end of this age. Along with this sobering warning message, we have the wonderful news of the coming government of God that is going to be set up on this earth. The need for Christ's return and the government of God was painfully obvious as I visited a number of major cities around the world on my recent trip. Dr. Meredith has returned from a visit to the Ft. Lauderdale congregation and has been writing and conducting meetings this week. Mr. and Mrs. Ames have returned from a very positive visit to the Phoenix, Arizona congregation. Last weekend, 133 guests attended Tomorrow's World Presentations in Charleston, South Carolina; Pensacola, Florida and Gulfport, Mississippi. Please pray that God will bless and continue to guide His end-time Work.—DSW
Church Administration
Tomorrow's World Presents in Charleston, South Carolina
On the beautiful sunny Sabbath of February 14, Mr. Wyatt Ciesielka gave two animated presentations, "After Armageddon—Five Keys to End-time Prophecy" and "The Mystery of God's Holy Days," to a very attentive and engaged audience at the Westcott Park Center in North Charleston, South Carolina. The ladies of the Walterboro congregation organized and served very fine refreshments, which were enjoyed by all. Of the 100 in attendance, 53 were new people and 47 were members. Many expressed their appreciation for the information given. During the presentations, visitors were invited to sign up for a once a month Bible Study, and 25 have responded. It was a very uplifting, profitable and rewarding day.—Bill Whitaker
Tomorrow's World Presents in Pensacola, Florida, and Gulfport, Mississippi
The Pensacola congregation hosted a Tomorrow's World Presentation on February 14. I gave the PowerPoint presentation, "Countdown to Armageddon," to an audience of 67 and after an intermission, Mr. Dan Hall gave the second presentation, "The Mystery of God's Holy Days." All 44 guests remarked that they found the presentations interesting and informative. It was encouraging that a number of them expressed interest in visiting Church services.
The next day, February 15, the Ocean Springs, Mississippi congregation hosted a Tomorrow's World presentation in Gulfport. There were 57 people present, 21 of them members and 36 of them guests. About 20 of the guests asked about attending services with us. During the break, members and guests mingled and enjoyed refreshments. It is encouraging to see the response of those who have been following our telecasts and reading our magazine and it will be interesting to see when and how these presentations bear fruit.—Ed Breaux
Miraculous Intervention!
Just before 9:30 on the evening of February 16, my family and I arrived home and were heading upstairs to the front door of our apartment, when our 2-year old son Conrad fell over the side of the staircase and landed on the concrete almost nine feet below. He remained motionless and we hesitated to pick him up for fear of worsening the situation. Only after he started to moan, did my wife pick him up. I anointed him immediately, then my wife checked for signs of broken bones. A large bump started to swell on the left side of his head and we decided to take him for a medical check-up to ensure that we did not miss anything.
At the nearby clinic, his vitals were taken and he was also examined by the doctor for broken bones. There were none. The doctor gave us a list of signs to look for which indicate possible brain damage resulting from the fall. He explained that children who fall from that height usually suffer much more damage than was visible on Conrad. About half an hour after arriving at the clinic, Conrad's right hand started twitching and he began to drool uncontrollably—signs of brain damage. He also made attempts to speak and respond when his name was called, but no words came out. The staff immediately inserted a tube into his throat to deal with the excess saliva. This calmed him a bit and he was sent straightaway via ambulance to a larger hospital some miles away.
By this time we made a few calls to our family in the Church requesting prayers for God's intervention. The staff at this hospital repeatedly asked about the circumstances surrounding the fall—height, body position, time, etc.—because they were amazed that there was not more injury to his body. Just after mid-night an x-ray was taken and it indicated that all his bones were intact. A CT scan was then done and it indicated that there was no scarring on his brain. As a precaution, he was kept for observation for about 40 hours and was examined by at least six doctors, all of whom had to report to a senior specialist. Eventually they were convinced that there was nothing more wrong with him, beyond the bruises on his ear and face and the bump on his head. He was discharged and immediately went home to romp with his older brother Theodore.
We're extremely grateful for God's powerful, merciful and loving intervention in this matter.—Damian R Weekes
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). A new recording of the Passover service in English has been made this year, by Mr. Ken Frank. To ensure timely delivery and to save on shipping costs, we need this information by March 12 for U.S. congregations. Information for international congregations should already be here.
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 here by now and U.S. requests should be here before March 12. Please direct your requests to the Church Administration Department at [email protected] as soon as possible.
