Greetings from Charlotte,
The summer youth camp season (in the Northern Hemisphere) got underway this week, with the North Carolina Preteen camp. Mr. Gerald Weston is speaking today to the staff and campers there. Last weekend, Dr. Douglas Winnail held a leadership conference in Etowah, Tennessee with Area Pastors Martin Fannin and Darrell Lovelady, for about 60 local leaders from the surrounding congregations. Dr. Wil Pierre reports that we are having good growth in Haiti, with six baptisms recently. Mr. Mario Hernandez is visiting scattered brethren in the Canary Islands, and will be conducting a TWP in Lyon, France, on the Sabbath and in Paris on Sunday. Other TWPs this weekend will be held in London, England, and Macon, Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Nathan have arrived safely in the UK. Please also take note of the announcement below about the tithe of the Festival tithe and the deadline for Festival assistance applications. Mr. Rod King was recently hospitalized with an infection—please continue to remember him in your prayers.—Rod McNair
Living Education
One of the challenges for a pastor is to encourage Godly, uplifting conversation before and after Sabbath services. It's not a sin to talk about how our week went, how our family is doing, and what's going on in our lives. Getting to know each other as brethren is important, and it's a blessing to talk with others who share the same values and convictions. But by bringing insight and inspiration from God's word into our conversation, we help and strengthen each other in the faith. Sometimes those insights come from our Bible study during the course of the week. As teachers in the pulpit, we always hope that inspiration and encouragement will also come from the sermons and sermonettes that are given! One of the goals of the Living Education–Online program is to add another element to the mix. If we are reviewing the weekly lessons in the "Life, Ministry and Teachings of Jesus Christ" class, for example, we have a ready-made resource for conversation on the Sabbath. This is one of the benefits of signing up to participate in the class. For more information and to pre-enroll, just go to lcgeducation.org.
Feast of Tabernacles
Save Your Festival Tithe
Why think about the Feast in the scorching summer heat? Or, if you reside in the Southern Hemisphere, during the chill of winter? Because the Feast of Tabernacles is just over 12 weeks away! And preparation for the Feast includes financial preparation. Over the years, some have fallen into the trap of thinking that saving the Festival tithe—also known as the second tithe—is optional. In other words, if they cannot afford it, they don't save it. But Scripture shows just the opposite. Saving the Festival tithe is a command that teaches us to have the fear of God and keeps our focus on Him to provide for our needs (Deuteronomy 14:22–23). Now is the time—as well as throughout the whole year—to make sure we are setting aside our second tithe for this year's Feast. See "God's Tithes Are Holy" in the November-December 2017 Living Church News.
If You Need Festival Assistance—U.S. Only
What about those who need financial help? The Church does help those who are in legitimate need, based on certain criteria, according to funds available. If you will need Festival tithe assistance, please see your pastor. All U.S. Pastors must submit any Festival Assistance Request forms to CAD by Monday, July 16. That means, if you need Festival assistance, fill out the form and return it to your pastor right away! Pastors: Festival Assistance Request forms are available to ministers on the MyLCG Web site (cogl.org).
The Tithe of the Festival Tithe
For many decades now, the Church of God has continued the practice of what's called the "tithe of the Festival tithe." What this means is that brethren who can afford it are asked to give a tenth of their Festival tithe to the Church, well in advance of the Feast, even before giving any "excess second tithe" on the Last Great Day. This "tithe of the Festival tithe" helps pay for Feast halls and many other details involved in keeping the Feast, as well as helping brethren around the world with limited resources to attend the Feast (Deuteronomy 14:27; 16:14). Now is the time to send in your tithe of the second tithe, if you are able. Thank you very much!
Feast Site Information
Sites now closed to transfers:
- Carry-le-Rouet, France
- Liverpool, Canada
- Baguio, Philippines
- Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Kauai, Hawaii
- Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
- Marble Falls, Texas
- Panama City, Florida
U.S. Sites still with ample room:
- Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
- Mount Snow, Vermont
- Snowmass, Colorado
If you are waiting on transfer approval to one of the closed sites, you will need to transfer to another site. Or, you can attend your assigned site. We would appreciate you changing your registration as soon as you can. For more information, contact the Festival Office at [email protected].
2019 Greece Feast of Tabernacles—Repeat Announcement
We are pleased to announce that there will be a Feast of Tabernacles in Greece next year. Although we are still in the process of working out exact details of what the tour will involve, rest assured it will be educational and inspirational! Festival attendees will remain in the same location during the Feast, but will be able from that location to tour historical sites in and around Athens and Corinth. An optional pre-Feast tour to Thessaloniki, Philippi and Veria (Berea) will be available, as well as an optional post-Feast tour that includes Crete. If seeing this part of the world, where the Apostle Paul and other biblical figures travelled, is on your bucket list, then sign up now to have the opportunity to be on this tour. Because we need to make firm commitments to hotels soon, pre-registration for this Feast will only be open until July 29. To pre-register, go to https://goo.gl/forms/ZRWhNjtw2ECMQezQ2 and follow the instructions on the page. This link is also available on the MyLCG page of our cogl.org website.
Living Youth Program
Openings for Campers and Staff at Adventure Camp, Maroon Bells—Snowmass Wilderness, Colorado
Due a few cancellations, we now have four openings for new applicants. The Adventure Camp begins on Tuesday, July 31, and ends on Thursday, August 9. The tuition cost for any staff member is $350 and for campers is $450. This includes all expenses (except for travel to and from this camp and personal items such as sleeping bag, hiking boots, and clothing). This is an exceptional value. It will be a trip of a lifetime! Please contact Mr. Sheldon Monson via e-mail ([email protected]) or phone (cell 715-441-6081) if you are interested.
Texas Teen Camp: Waterfront Training for All Lifeguards on Sunday, July 8, at 12 Noon
All lifeguards serving at the 2018 Teen Camp will receive additional lifeguard training and "Waterfront Certification" prior to the start of camp. There will be a class from 12 noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 8, to increase your certification level to Waterfront Lifeguard. We will pay for the additional training, but you must be on campus and at the pool by noon on Sunday, July 8.
Comments
The Value of Hope: Having hope in the future—something positive to look forward to—is a vital aspect of life. Many have long understood that a life without hope is empty. The Bible states, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Proverbs 13:12). But what is the real hope in life for a Christian? King David wrote, "You are my hope, O Lord GOD" and "I hope in Your word" (Psalm 71:5; 119:147). The Apostle Paul stated when brought before a Roman governor, "I have hope in God… believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets"—including the promise of a resurrection and eternal life that he would receive at the return of Jesus Christ (Acts 24:14–15; Titus 1:2; 2:13). We are urged as Christians "to lay hold of the hope set before us" (Hebrews 6:18) and to "be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15). We can be motivated by that same hope today!
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—June 28, 2018
Too Many Nukes! In a recently published study, researchers determined that the detonation of just 100 nuclear warheads by one country would cause catastrophic damage, including widespread food shortages on the other side of the globe (Telegraph, June 13, 2018). Such an event would also bring significant blowback and destruction on the nation that launched the weapons. One researcher noted, "modeling showed that if the U.S. were to fire 1,000 nuclear warheads, 50-times more Americans would die than did on 9/11, even if no missiles were fired back." Researchers calculated that the amount of dust and debris thrown into the air with firing just 100 warheads would lead to "the consequent blotting of the sun and damage to the atmosphere."
Today, nine nations officially possess nuclear weapons, and the total global nuclear arsenal is estimated by some to be more than 15,000 nuclear warheads—most of which are in the hands of Russia and the United States.
But why is this significant, and what does this have to do with Bible prophecy? Jesus Christ foretold that one of the signs that would precede His return and announce "the end of the age" would be the potential to destroy all life on earth. He warned that "unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved" (Matthew 24:22). It was not until 1945 that the world saw its first nuclear bomb, and by the end of the 1950s the nations of the earth possessed enough nuclear weapons capacity to literally destroy all flesh. Jesus' prophecy could not possibly have been fulfilled until then. Today, we live in an unprecedented time when humanity has the ability to destroy the earth many times over. However, humanity will not destroy all flesh with nuclear weapons. Jesus also prophesied "but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened" (v. 22). Although human activities will cause widespread destruction on the planet before the end of the age, people will live through the chaos to see the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom on this earth! To learn more about this subject, read or listen to Armageddon and Beyond.
Suicides Rise: But There Is Hope! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports, "Suicide rates are climbing in nearly every demographic, age group and geographic area" in the United States (Time, June 7, 2018). Suicide deaths have increased by almost 30 percent since 1999 and "among all racial and ethnic groups and in every age range except adults older than 75."
According to the World Health Organization, nearly one million people die globally each year from suicide and, tragically, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among those 15 to 29 years old. In the USA, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among those ages 10–34 (CDC). Many factors impact suicide rates, including depression, hopelessness, family tragedy, crisis, feeling isolated, illness, family history and substance abuse.
Yet, is there hope for the future? Absolutely! The prophet Isaiah wrote of a time, following Christ's return, when the blind, the deaf and the lame will be healed, and the environment will be restored (Isaiah 35:5–7). This will be a time of great joy and hope for all (v. 10), when "the whole earth is at rest and quiet" (Isaiah 14:7). This will be a time when people will "dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places" (Isaiah 32:18). Even the children will live at peace (Isaiah 54:13). Jesus Christ, as the Prince of Peace, will return and restore peace and quiet to the world, and there will be no more death, sorrow, crying or pain (Revelation 21:4)—and no more suicide! This will be a time when God's Spirit of power, love and a sound mind will be poured out on all of humanity (2 Timothy 1:7; Joel 2:28). To learn more about this future time, and what people can do today to obtain more peace, watch "Do You Have Peace of Mind?"—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater