Greetings from Charlotte,
Severe weather in February brought record-breaking cold and heavy snow across the Midwest and Northeast parts of the USA. The extreme cold caused Niagara Falls to freeze over and more than eight feet of snow literally "buried" Boston. Also in February, Cyclone Marcia tore through Queensland, in northeast Australia, disrupting power and destroying more than 350 homes. Bible prophecies have long warned that increasingly severe weather will mark the approaching end of the age (Matthew 24:7). Here in Charlotte, Dr. Meredith has been writing and holding meetings. Mr. Ames is scheduled to tape a new Tomorrow's World television program this week. Mr. Gerald Weston, Mr. Wyatt Ciesielka and several others are in Nashville, Tennessee this week to attend the National Religious Broadcasters convention. Mr. Cristian Orrego will be conducting services in Mexico City this Sabbath. Mr. Rod McNair and Mr. John Strain will make Tomorrow's World Presentations in Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa, Florida this weekend. Please pray that God will bless these efforts to preach the Gospel and serve His people.—DSW
Church Administration
Passover 2015—Repeat Announcement
Important Notice to All Pastors: In 2015, the Passover Service will be observed on Thursday evening, April 2. If you haven't already done so, please let us know right away 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. 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.
Carolina Singles Weekend—May 22-25
Back by tradition and popular demand—Carolina Singles Weekend 2015! The Charlotte Singles group is excited to welcome you to another memorable weekend here in the Carolinas. Last year was a tremendous success and we'd love for you to share the experience with us—whether you are joining us for the first time or are returning.
This combined Pentecost and Memorial Day Weekend will offer a variety of spiritual messages and timely talks on specific issues facing us today. Supplementing these helpful and focused messages will be food, fellowship, dancing and more! (Really, we can't give it all away now, though!)
We look forward to seeing you here in Charlotte in May. Mark your calendars and begin making plans now. More details to follow.—Jonathan Bueno
"Fun in the Sun" Southwest Regional Weekend
On Sabbath, February 14, in sunny Phoenix, Arizona, 212 people heard long-time Evangelist Richard Ames preach a positive message on personal relationships and loving your neighbor as yourself. Saturday evening, all enjoyed a beautiful dinner buffet and "Black and White Ball" and Sunday morning continued the weekend theme with a very inspiring "Brunch and Learn," led again by Mr. Ames on "IPC"—interpersonal communications. Mr. Ames discussed using communication and personal relationships as an opportunity to love others as ourselves. In the afternoon, a variety show was presented and among many delightful performances, Mrs. Ames volunteered her wonderful talent with a lovely violin solo. The variety show was followed by a reception for audience and performers. Many thanks to all for a spiritually fulfilling and wonderfully uplifting weekend of activities!—F. Young
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
Festival Advisor Documents
All Festival Advisors should have received an e-mail from their Pastors with important links to registration and volunteer forms, and an information packet with detailed descriptions of each Feast site. These documents are necessary for you to print, copy, and distribute to brethren who need your assistance in registering. Festival Advisors: If you did not receive these links and documents from your Pastor, please contact him right away. Reminder: Festival Registration begins Sunday, March 8.—Festival Office
2015 Festival Registration Planned for Sunday, March 8—Repeat Announcement
We are planning for Festival Registration to open on Sunday, March 8, at 12:00 noon 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].
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico
The Mexican congregations extend a warm welcome to their brethren abroad to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles in Mexico this year. The Feast will be held in one of Mexico's most beautiful and tranquil colonial towns, San Miguel de Allende (www.visitmexico.com), in the state of Guanajuato, 165 miles northeast of Mexico City (MEX international airport) and 60 miles from Guanajauto city (Leon-Bajío BJX international airport). San Miguel de Allende is located in Mexico's central highlands region and, thanks to its climate and geography, enjoys beautiful temperate weather year-round, clear blue skies, and striking sunrises and sunsets, making it an ideal location to contemplate the beauty of God's creation and meditate on the Millennium. San Miguel de Allende is known for its beautiful, well-preserved baroque and neo-gothic architecture. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008, it is a popular destination with American retirees for its artistic, cultural and safe ambiance, and delicious cuisine.
Accommodations and services will be at Hotel Real de Minas. Simultaneous translation into English will be provided during the Feast. Being a relatively small Feast site (usually less than 200), the Feast in Mexico allows for closer fellowship among brethren and provides a joyous family atmosphere. For more information about this site, visit the Feast of Tabernacles Web site (fot2015.lcg.org) or contact the Festival Site Coordinator, Mr. Cristian Orrego, at [email protected] or +1-704-844-1970.
New Feast Site in Sri Lanka—Repeat Announcement
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.
Living Youth Program
Online Teen Bible Study Friday Evening
The online Teen Bible Study on Friday evening, March 6, will be on "Basic Differences Between Men and Women," 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 To Develop Your Full Potential," can also be found on the Living Youth Web site.
Youth Program Donations—Thank You!
We would like to give a hearty thanks to everyone who sent donations to support our youth camp programs around the world! Your benevolence is moving and deeply appreciated. Your overwhelming response and support will further our efforts to run high quality camps designed to serve the young people in God's Church. May God richly bless you for your generosity!
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.
Adventure Camp 2015—Glacier National Park, Wyoming—Application Deadline
The deadline to submit an application for this Adventure Camp is this Sunday, March 1, 2015. Acceptances and denials will be sent next week. This program is extremely popular so be sure not to miss this opportunity to apply if you wish to be considered for acceptance.