Young Adults Pentecost Weekend Activity in Europe—Repeat Announcement
"Living 4 Tomorrow, A Time 4 Young Adults" will be held in Chevetogne, Belgium from Friday, May 22 to Monday, May 25. Come share Pentecost weekend with other young adults, single or married. Special Bible Studies and other Sabbath-oriented activities are planned. This will be a wonderful opportunity for fellowship, seeing old friends and making new ones in a godly environment. The entire weekend, food and lodging included, will be 60 euros.
For further information, please contact Mr. Rees Ellis at [email protected].
Feast of Tabernacles
Ministerial Site Preference Survey
Attention all ministers: If you have not responded to the Ministerial Site Preference Survey yet, please e-mail Church Administration ([email protected]) right away with your Feast preference. We are working on ministerial assignments and will have them completed in the next few days.
2015 Festival Registration Planned for Sunday, March 8
We are planning for Festival Registration to open on Sunday, March 8, at 12:00 EDT (Eastern Daylight Time, USA). At that time, you will be able to register for the Feast site of your choice. You will also be able to note what volunteer service opportunities you would like to sign up for at your site. See new Feast site videos and find out information about each of the sites that are being planned for 2015 by going to the Festival Web site: fot2015.lcg.org. (You can also access it by going to the Living Church of God Web site, lcg.org, and clicking on "Feast of Tabernacles.")
If you do not have Internet access, please contact your Festival Advisor to print off information for any site(s) you are interested in attending. If you do not know who your Festival Advisor is, please check with your local Pastor.
Pastors: In preparation for Festival Registration on March 8, please make sure that Headquarters has been notified about any changes in your local congregation rosters. For example, please let us know of any Church Youths (CY) who have turned 18 and now should be listed as Prospective Members (PM). Please also let us know of any other changes in status of any brethren in your area (i.e. baptisms, etc.) or if any brethren have moved to another congregation. Send these status updates to [email protected].
All brethren: Please make sure your MyLCG account is working. This will be necessary for you to register online. To test it, go to www.cogl.org and sign in to MyLCG with your username and password. If you don't have one, you will have the option of creating one. If you have any problems logging into MyLCG, please e-mail [email protected].—Festival Office
Festival Advisor Assignments—Repeat Announcement
All pastors: If you have not confirmed your Festival Advisors yet, please do so right away. This is vital in preparing for Festival Registration on March 8. You have been sent an e-mail containing the link to complete this confirmation. Note: If any pastors did not receive the Festival Advisor e-mail, please contact Mark Smith at [email protected].
New Feast Site in Sri Lanka
A new Feast site has opened up for us this year—a beautiful tropical beachfront hotel in a garden setting, located on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka at Kalutara. It is an ideal venue to concentrate on the real meaning of, and picture, God's soon-coming Kingdom in a peaceful atmosphere, removed from the hassles of the world. One of the real highlights of the Feast is the fellowship with other brethren, starting with a leisurely walk along the beach sands before breakfast and finishing the day with evening activities with those of like mind. A number of family activities are planned, and side trips before, during, or after the Feast, will also provide opportunities to marvel at God's amazing and magnificent creation. Room costs include three full meals a day. All your brethren in Sri Lanka speak English very well. They extend their warm welcome and look forward to keeping the Feast of Tabernacles 2015 with you! For more information, visit the LCG Feast of Tabernacles Web site: fot2015.lcg.org. Please contact Mr. Zig Svalbe ([email protected]), the Festival Site Coordinator, before you make any arrangements, so you can receive the special Feast rate.
