Greetings from Charlotte,
The Work continues to grow in South Africa, where the political situation remains unstable. Pentecost attendance for the country totaled 275, with offerings for the day up 5.24 percent over last year. Mr. Lawdi Ferreira will travel to Zimbabwe and Zambia to give Tomorrow’s World Presentations in Harare, Zimbabwe on Sabbath, June 15; and in Zambia, in Lusaka on Monday, June 17, and in Kitwe on Sabbath, June 22.
Mr. Ames is scheduled to be in Brooklyn, New York for a Tomorrow’s World Presentation this Sabbath, where more than 100 guests have registered to attend. Mr. Mario Hernandez visited brethren in El Salvador, and Mr. and Mrs. Cristian Orrego visited congregations in Mexico during the Pentecost weekend. Mr. Ames, Dr. Douglas Winnail, Dr. Scott Winnail, and I participated in a discussion of prophecy for this year’s “Behind the Work” film for the Feast.
Messrs. Wallace Smith and Joe Ross and their wives are leading a group of recently graduated Living Education students to Israel to participate in an archaeological project and to tour the country (see further details below). A new online Living Education course on the book of Acts is now available at www.lcgeducation.org.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Online Ministerial Conference
For all Pastors and Elders: We will be conducting a short online, ministerial conference on Wednesday, June 19, at 4:00 pm (Eastern Daylight Saving Time, USA). All pastors and elders and their wives are invited to attend this online conference. We look forward to “touching base” with you all, from around the world, at this time. For login information, please see the e-mail sent out on June 7 from Church Administration. See you on June 19!—Doug Winnail
Living Education
This week, a group of Living Education students travelled to Israel for an exciting adventure. They will take part in an archaeological dig at Tel-Burna, then travel throughout the country, visiting a variety of interesting places in Israel. The group is led by Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Smith and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Ross. Your prayers for their safe travels are appreciated. Follow their journey by going to lcgeducation.org, where we’ll post pictures and updates of the trip.
As a reminder, we are still accepting applications for our Charlotte Living Education program. Students who are part of the program can look forward to interesting opportunities, including the potential for overseas travel. We will accept students from ages 18 through 30. While our program is a great opportunity for students graduating from high school, it is also beneficial to older young adults who would like to take a year off from college, or are simply looking for an opportunity to spend a year learning with other young adults with similar values and beliefs.—Jonathan McNair
Feast of Tabernacles
Feast Registration: Closed Feast Sites and U.S. Feast Sites with Available Space
The following international Feast sites are closed to further transfers:
- Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Carry-le-Rouet, France
- Montego Bay, Jamaica
- El Quisco, Chile
The following U.S. Feast sites are closed to further transfers:
- Williamsburg, Virginia
- Boerne, Texas
- Sandestin, Florida
- Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
The following U.S. Feast sites still have plenty of room for transfers:
- Cathedral City, California
- Hilton Head, South Carolina
- Mount Snow, Vermont
Calling All Members!—Repeat Announcement
In this week’s The World Ahead, we are highlighting specific needs in service areas at several Feast sites. If you could serve in any of the following ways, and if you have some flexibility and would be willing to change your Feast plans, please contact the Festival Site Coordinator listed.—Festival Office
Translation Needs in Gimli, Manitoba, Canada: At the Feast site in Gimli this year, we will be providing Spanish translation. If you are able to translate from English to Spanish and would like to help in that capacity during the Feast, please contact Festival Site Coordinator Marc Arseneault ([email protected]).
Pianist and Nurse Needed in Cathedral City, California: The Cathedral City Feast site needs a pianist to accompany hymns, as well as a qualified RN or EMT in First Aid. If you would like to serve in one of these areas, please consider transferring to Cathedral City this year. For more information, contact Festival Site Coordinator Stephen Elliott ([email protected]).
