Greetings from Charlotte,
This will be the last update prior to the Feast. As many of you know, Hurricane Matthew disrupted the lives of millions throughout the Caribbean and along the east coast of the United States. Dr. Wilner Pierre reports that all our members are safe in Haiti, although a few lost homes and property. Over 1,000 people perished as a result of the hurricane and a cholera outbreak is feared. A major bridge was knocked out, cutting off access to the part of the island where the Feast was to be held and so Dr. Pierre has been busy this week making alternate arrangements. Our brethren there certainly need our prayers. Major flooding continues in North Carolina where Matthew dumped a foot of rain on areas that were saturated with 17 inches of rain a couple weeks earlier. We are busy making arrangements for Charlotte as an alternate to the Hilton Head Festival site, which is no longer available for this year. If you know someone who has lost their deposit due to this cancellation, and you have extra 2T, you can help them out to attend a different Feast site. Please see the Must Read announcement below regarding the Charlotte Feast site. While we grieve for the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones during this latest weather event, we are thankful that all of our brethren in these affected areas are safe, and we recognize that there have been far greater tragedies in recent years and the worst among them will seem small compared to what is coming. Be sure to read Dr. Meredith's article in the upcoming Tomorrow's World magazine on "Who Controls the Weather?" and let's focus on the new world that the Feast of Tabernacles pictures.—GEW
Church Administration
Update on Haiti Brethren and Feast Site After Hurricane Matthew
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Headquarters team for your prayers during this difficult time for the brethren in Haiti. I have received e-mails from all around the world. All of our members are safe and no one was hurt. The presence of God's miraculous intervention could be felt by all the members. Hurricane Matthew hit near the town of L'Asile and a few brethren lost their homes. The main bridge was completely destroyed and it has been extremely difficult reaching the brethren. Travel remains dangerous due to flooding.
It was difficult quickly locating a new Feast site near where a majority of the brethren live, but with God's help, I was able to choose between two locations. I am still negotiating with hotel officials for the best price so that Church members can remain within their budget.
The brethren in Haiti would like to thank Headquarters for their warmth and financial assistance. Our Church members have continued to remain strong spiritually and very positive as they look forward to keeping the Feast of Tabernacles with more zeal and excitement than ever before. It is amazing to see how our brethren in Haiti pick up the pieces and continue to focus with much humility on God's Holy Days. Their faith remains strong. As one of the brethren put it, "The devastation and hardship that we must endure is providing the training we will need to rebuild Haiti and all nations after the return of Jesus Christ."—Wilner Pierre
Feast of Tabernacles
Charlotte Feast Site—Please read at least the bolded section of this announcement:
The following e-mail was sent to all members who had previously been registered for Hilton Head. The Feast will now be held in Charlotte, NC.
Warm greetings from Charlotte!
We continue to pray for the thousands of people who were affected by Hurricane Matthew. Lives and homes were lost and much damage occurred in Haiti, other islands, and up and down the East Coast of the USA. There is also flooding and various damage in Hilton Head, which was one of our planned sites for the Feast of Tabernacles this year. Due to the hurricane, the resort we had planned to use is not available.
We are planning on moving the location to Charlotte. Mr. Richard Ames will be here for the first half and Mr. Weston for the second half. Several additional ministers will also serve at this site. We are still trying to nail down the exact venue, but trust that God will provide the right location.
We now have a registration page set up for the Charlotte site. Please click here to register (https://www.cogl.org/mylcg.shtml).
If you would like to be in Charlotte for the Feast, we really do NEED you to register and appreciate your cooperation. This will help us in two ways:
- knowing the number of people who plan to attend, so we can make plans accordingly
- it will allow us to communicate and update those who are planning to attend
We understand most of you put down housing deposits at Hilton Head, meaning that you may be short of funds. The Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort, where the Feast was to be held, has indicated they will give full refunds, but due to logistical problems related to work load and electrical problems, you will likely not receive your refund prior to the Feast. If you booked elsewhere, you should try to contact your hotel or condo owner or booking agent immediately. If you have a credit card and know that a refund is coming, you might consider using your credit card to bridge the gap and pay it off once you receive the refund.
For those who were flying to Hilton Head, you may well have had your flight coming through Charlotte as it is the major hub for this area. It should be easy to make arrangements with your airline to simply stop here. We also will have limited housing in the Charlotte area provided by local members that will either be free or available for rent at reasonable prices.
I will be coordinating and can be contacted by e-mail at: [email protected], or call Dan Harp at 704-708-2273 if you have any questions.
So for the bold and adventuresome, please join us for the Feast of Tabernacles 2016 here in Charlotte!
We will follow up as we nail down details.—Mike DeSimone
Comments
Atonement and Hope: Around the world today, millions of people suffer from the impact of greed, corruption, violence and war. Many are deeply concerned about the direction our modern societies are going and the increasing number of problems that seem to defy solutions—which generate feelings of frustration and hopelessness. Sadly, many today do not recognize or believe what the Bible plainly reveals—that we are living in Satan's world (2 Corinthians 4:4) and that the problems we see are the result of his evil influence (Ephesians 2:2). However, the Day of Atonement is an annual reminder that when Jesus Christ returns, Satan will be put away and his influence will be ended for a thousand years (see Leviticus 16; Revelation 20:1-3). The Holy Days remind us that God has a plan that He is working out for the ultimate good of all mankind. As we observe the Day of Atonement, we can rejoice in the hope that the influence that has produced the evils and suffering in this world is going to end.
Have a profitable Holy Day,
Douglas S. Winnail