Congregations and Feast Site Assignments—Repeat Announcement
To find out what Feast site your local congregation is assigned to, consult the following list:
Boerne, Texas
New Mexico: El Paso/Las Cruces
Texas: Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Hawkins, Houston, Lufkin, Midland, San Antonio, Temple
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Alabama: Athens, Birmingham
Georgia: Blairsville, Braselton
Kentucky: Berea, Louisville
North Carolina: Asheville, Sylva
Ohio: Cincinnati
South Carolina: Anderson
Tennessee: Chattanooga, Clarksville, Crossville, Knoxville, Nashville
Virginia: Bristol
West Virginia: Bluefield, Logan, Ripley
Indian Wells, California
California: Banning, Concord, Fresno, Garden Grove, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego
Nevada: Las Vegas, Reno
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
Arkansas: El Dorado, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Harrison, Little Rock, Mena, Russellville
Iowa: Des Moines
Illinois: Peoria
Indiana: Indianapolis, Terre Haute
Kansas: Chanute, Wichita
Louisiana: Monroe, Shreveport
Missouri: Columbia, Joplin, Kansas City, Rolla, St. Joseph, St. Louis, Springfield
Nebraska: Omaha
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa
Tennessee: Memphis
Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii
Hawaii
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
DC: Washington
Maryland: Baltimore, Salisbury
North Carolina: Charlotte, Greensboro, Jacksonville, Raleigh, Statesville
South Carolina: Walterboro
Virginia: Norfolk, Richmond, Williamsburg, Winchester
Navarre, Florida
Alabama: Montgomery
Florida: Pensacola
Louisiana: Baton Rouge, Ferriday, Lafayette, New Orleans
Mississippi: Columbus, Jackson, Laurel, Ocean Springs
Palm Harbor, Florida
Florida: Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Lake City, Ocala, Tampa
Georgia: Atlanta, Columbus, Macon, Thomasville
Puerto Rico: San Juan
St. George, Utah
Arizona: Phoenix, Prescott Valley, Tucson
Colorado: Colorado Springs, Denver, Meeker
Montana: Great Falls, Helena
New Mexico: Albuquerque, Santa Fe
Utah: Layton
Wyoming: Casper, Saratoga, Thermopolis, Wheatland
Seaside, Oregon
Alaska: Anchorage
California: Eureka
Idaho: Boise
Oregon: Portland, Myrtle Creek
Washington: Richland, Seattle/Tacoma, Tonasket
Tannersville, Pennsylvania
Connecticut: Danbury
Delaware:
Massachusetts: Auburn
Maine: Freeport
New Hampshire: Tilton
New Jersey: Cranford, Hammonton
New York: Albany, Brooklyn-Queens, Buffalo, Corning, Melville, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse
Pennsylvania: Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Tannersville
Rhode Island: Providence
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Iowa: Dubuque
Illinois: Chicago
Indiana: Fort Wayne, Knox
Michigan: Detroit, Kalamazoo, Lansing, McMillan, Traverse City
Minnesota: Duluth, Minneapolis
North Dakota: Bismarck
Ohio: Akron, Columbus, Lima
Wisconsin: Appleton, Merrill, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dells
South Dakota:
Living Youth Program
Online Teen Bible Study Friday Evening
The online Teen Bible Study on Friday evening, February 27, will be on "How To Develop Your Full Potential," 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. (EST) 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, "How Can a Woman Serve in God's Church?," can also be found on the Living Youth Web site.
Summer Camps 2015
Registration is underway for all summer camp programs in the United States and Europe. Register online and find more information for all these camps at our Youth Web site.
European Teen Summer Camp—Repeat Announcement
The LYC Europe for 2015 will be held at "Domaine de Chevetogne," Belgium.
The dates for this year's camp are: arrival on Friday, August 14 and departure on Sunday, August 23. The cost for each person attending will be £125 sterling/€160 euros. Accommodation is in a dormitory where Sabbath services, Bible Studies, meals and sing-alongs will also be held.
Planned activities will include hiking/orienteering, water-skiing, leather work, music, Bible and Christian education, volleyball, football, softball, badminton, speedminton, basketball, nature discovery, PowerPoint presentation skills, speech and initiative training. We have two Sabbaths for relaxation and spiritual instruction and the week will culminate in a special Sabbath dinner followed by a sing-along.
Application Forms are available from the UK Church Office [email protected] or from Mr. Rees Ellis, Belgium [email protected]. Camper and staff applications are to be sent to the UK Office and an e-mail copy sent to Mr. Rees Ellis.
Other International Teen Camps to be held in these countries later in the year:
Guatemala, Mexico, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago
Living University
Call for On-Campus Students Extended (U.S. only at this time)
There is still room for a few individuals seeking a unique and exciting learning opportunity with our on-campus program in Charlotte, North Carolina. LU is now accepting applications for full-time students to study on-campus beginning this fall. We plan to have several new male and female students in August 2015. Applications can be initiated online through the University Web site (www.livinguniv.com). Additional details and requirements can be found online, as can a rough estimate of associated costs. We will have housing available for on-campus students next fall. With our on-campus students, we are also looking for individuals who might have skills to contribute to the Work or University through part-time work/study. If you are interested in on-campus LU study and have questions, please contact us as soon as possible. At this time we can only accept on-campus students from the U.S., though we hope to expand this opportunity to international students in future years. Students interested should plan to submit their applications as soon as possible. Those with no previous college should submit college entrance test scores (ACT or SAT) along with other application materials and should plan to take that examination as soon as you can. You can find out more about these exams through a local high school guidance counselor or local community college or university testing service. If you have questions about on-campus study or to find out more, please call or e-mail Dr. Scott Winnail at 704-708-2292 or [email protected].
Comments
Thankful for the Truth? The Sabbath is a good time to reflect on an important question: Are you thankful for the Truth? It is easy to take the Truth for granted if you are a long-time member or if you have grown up in the Church. Yet, Jesus said that people cannot come to a real understanding of the Truth unless they are called and their minds have been opened to see the big picture (John 6:44). The capacity to understand the plan of God, the purpose of life and the true way of life is a gift that God is making available to only a few at this time (1 Corinthians 1:26-27). These precious truths are a mystery to most people (1 Corinthians 2:7-8) because Satan—"the god of this age"—has blinded their eyes (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Jesus said that it is an incredible privilege to be given an understanding of the Truth (Matthew 13:10-17). Paul said that to be called out of darkness into the light of the Truth is something for which we should be extremely thankful (Ephesians 5:8-20). He also mentions that those who ignored or rejected information that was right in front of them will face serious consequences (Romans 1:18-22). Let's never forget to be thankful for the opportunity to understand the Truth of God that "endures to all generations" (Psalm 100:1-5).
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—February 19, 2015
The Unifying Power of ISIS: In the last few days ISIS has burned 45 people to death in a western Iraqi town (Daily Mail, February 18, 2015), beheaded 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libya (Mail Online, February 17, 2015), and is threatening to use Libya to strike against Europe (Telegraph, February 17, 2015)! Aggressive actions by ISIS continue to push Arab nations together. This week "The leader of the Iranian-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah urged the Middle East to unite and join the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL) in Iraq and Syria" (Breitbart, February 17, 2015). "'ISIL's real goal is in Mecca and Medina. Let Saudi Arabia think very hard about this. Why? Because the Caliphate can't be established without the two holy sites,' he warned in addressing Gulf Arab nations" (ibid.). Egypt has already bombed Libya in response to the beheading of the 21 men—showing that it will act independently (Reuters, February 16, 2015). More Arab nations appear ready to act against ISIS and potentially work together, as the Islamic State uses more extreme tactics. It is ironic that it is an Islamic group that may push many Arab nations to unite and form what may become the "king of the South" that was prophesied long ago in the Bible (Daniel 11:40-43). If ISIS makes advances toward Rome and Europe, the group may also push the development of the "king of the North" (ibid.). For more on future events in Europe and the Middle East, be sure to read "War in the Middle East and the Coming King of the South."
Terror in Denmark: "Copenhagen police shot and killed on Sunday morning (15 February) a man suspected to have carried out two terror attacks in the Danish capital over the weekend. 'Once again Europe is shocked by what appears to be another brutal terrorist attack targeted at our fundamental values and freedoms, including the freedom of expression'" (EU Observer, February 15, 2015). The Danish-born Palestinian gunman opened fire on a conference about "freedom of expression" and later on a Jewish synagogue. He later died in a gun fight with police (ibid.). In response to the events, the Danish prime minister commented "We have tasted the ugly taste of fear and powerlessness that terror would like to create" (CNN, February 16, 2015). It is sad to watch the tragedies of terrorist acts unfold in Europe and around the globe. The recent events in France and Denmark are tragic, but were prophesied to strike the Israelite-descended nations at the end of the age as a result of their sins. God warned, "I will even appoint terror over you… and cause sorrow of heart… I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies" (Leviticus 26:16-17). Sadly, as the Israelite nations turn away from God, we will see more tragedies like the ones that have just occurred, and these events may "push" a core of European nations to arm and unite as is also prophesied in Daniel 11:40-43. For more on the future of Europe, be sure to read "Bible Prophecy and the European Dream."
Increasing Threat of Nuclear War: "The Ukraine crisis has dramatically worsened relations between NATO and Russia. With cooperation on nuclear security now suspended and the lack of a 'red telephone,' experts at the Munich Security Conference warn any escalation in tensions could grow deadly" (Der Spiegel, February 13, 2015). "Deep mistrust has developed between the West and Russia, and it is having a massive effect on cooperation on security matters" (ibid.). A high-level U.S. diplomat commented regarding the current critical situation, "Both American and Russian nuclear arms are essentially on a kind of hair-trigger alert. Both sides have a nuclear posture where land-based missiles could be authorized for use in less than 15 minutes." In a related comment, former Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov noted the severity of the situation: "Now the threat of a war is higher than during the Cold War" (ibid.). "In late January, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set its 'Doomsday Clock' to three minutes to midnight. The last time it was set to that time was in 1983, 'when US-Soviet relations were at their iciest point'" (ibid.). Thankfully, Bible prophecy indicates that war will not break out between the U.S. and Russia! However tensions in Europe will likely push a core of European nations together to defend themselves (Daniel 11:40-43). For more information on how this will happen, be sure to read our booklet on the coming Beast of Revelation.—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater