Greetings from Charlotte,
It is very encouraging to report that last Friday, we added our 500,000th subscriber to the mailing list for Tomorrow's World magazine! That has been a goal for some time. It is also gratifying to see that the subscription level for the weekly News & Prophecy e-Zine has climbed to nearly 21,400. On the world scene, a devastating earthquake struck Nepal, the flood of African immigrants attempting to get to Europe by boat is straining relations between EU countries, racially-tinged riots erupted in Baltimore, Maryland, and many religious citizens in the United States are deeply concerned about a Supreme Court case that could approve same-sex marriage. These are certainly times that "try men's souls." Last Sabbath, Dr. Meredith gave a powerful and timely sermon on "How To Face Trials" that will be coming out as a Must Play. The Tomorrow's World Presentations held last weekend in Canada and Danbury, Connecticut, drew 125 visitors. This coming Sunday, Mr. Rees Ellis will be in Cape Town, South Africa to attend the funeral of Mr. Pieter van der Byl. This coming week, we will hold a Council of Elders meeting with men coming in from various parts of the world. Please pray that God will guide the discussions as we discuss the state of the Work and that He will watch over and protect His people.—DSW
Church Administration
Prayer Request—Brethren in Burundi
The Living Church of God has six brethren who live in the southeast African country of Burundi. Burundi is a small nation located between Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Earlier this week, two of our brethren had to flee Burundi because of the insecurity and violence. Mr. Rees Ellis reports that this is not the first time our brethren have had to flee for their lives—it's a dangerous and distressed area. Those who fled are currently staying in neighboring Congo, with family who are looking after their immediate needs. But there are other brethren in Burundi in similar situations and who need our prayers as well. Your urgent prayers would be much appreciated.
Requests for Money via E-mail and Social Media—Must Read—Repeat Announcement
From time to time, brethren are contacted via e-mail or social media (including Facebook) by individuals claiming to be part of the Church, often overseas, asking for financial support. If you come in contact with any individual such as this, please exercise extreme caution, as most such requests are scams conducted by people trying to get money under false pretenses. You would be wise not to send money based on a contact via e-mail or social media. And remember, the person contacting you may be impersonating someone you know. Please respond by referring any such contact to that person's local Living Church of God pastor (or HQ if you don't know who their pastor is). If there is a genuine need, their pastor will be in a better position to address it.
Second Passover—Repeat Announcement
The Second Passover this year should be taken shortly after sunset on Saturday, May 2. This Passover is for those baptized members who were unable to take the first Passover due to unavoidable circumstances. The biblical instructions regarding this ceremony are found in Numbers 9:1-14.
Tomorrow's World Presents in Danbury, Connecticut
A Tomorrow's World Presentation was held on Sunday, April 26, at the Holiday Inn in Danbury, Connecticut. A total of 17 visitors were present and were supported by nine members, for a total attendance of 26. Regional Pastor Jonathan McNair presented a message contrasting the intractable problems of mankind through the ages with the good news of the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His reign on the Earth. A number of visitors partook of the LCG literature that was provided and we certainly pray and hope that positive fruit will be borne from the presentation.—Dennis Chornomaz
French Caribbean Update
Our Area Pastor for the French Caribbean, Dr. Wil Pierre, recently returned after a successful trip visiting our congregations and brethren there. He visited Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and St. Maarten and reports that our brethren in these areas are doing well—zealous and grateful to know God's Truth and to be part of His flock. He baptized a new lady in Haiti. He also baptized a lady in St. Maarten who grew up in Guyana, and who, as a child, attended the Church with her parents. She said she had been praying to find God's true Church. As she visited many other churches, she always felt uncomfortable, uneasy, and out of place. Therefore, when she found the Living Church of God in St. Maarten, she was ecstatic and thankful.
Aside from conducting Sabbath services and Bible Studies, Dr. Pierre was able to meet with the leaders in these areas, to discuss ways to be better servants, and also tools that we can use to be self-sufficient and productive. Our Elders in the French Caribbean are doing a fine job of taking care of the needs of the brethren on a week-to-week basis. We are also having good growth. In Guadeloupe, Dr. Pierre reported that there were 23 people attending the First Day of Unleavened Bread—which is exciting, because our attendance in Guadeloupe just three years ago was only three!
In conclusion, Dr. Pierre writes: "God's Work is moving forward. It was a tremendous blessing to see the warmth, the spiritual strength and the zeal of most of our brethren in the French Antilles in spite of the many challenges they are facing. Currently, we are receiving contacts from new people, along with long-time members who desire to fellowship with God's Church again. We are also receiving contacts and have a number of prospective members and even members scattered across the region. Many are the only individuals interested in the Truth on their entire island. Please continue to pray for God's guidance in their lives, and that God will call more people for them to fellowship with according to His will."
Carolina Singles Weekend—Monday Deadline!
The deadline to register for the Carolina Singles Weekend is this coming Monday, May 4. If you have already committed to coming to Charlotte, North Carolina for this special weekend, please register now! If you are on the fence and undecided, we encourage you to come and experience what is shaping up to be a weekend you won't want to miss. Interesting and inspiring messages, fun activities, fellowship, dancing and great food await you. See you here in Charlotte!—Jonathan Bueno
Internet Department
Two New Tomorrow's World Web Site Features—Repeat Announcement
Last week we deployed two new TomorrowsWorld.org Web site features that we think you will find helpful. The first new feature can be found in the middle column on the Home Page. Here you will notice some of the "Most Talked About" TW Web site content. As many of you know, the Tomorrow's World Facebook community is extremely active, and this new feature will show what TW Web site content is being read, watched and shared among the online social community. Additionally, because of many requests, we have just added audio to our weekly commentaries. Now, in addition to audio of our booklets and articles, you can listen to audio of the commentaries. We hope you enjoy both of these new features.—Wyatt Ciesielka
Feast of Tabernacles
Accessing Festival 2015 Site Activities
Our Festival Coordinators are now beginning to display some of their activities on the Festival Web site. To access the Festival Web site, go to the Living Church of God Web site (lcg.org), click on "Feast of Tabernacles" and follow the links.
Registration Update
There are now over 6,700 brethren registered for the Feast. If you are trying to register and are having difficulties, please e-mail us at [email protected].
Myrtle Beach Update
If you have received a "denial" e-mail from the Festival Office, please re-register at another site of your choice. If you have a special circumstance (health problem, financial issue, etc.) that makes it necessary for you to attend in Myrtle Beach, please send us an e-mail at [email protected] explaining your situation.
Sites Closed for Transfers
The following 2015 Feast sites are closed for further transfers:
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
St. George, Utah
Navarre, Florida
Living Youth Program
Online Teen Bible Studies Suspended During Summer Months
There will be no online Teen Bible Studies through the summer months, although the Bible Studies given at the Adventure Camp and Ohio Teen Camp, as well as at the Texas Pre-Teen Camp, will be posted during these camps. Also, archives of previous Living Youth Bible Studies can be found on the Living Youth Web site. The regular online Teen Bible Studies are scheduled to resume on Friday evening, September 11.
Ohio Teen Camp Staff Assignments
The Staff assignments for the LYC Teen Camp in Ohio have now been posted on the Living Youth Web site.
West Virginia Family Camp—Repeat Announcement
The deadline for applying for the West Virginia Family Camp is just two weeks away—May 8. This final year looks to be our biggest and best year yet! If you're interested in attending, be sure to get your application in soon. If you have any questions, check the camp Web page or contact me at 304-425-0025 or [email protected].—Paul Shumway
Comments
Be Thankful for the Truth! The Sabbath is a good time to reflect on the tremendous privilege that God has given to His people to understand the Truth—about the purpose of life, about what happens when a person dies, that there is a real God and the "true gospel"—that Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth to establish a government that will bring peace and justice to the entire world (Isaiah 9:6-7) and that those called now to be saints (1 Corinthians 1:2) will play a major role in changing the world in the years just ahead (Daniel 7:27; Acts 3:19-21; Revelation 5:10). This capacity to understand the Truth is a gift that God is making available to only a few at this time (1 Corinthians 1:26-27), while Satan has blinded the rest of the world to these important and wonderful truths (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). We need to value this tremendous privilege and 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—April 30, 2015
Deadly Quake in Nepal: On April 25, a devastating 7.8 earthquake struck the landlocked nation of Nepal and caused a fatal avalanche on Mount Everest. The death toll in Nepal from the worst disaster in 80 years is climbing toward 6,000 and casualties are reported in surrounding regions of India, China and Bangladesh. Some 400,000 people have been displaced from their homes (Wall Street Journal, April 29, 2015; Wikipedia: 2015 Nepal Earthquake). Other reports mention, "Vast tent cities have sprung up in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, for those displaced or afraid to return to their homes as strong aftershocks continued. Thousands spent Sunday night—their second night—outside… A senior official in Gorkha district, the location of the earthquake's epicentre, told AP he had heard reports of 70% of houses being destroyed" (BBC, April 27, 2015). Jesus Christ predicted that deadly "earthquakes" and "fearful sights" would be among the "signs of the end of the age" and that they would be just "the beginning of sorrows" (Matthew 24:7-8; Luke 21:11). The clear implication of these prophecies is that horrific disasters will increase in frequency and magnitude as we approach the end of the age. Christians who look forward to the return of Jesus Christ must never grow calloused to suffering, but will need to pray even more fervently "Thy kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10). To learn more about signs of the "end of the age," be sure to read "Signs of Christ's Second Coming."
Increasing Turmoil in U.S. Cities: For many in the Western world, news about feuding factions in the Middle East or Africa may seem "far away." Yet it is also erupting in America—from Ferguson, Missouri to Baltimore, Maryland, on the edge of the U.S. capital. Recently, the governor of Maryland called out the National Guard and the city of Baltimore instituted a curfew to quell the violence that broke out after the funeral of 25-year-old Freddie Gray. The rioting included "rock-throwing youths, arson, looting and at least 15 police officers injured… Angry residents threw bottles, rocks and chunks of concrete at officers who lined up in riot gear with shields deployed. Cars were set on fire, store windows were shattered, a CVS drugstore was looted, and the cafe inside a century-old Italian deli was destroyed" (New York Times, April 27, 2015). Jesus prophesied that in the last days "nation will rise against nation" (Matthew 24:7). The inspired Greek word translated "nation" is ethnos—which indicates that "increasing ethnic strife" will be one of the key events that will mark the end of the age. This prophesied ethnic strife will impact Israelite-descended nations like the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other Western European nations that have turned away from God and despised His laws (see Leviticus 26:14-33; Deuteronomy 28:43). As problems mount that defy human solutions, the need for Jesus Christ to return to establish a world government that will bring peace and justice (Isaiah 9:6-7) will become obvious to more and more people. This is what the "true gospel" of the Kingdom of God is all about (Mark 1:14-15; Acts 1:6; Revelation 5:10; 11:15-18). Read about this soon-coming reality in The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?
Britain's Sobering Future: "Britain is experiencing the same decline as Rome in 100BC, with the collapse of civilisation inevitable… Dr Jim Penman, of the RMIT University in Melbourne, believes Britons no longer have the genetic temperament to advance because of decades of peace and a high standard of living… Britain is existing in a period similar to the decades before the fall of the Roman Republic where social tensions were rife, the gap between the rich and poor was increasing and extremism was growing. And when added to a growing distaste for military action, which has seen huge cuts the armed forces, by the end of the century the UK will no longer have the power, or will, to protect itself against a serious invading force, he predicts… And once European countries can no longer defend themselves, the end of national independence cannot be long delayed" (The Telegraph, April 26, 2015). While critics may disagree with Dr. Penman's assessment, his observations certainly agree with Bible prophecies that clearly state that at the end of the age, the Israelite-descended peoples will become "utterly corrupt" and experience a "time of trouble" because they provoke God to anger by their actions (Deuteronomy 31:29; Jeremiah 30:7). To learn more about Britain's prophesied future, listen to "Great Britain Becoming Little Britain."—Scott Winnail, Chris Sookdeo and Francine Prater