Greetings from Charlotte,
As we approach the Holy Days, Satan always seems to become more active in the world and in our personal lives. This week powerful earthquakes struck Japan and Ecuador killing hundreds and injuring thousands of people. Bombs were detonated in Jerusalem and Afghanistan, killing and injuring dozens more. Houston, America's fourth-largest city, was hit by torrential rains, and governments in other parts of the world are under siege by frustrated and angry citizens. At this time of year Satan also seems intent on stirring up problems and strife among God's people wherever he can, so we must be on guard and not lose our focus on what these Holy Days mean for us and for all mankind—that there is a path to salvation that will eventually lead all mankind out of this present evil world. Here in Charlotte, we are encouraged to report that the May-June issue of Tomorrow's World magazine, in its three main language editions, will be mailed to more than 520,000 subscribers, and the News & Prophecy digital newsletter now has almost 21,000 subscribers. The new booklets, Is Christmas Christian? and Easter: The Untold Story, have been mailed to almost 30,000 recipients. During the Holy Day season, a number of ministers from Charlotte will be traveling to visit other congregations. Dr. Meredith will be in Texas, Mr. Ames will be in Michigan and Ohio, Mr. Wakefield will be in Florida and Mr. Bonjour and I will be on the West Coast. Please pray that God will bless the messages, the fellowship and watch over His people who will be traveling to and from services during this special period of time.—DSW
Church Administration
Please Don't Mark Our Emails as Spam (Use "Unsubscribe" Method)
In addition to offering the Co-Worker letter electronically for many years, we have recently added email versions of LCG Member Letters and the Tomorrow's World magazine. One of our responsibilities, as an organization, is to be a good "digital citizen," and this includes requirements such as honoring "spam complaint" requests—which we do. One of the unanticipated surprises that we have discovered as a result of launching different digital subscriptions is that the vast majority of "spam complaints" that are submitted about us are from Church members. This was surprising, since we don't send out unsolicited electronic mail, and we always operate on an "opt-in" basis. With that in mind, we would like to request that if you receive an email subscription from us, and no-longer wish to receive it, please utilize the unsubscribe method included at the bottom of any email, rather than simply marking the email as spam. This has two benefits. Firstly, it doesn't negatively impact our reputation as an emailer. Secondly, when you report us as spam, your email address is black-listed by our system so that we can't accidentally send you emails again in the future; with systems like MyLCG and festival registration, we need to be able to responsibly send you emails.
Charlotte BRiC Weekend (an opportunity for singles)—Memorial Day Weekend—Repeat Announcement
Are you interested in insightful, spiritual discussions on Building Relationships in Christ? Do you desire to strengthen the relationships you already have with those around you? Do you also want to dance, relax, and enjoy a little fresh air? If you're single and interested in the above, then be sure to attend this year's BRiC Weekend, May 27–30.
Our theme for this year's BRiC Weekend is Building Relationships in Christ through a culture of servant leadership. You can register for the weekend, as well as find the details for the weekend, at charlottelcg.org/BRiC. If you have any questions regarding the weekend and its details, please email me at [email protected].—Ryan Dawson
Television Department
Telecast Monitors Wanted
Do you want to help the Work provide quality Tomorrow's World program coverage in your area? If Tomorrow's World airs in your local area, then you may want to consider becoming a Tomorrow's World monitor. All you need is to watch the telecast in your area, a phone number and an email address. If you are interested in helping in this way, then email Ryan Dawson at [email protected].
Telly Award for Mr. Ames' Telecast—Repeat Announcement
Mr. Ames' telecast "Victory Over Death" just received a Telly Award in the Film/Video "TV Programs" category. The Telly Awards were founded in 1979 to recognize "the finest video and film productions" in various categories and merit-based awards are granted to the top submissions as judged by a panel of more than 500 industry professionals. We thank God for continuing to bless and grow our various media efforts as we work to fulfill the Great Commission of preaching the True Gospel all around the world. The telecast can be viewed at TomorrowsWorld.org or by clicking here.—Wyatt Ciesielka
Internet Department
Thankful for Growth!
The Church maintains dozens of Web sites, social media pages and other Internet initiatives in order not only to reach people around the world, but to also "engage" people and encourage them to download booklets, sign up for the Tomorrow's World magazine, watch telecasts on various platforms, etc. We are very thankful for the "Internet growth" that God has given us, and we pray that He will open more doors and increase our effectiveness even more so we can truly reach the entire world with the Good News about the coming Kingdom of God. The following stats may be encouraging, and we thank you for your prayers that our impact will grow even more.
- In addition to many millions of views, there are more than 11,000 subscribers to our English-language YouTube channel, more than 18,000 subscribers to our Spanish-language YouTube channel, and more than 2,000 subscribers to our French-language YouTube channel. In addition to millions of views, many of these people are watching and sharing telecasts and Webcasts.
- There are more than 160,000 "fans" for our English-language Facebook page, more than 38,000 "fans" for our Spanish-language Facebook page, and more than 118,000 fans for our French-language Facebook page. In addition to reading Tomorrow's World content, many of these people are also sharing content with their online friends and family.
- More than 48,000 people follow our English Twitter account.
- We are also very thankful that our Roku advertising is helping us reach a big and new audience around the world. We are doing some Roku advertising and have "moved up" in the Roku rankings to be at around 41 of more than 870 total religious channels on Roku (the top 5 percent). This is great, and is helping us reach a big new audience. Also very encouragingly, we are seeing very good preliminary data regarding people contacting us and requesting literature from Roku, as well as AppleTV and Amazon FireTV.
- The Tomorrow's World digital magazine has successfully launched (you can sign up at TomorrowsWorld.org/digital).
- Our weekly News & Prophecy e-zine has climbed to over 20,000 subscribers and our other e-mail digest circulations are now over 11,000.
The above does not include our many other Facebook or YouTube pages or other Web sites in other languages such as Dutch, Afrikaans, German, or various other "LCG" or "Living Youth," etc., Web pages. We thank you for your prayers about these, and all of our Internet and other media initiatives.—Wyatt Ciesielka
Feast of Tabernacles
U.S. Congregations and Feast Site Assignments:
To find out what Feast site your local congregation is assigned to, consult the following list:
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Alabama: Athens, Birmingham
Georgia: Blairsville, Braselton
Indiana: Indianapolis, Terre Haute
Kentucky: Berea, Louisville
North Carolina: Asheville, Sylva
Ohio: Cincinnati
South Carolina: Anderson
Tennessee: Chattanooga, Clarksville, Crossville, Etowah, Knoxville, Nashville
Virginia: Bristol
West Virginia: Bluefield, Logan, Ripley
Hilton Head, South Carolina
Florida: Jacksonville
Georgia: Atlanta, Macon
North Carolina: Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Jacksonville, Raleigh, Statesville
South Carolina: Walterboro
Virginia: Norfolk, Richmond, Williamsburg
Lake Conroe, Texas
Louisiana: Shreveport
Texas: Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Beaumont, Big Sandy, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Houston, Lufkin, Midland, San Antonio, Temple, The Valley
Mount Snow, Vermont
Connecticut: Danbury
DC: Washington
Delaware:
Massachusetts: Auburn
Maine: Waterville
Maryland: Baltimore, Salisbury
New Hampshire: Tilton
New Jersey: Cranford, Hammonton
New York: Albany, Brooklyn-Queens, Buffalo, Corning, Plainview, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse
Pennsylvania: Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Tannersville
Rhode Island: Providence
Virginia: Winchester
Osage Beach, Missouri
Arkansas: El Dorado, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Harrison, Little Rock, Mena, Russellville
Iowa: Des Moines
Illinois: Peoria, Springfield
Kansas: Chanute, Wichita
Missouri: Columbia, Joplin, Kansas City, Rolla, St. Joseph, St. Louis, Springfield
Nebraska: Omaha
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa
Tennessee: Memphis
Panama City, Florida
Alabama: Montgomery
Florida: Fort Lauderdale, Lake City, Ocala, Tampa, Pensacola
Georgia: Columbus, Thomasville
Louisiana: Baton Rouge, Ferriday, Lafayette, Monroe, New Orleans
Mississippi: Columbus, Jackson, Laurel, Ocean Springs
Puerto Rico: San Juan
San Diego, California
California: Banning, Concord, Fresno, Garden Grove, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego
Nevada: Reno
St. George, Utah
Arizona: Phoenix, Prescott Valley, Tucson
Colorado: Colorado Springs, Denver, Grand Junction
Nevada: Las Vegas
New Mexico: Albuquerque, El Paso/Las Cruces, Santa Fe
Utah: Blanding, Layton
Wyoming: Casper, Saratoga, Thermopolis, Wheatland
Seaside, Oregon
Alaska: Anchorage, Homer
California: Eureka
Idaho: Boise
Montana: Helena, Great Falls
Oregon: Portland, Myrtle Creek
Washington: Richland, Seattle/Tacoma, Tonasket
Traverse City, Michigan
Iowa: Dubuque
Illinois: Chicago
Indiana: Fort Wayne, Knox
Michigan: Kalamazoo, Lansing, McMillan, Traverse City
Minnesota: Duluth, Minneapolis
North Dakota: Bismarck
Ohio: Akron, Columbus, Lima
Wisconsin: Appleton, Merrill, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dells
South Dakota:
2016 Festival Registration Opens on Sunday, May 1!—Repeat Announcement
Festival Registration is scheduled to open on Sunday, May 1, 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 indicate any 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 2016 by going to the Festival Web site: fot2016.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.
Please do not make housing reservations until you have registered and been approved for your choice of site.
Pastors: In preparation for Festival Registration on May 1, please make sure that Headquarters has been notified about any status changes in your local congregation rosters. For example, the Festival Registration system only accepts registrations from members and prospective members. Any new people who want to attend the Feast this year will need to be classified as PMs in order to register. Any Church Youths (CY) who have turned 18 should also be reclassified 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].
Festival Advisors: In preparation for Festival registration, all Festival Advisors will be able to access Registration and Volunteer Forms, as well as the Festival Site Guide 2016 which has detailed descriptions of each Feast site on the MyLCG Web site (www.cogl.org). These documents are necessary for you to print, copy, and distribute to brethren who need your assistance in registering. Reminder: Festival Registration begins on Sunday, May 1.
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
Living Youth Program
Online Teen Bible Studies Suspended During Summer Months
There will be no live online Teen Bible Studies through the summer months, although the Bible Studies given at the Adventure Camp and the Ohio Teen Camp will be posted during these camps. In the meantime, archives of previous Living Youth Bible Studies can be found on the Living Youth Web site at livingyouth.org. The regular online Teen Bible Studies are scheduled to resume on Friday evening, October 7.
Texas Preteen Camp 2016—Staff Applications Deadline—Repeat Announcement
All who would like to apply to serve on the staff of the Texas Preteen Camp are asked to complete an application by no later than midnight on Sunday, May 1. This includes those who have made a verbal commitment, but who have not yet formally applied. We are still currently in need of those who would like to serve as dorm counselors or assistant counselors. Anyone applying after this deadline will be accepted only if space allows. Staff assignments will be distributed by the end of May.
Teen Camp Ohio 2016—Staff Applications Deadline on Sunday
All who would like to apply to serve on the staff at this camp are asked to complete an application by no later than midnight on Sunday, April 24. Anyone applying after this deadline will be accepted only if space allows. Staff assignments will be posted in early May.
Comments
The Path to Salvation: The Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread represent the initial steps in God's great plan of salvation. The Passover reminds us that Jesus Christ died for our sins to become the Savior of mankind (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 4:10). When we come to understand the tremendous sacrifice that Jesus made to pay the penalty for our sins, we need to take time to seriously examine ourselves and make every effort to eliminate the sins that God allows us to see (1 Corinthians 11:27-32; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11). Our focus during the Days of Unleavened Bread should be on examining ourselves in the light of God's word—not just in terms of our own feelings. We need to remember the biblical definition of sin—that "sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4, KJV). The Scriptures help us identify sinful attitudes and actions—if we take time to prayerfully review the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and meditate on the spiritual intent of God's instructions in Matthew 5-7, Romans 1 and Galatians 5:16-26. If we do not use God's word as a guide, we can deceive ourselves by thinking we are OK, because our thoughts and actions may not be as bad as others around us. God has called us out of this world (2 Corinthians 6:17) so we can be lights to the world (Matthew 5:14-16). The Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread are designed to start us on the path to salvation so we can become more like Jesus Christ and eventual members of God's family.
Have a profitable Holy Day season,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—April 20, 2016
On the Nuclear Brink: "The United States, Russia and China are now aggressively pursuing a new generation of smaller, less destructive nuclear weapons. The buildups threaten to revive a Cold War-era arms race and unsettle the balance of destructive force among nations that has kept the nuclear peace for more than a half-century" (New York Times, April 16, 2016). The U.S. "expects to spend on the nuclear revitalization program—estimated at up to $1 trillion over three decades." Russia "is fielding big missiles topped by miniaturized warheads." And China "is flight-testing a novel warhead called a 'hypersonic glide vehicle.' It flies into space on a traditional long-range missile but then maneuvers through the atmosphere, twisting and careening at more than a mile a second. That can render missile defenses all but useless" (ibid.). Meanwhile, NATO has raised a "'justified concern' that Isil [ISIS] is plotting a nuclear attack on Britain" (The Telegraph, April 19, 2016). End-time Bible prophecy warns of devastation that could be linked to nuclear weapons, including the destruction of one-third of mankind by a final "eastern" army of 200 million men (Revelation 9:13-21). However, the message of the gospel is that Jesus Christ will return and prevent the total destruction of humanity (Matthew 24:22) and establish His Kingdom "on the earth" (Revelation 5:10)! God commands His Church to warn the world of coming danger and repent of sinful ways (see Ezekiel 3 and 33). For more on the future of nations and the role of God's Church, read our insightful article, "Connecting the Dots."
Will Treasury "Dump" Impact the U.S.? "China was a net seller of U.S. Treasuries for the first time in history last year. [China]… liquidated $292 billion in Treasury debt, along with $92 billion in U.S. stocks" (Wall Street Daily, April 18, 2016). Economists are concerned that "Without China's ongoing commitment to Treasuries, the U.S. federal government" will not be able to service its growing debt (ibid.). In addition, "The Saudi Arabian government has threatened to sell of hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of American assets should the U.S. Congress pass a bill that could hold the kingdom responsible for any role in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks" (Reuters, April 16, 2016). This action could include "up to $750 billion in Treasury securities" (ibid.). As one of the world's biggest "debtor" nations, the U.S. could be in a dangerous position should its creditors begin to cash in their debts. God promised that Israelite-descended nations would be blessed for obedience by being able to "lend" to other nations (Deuteronomy 28:12). However, God warned that one curse of disobedience would be that enemy nations "shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail" (verses 43-44). Nations that hold U.S. debt are gaining in power over the U.S.—a situation that students of Bible prophecy need to watch. For more on this subject read our sobering article, "The Debt Bomb!"
Increase of Powerful Earthquakes: Earthquakes are causing increasing concern year after year. "Since the beginning of 2016, south Asia has been hit by an unusually high number of large earthquakes, and this has scientists groping for an explanation… seismologist Roger Bilham of the University of Colorado has made headlines all over the world by warning that 'current conditions might trigger at least four earthquakes greater than 8.0 in magnitude… our planet could be on the precipice of a wave of natural disasters unlike anything that any of us have ever experienced before'" (Infowars, April 15, 2016). Just this month (April), Japan and Ecuador were hit by multiple quakes causing considerable damage and loss of life. The death toll from Ecuador's 7.8 magnitude earthquake continues to rise past 500 with many more injured or missing (Associated Press, April 19, 2016). The Japanese quake has caused 48 deaths to date (Associated Press, April 20, 2016). Experts warn that California is waiting for its overdue "big one" (CNN, March 15, 2016). Mexico recently had a 6.1 earthquake just off the coast of the state of Chiapas (The Yucatan Times, April 15, 2016). The Bible warns "that in the last days perilous times [times of stress] will come" (2 Timothy 3:1). Jesus warned that "great earthquakes" would come "in various places" which are known to cause much peril and stress among the nations (Luke 21:11). These signs are a reminder of Christ's imminent return (verse 28). For more about earthquakes and other signs leading to Christ's return, read Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ's Return.—Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, Justin Ridgeway, Chris Sookdeo and Ron Ramsingh