Pianist Needed in Taupo, New Zealand: If you serve as a pianist in your local congregation, we are in need of your services in New Zealand! We currently do not have a pianist to play hymns and special music during the Feast, and we would really appreciate your help in this way. If you can help and are interested in transferring to Taupo, please contact Festival Site Coordinator Paul Kearns ([email protected]).
Living Youth Program
LYP Camp Transportation—Must Read in Congregations with Campers and Camp Staff
If you have not yet submitted arrival and departure information for the summer camps—especially if you are flying—please do so during the upcoming week. The easiest way to send us this information is via https://camp.livingyouth.org. The logistics of getting everyone from the airport to camp and back to the airport takes a lot of planning, so having flight information in advance is essential. We appreciate your assistance in this!—Josh Penman
Live Streaming from Texas Teen Camp
We’re excited to announce that once again we’ll be streaming from teen camp. We expect to stream all the Christian Living classes, as well as the Friday evening Bible Studies, the two Sabbath Services, the talent show, and as many of the All-Star games as we can. We’ll be utilizing our new, soon-to-be-launched streaming platform for this. To access the stream, you’ll need a valid MyLCG account or an active LYP Camp Registration account, as you’ll need to sign in with those credentials. If you’re hoping to join us for the streams—and we hope you do—make sure you know your MyLCG or Camp Registration credentials in advance! If you’re not sure, try signing into MyLCG at https://www.cogl.org. If you can log in there, you’re all set. If you need assistance, contact us at [email protected].
We’ll have more information on accessing the live streams and the archives of the last five years of LYP broadcasts in next week’s The World Ahead.—Josh Penman
New Zealand Camp 2020 Staff and Camper Applications NOW OPEN!
The wait is over! We are now accepting applications for LYP NZ 2020 at the picturesque location of Eltham Christian Camp in New Plymouth. The campsite is located in a secluded part of the North Island overlooked by the stunning Mount Taranaki. Activities being planned include: riflery, kayaking, dancing, basketball, a bonfire, soccer, and so much more! Staff must arrive to the campsite on Monday, January 6 by 3:00 p.m. and campers are expected to arrive any time after 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7. Camp will officially commence on Wednesday morning, January 8. It will run through until Thursday, January 16. To obtain an application form, please contact LYP Administration Assistant, Mrs. Lisa Kearns, at [email protected] to request one. We encourage you to do this as soon as possible. If you’re not sure if you can make it but are keen to attend, we still encourage you to submit an application form so that we can at least have you “in the system.” We will aim to process your application as soon as possible and notify you regarding the status of your application. Once you have received confirmation of your position, you can then plan your transportation arrangements. We would be happy to assist you with those arrangements if needed. This promises to be a most memorable camp that will bring together LCG youth from many nations around the Australasian region and, hopefully, from further abroad. Get in fast and secure your spot!—Paul Kearns
Comments
Thy Kingdom Come! Do we grasp the significance of Jesus’ instructions when He told His disciples to pray “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done”? As we see the direction that world events are moving, the need for God’s kingdom is becoming increasingly obvious. Just recently, the state of Illinois passed a bill that would allow abortion and even infanticide—on demand, with no questions asked. Another state governor suggested that infanticide is a reasonable option in our modern world—and these barbaric actions are being viewed as just another aspect of “health care.” At the same time, the global promotion of homosexuality and other perverse practices continues to gain speed. News reports are filled with stories of violence, corruption, and disasters. Millions of people live in war-torn areas and suffer from poverty, disease, and hunger. The arms build-up and rising tensions in global hotspots look increasingly ominous. It is no coincidence that the Apostle Paul wrote, “in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1). Jesus also stated that social conditions at the time of His return that would resemble the terrible state of humanity just before the flood (Matthew 24:37; Genesis 6:6–13), and that if He did not return, “no flesh would be saved” (Matthew 24:21–22). As we reflect on the Sabbath, we need to pray even more earnestly “Thy kingdom come” because that is the only real hope for the peoples of this world.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—June 13, 2019
Tensions Rise in Waters off China: The Taiwan Strait and other waters off China are becoming areas of increasing confrontation. United States naval vessels have patrolled these waters in the name of keeping them open to international shipping. A recent “near miss” between a U.S. guided missile cruiser and a Russian destroyer has added to already heightened tensions in the region (Deutsche Welle, June 7, 2019). The U.S. is now working on a $2 billion military arms sale to Taiwan to upgrade its tank battalion and missile defenses—an action China is very displeased with (Reuters, June 5, 2019). Now Germany, in a surprise move, is seriously considering sending one of its own warships through the Taiwan Strait—which would break its decades-old policy of non-confrontation (Politico, June 5, 2019).
The world is increasingly unsettled, and nations that have maintained a modicum of peace for the last few decades are moving in opposite directions. Global relationships are changing and new geopolitical alliances are forming. In a number of situations, regional alliances are forming to counter actions by other nations. Bible prophecies indicate that three major regional alliances will emerge as we approach the end of the age: a Middle Eastern “King of the south,” a European “King of the north,” and the “kings from the east.” China is likely to be central to the “kings from the east” while Germany will be the nucleus of the “King of the north” (see Daniel 11:40–45). As this end-time geopolitical drama unfolds, students of Bible prophecy should watch for the formation of these three regional alliances. To learn more about these coming global alliances, be sure to watch “Who Are the End-Time Superpowers?”
Bubonic Plague and Eating Rodents: Every year, dozens of people still die from the bubonic plague, the “black death” that killed tens of millions in Eurasia in the 1300s. This bacterial plague is associated with unsanitary conditions and is transmitted by rodents and their fleas. Recently, a native couple from Mongolia “died of the bubonic plague after eating raw marmot kidney, triggering a quarantine that left tourists stranded in a remote region for days” (The Guardian, May 6, 2019). “Authorities have warned people against eating raw marmot meat because it can carry Yersinia pestis, the plague germ. Some people ignore the warnings as they believe that consuming the innards of the large rodent is good for their health.”
In our modern world where most people eat whatever they want, tragic deaths like these should not be a surprise. Yet, these deaths are avoidable and preventable because the knowledge of how to avoid this disease has existed for thousands of years. The Bible contains a list of animals that are labeled “unclean”—not to be eaten by human beings—and that list includes rodents (see Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14). Although the Bible does not give the biological basis for these dietary restrictions, the modern science of disease transmission helps us understand why these life-saving prohibitions are recorded in the Scriptures. For more information about the biblical dietary laws, be sure to read “Bible Principles of Health”—and look for our article “Do You Really Want to Eat That?” in next month’s issue of Tomorrow’s World magazine. Subscribe here.
HIV Outbreak in Pakistani Children: Pakistan is experiencing another outbreak of HIV among children whose parents do not have the disease! (BBC, May 21, 2019). Yet, this is not the first HIV outbreak among children in Pakistan as of late.
Public health officials have traced the infections to local medical clinics where health care providers share needles among patients. In Pakistan, HIV infections occur mostly among men who frequent HIV-infected sex workers. When infected individuals seek health care and their blood is tested or they are immunized, the needles are reused for the same purposes with other clients, including children with immature immune systems. As a result, these children, whose parents may maintain fidelity in marriage, are infected with a deadly sexually transmitted disease. Between March and April of this year, more than 600 people in one region of Pakistan were infected with HIV—and 75 percent were children.
Sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and AIDS are behavior-related diseases and are almost entirely preventable. The best method of preventing these diseases is also simple and inexpensive. Yet, it is not politically correct in our modern world to point it out. However, health and medical experts recognize the preventive power of this completely safe and effective method. Prevention simply requires confining sexual relations to a monogamous marriage between one man and one woman. This method of prevention was revealed in the Bible thousands of years ago (see Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:22; 1 Corinthians 6:18)—and it has been proven effective by modern science. For greater insight into the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, see “AIDS Can Be Stopped!”—Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, and Chris Sookdeo