LYC Family Camp—West Virginia
The LYC Family Camp, located at the beautiful 325-acre Glenwood 4-H Camp near Princeton, West Virginia, will be offered for one more year! The purpose of this camp is to:
- Provide a Family Camp experience with special emphasis on our youth—mini-campers through teens
- Learn a deeper appreciation for God's creation and His way of life
- Encourage teamwork and build confidence, courage and leadership skills
- Provide a positive environment that stimulates bonding with others living God's way of life
- Help build a solid foundation for Teen Camp
- Motto: "Everyone's included—no one is left out"
Dates: Sunday, June 14 through Friday, June 19
Cost: Campers ages 7-13, $120; Parents, Workers, Children 4 and up, $60. Maximum per family, $400
Our new, earlier dates this year mean there will be no conflict with Teen Camp! Considering all the excitement generated so far, this promises to be our best year yet—with the popular Spark Plug program, A-Team, and a few surprises including a new state-of-the-art 18-hole Frisbee Golf Course.
Camp Directors: Mr. Paul Shumway, Camp Director; Dr. Scott Winnail, Assistant Director
Registration begins: Sunday, March 8
Comments
Where Is Your Heart? Jesus urged His disciples to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). He said, "My food [My nourishment, what motivates Me] is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" (John 4:34). Jesus was a mission-oriented person who challenged His disciples to follow in His footsteps (Matthew 4:18-22). Truly dedicated members of the Living Church of God are committed to that same mission—preaching the Gospel, warning the world, feeding the flock and being real Christian lights and examples (Matthew 10:6-7; Matthew 24; 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 John 2:15-19). They don't have time to get sidetracked on peripheral issues or twiggy ideas about doctrine (2 Timothy 2:14-19). They don't let personal agendas—romantic, economic or political—pull them off course (Matthew 13:18-23). They don't listen to rumors and don't sit around and complain—they focus on what is good and what is positive (Philippians 4:8). They don't let interpersonal differences hinder their spiritual growth (Romans 12:14-18) or keep them from developing the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-11). The Sabbath is a good time to ponder the question—Where is Your Heart?
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—February 26, 2015
German Tank Sales to Saudi Arabia: Reversing a decades-old policy not to sell arms to "crisis regions" of the world, Germany sold 270 of its most advanced Leopard tanks to Saudi Arabia in 2011 (Der Spiegel, October 14, 2011). This action caught many off guard, even some within the German government. Yet the results of this covert action are playing into Bible prophecies about Europe and the Middle East. Long ago, God foretold that at the "end of the age" a confederation of Middle Eastern nations and Germany would emerge on the world stage (Psalm 83:1-8). Eventually this group of nations will turn against the Israelite-descended nations (Isaiah 10:5-6; Ezekiel 23:22-24). Bible prophecies reveal these nations will form a short-lived confederacy and then break apart, with the "northern" German-led group turning against the "southern" Arab group (Daniel 11:40-43). As Germany makes overtures toward Saudi Arabia, and Arab nations attempt to unite against ISIS, it is important to keep these Bible prophecies in mind. For more information on this vital topic, be sure to read The Middle East in Prophecy.
Government Knows Best? The provincial government of Ontario has announced a newly revised sex education curriculum—to begin this autumn (The Star, February 23, 2015). Critics warn that the curriculum provides too much information at too young an age: same sex relationships in grade 3, sexting and sexual pictures in grade 4, masturbation and consent in grade 6 (ibid.). The provincial Education Minister cited age appropriateness of the information (so students can clearly understand the concepts) and that the curriculum is endorsed by "experts." However, opposition to the curriculum is coming from both religious and non-religious parents (ibid.). Sadly, school curricula in many democratic nations are becoming less reflective of parental concerns, and "government knows best" is the rationale for many decisions. Bible prophecies have long warned such situations would arise in the Israelite-descended nations (Canada, the U.S., Britain, Australia, and many Western European nations): "For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed" (Isaiah 9:16). This is increasingly evident as public education drifts away from biblical values! God intended parents and grandparents to be the primary teachers of right and wrong—not godless leaders of "the state" (Deuteronomy 6:1-7). For more information about raising Godly children, be sure to read our insightful booklet Successful Parenting: God's Way.
Thy Kingdom Come! "A girl thought to be as young as seven killed herself and five others in a suicide bombing in north-east Nigeria on Sunday as the country's president, Goodluck Jonathan, conceded that his government had underrated the capacity of the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram. The attack on a market in the town of Potiskum is the latest in a string of suicide strikes in which children have been used" (The Guardian, February 22, 2015). Tragically, more than 13,000 people have been killed and more than a million left homeless since 2009 due to the actions of extremists trying to create an Islamic state (ibid.). The saddening and shocking aspect about killings in Nigeria is that warlords are using young innocent children to spread their carnage. These modern atrocities resemble practices that God condemned in ancient pagan nations—causing their children to "pass through the fire to Molech"—a pagan god (Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 16:1-3). When Jesus' disciples asked Him how to pray, He told them to pray, "Thy kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10, KJV). As we see the suffering caused by the Satan-inspired actions of people, we should be motivated to pray that same prayer. To learn more about God's coming kingdom, read The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?—Scott Winnail, Marc Arseneault, Francine Prater