Greetings from Charlotte,
On Wednesday, Mr. Ames, Dr. Douglas Winnail, and I held a 90-minute teleconference with our worldwide ministry to update everyone on developments in the Work and discuss topics that are relevant to the ministry and how we can serve more effectively. Mr. Ames announced that we have received a Telly award for a Tomorrow’s World television program that I did titled, “The Dangers of Social Media.” These awards are given to acknowledge the quality of production and relevance of the topic. This award is really a credit to our entire team who produced the program.
Last weekend, we conducted five Tomorrow’s World Presentations and one follow-up that attracted a total of 117 guests. Mr. Ames was in Brooklyn, New York; Mr. Dan Hall and Mr. Anthony Stroud were in Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama; Dr. Richard Franz was in Columbia, Missouri; and Mr. Lawdi Ferreira was in Zimbabwe and Zambia. This coming weekend we have eight more Tomorrow’s World Presentations and follow-ups scheduled. A full list of this week’s and future presentations can be found at our TomorrowsWorld.org website. Please pray that God will bless and inspire these presentations and move those who are invited to attend.
This past week, Mr. Yvon Brochu and Dr. Wilner Pierre visited the Canadian office, where each recorded two French-language telecasts. Messrs. Marc Arseneault and Jean Matte were also there to record French-language Viewpoint videos. Currently, Mr. Mario Hernandez and Mr. Cristian Orrego are visiting brethren and new contacts in Spain and Portugal. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Shumway are returning to Barbados after a full schedule of activities with our congregations in Trinidad.
Brethren, we know that we have been commissioned to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15). Thank you for your dedication to God’s Truth and for your support of His Work at this critical time in history.—Gerald Weston
Living Education
We have now introduced our latest online course, titled “Acts of the Apostles.” Dr. Meredith’s lectures are paired with interesting “Learn More” study helps, plus your chance to “show what you know” by taking the quiz activities. Log in and listen in as Dr. Meredith brings the book of Acts to life! Just go to lcgeducation.org and click on the “access course” link.—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:
- Carry-le-Rouet, France
- Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Montego Bay, Jamaica
Please note: The following international site is still open for transfers:
- El Quisco, Chile
The following U.S. Feast sites are closed to further transfers:
- Boerne, Texas
- Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
- Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
- Sandestin, Florida
- Williamsburg, Virginia
The following U.S. Feast sites still have plenty of room for transfers:
- Cathedral City, California
- Hilton Head, South Carolina
- Mount Snow, Vermont
Goa, India—Open to International Transfers—Repeat Announcement
Goa will once again host the Feast and is open to international transfers! The Feast site is the sole luxury resort in Candolim: Le Seasons Beach Resort, just 600 meters from the beach. It epitomizes Goa’s true spirit and flavor and offers the best in accommodations and cuisine, with facilities and services to serve as the perfect host venue. There are 38 well-appointed, spacious rooms, and expansive options for dining, from Pan-Asian to delectable Goan cuisines.
Goa is a state in western India, stretching along the Arabian Sea. Panaji is the beautiful state capital, and Vasco da Gama the largest city. Goa is beautiful and exotic, and is best known for its sun-drenched beaches, serene blue seas, and lush greenery. Popular beaches, including at Baga, Calangute, and Candolim, stretch the length of the coastline, intersected by the city of Panaji and laid-back fishing villages such as Agonda. The historic city of Margao, preserved 17th-century churches, and the area’s tropical spice plantations evidence its long history as a Portuguese colony. The Portuguese first landed in the early 16th century as merchants. They conquered it soon thereafter, and for about 450 years, Goa was the Portuguese overseas province of Portuguese India. It was annexed by India in 1961.
Many international and domestic tourists visit Goa each year because of its white sand beaches and World Heritage-listed architecture. Come to Goa for a memorable and wonderful Feast site in 2019! More details can be found on the Festival website at fot2019.lcg.org. For more information, contact Mr. Rajan Moses, at [email protected].
Living Youth Program
Introducing Living Youth Programs Live
We’re pleased to be able to announce the launch of Living Youth Programs’ new live streaming home at https://live.livingyouth.org. This is where we’ll be broadcasting Christian Living Classes, Sabbath Services, and the Talent Show from Texas Teen camp. To access the streams, you’ll need to sign in with your MyLCG or LYP camp registration credentials. It’s also where we’ll be streaming future online Friday evening Bible Studies, which are scheduled to resume in November.
Also available at the same site is the archive of LYP broadcasts from the last five years, including the Teen camp activities that were streamed, as well as Mr. Monson’s online Friday evening Bible Studies going back to 2013.
We hope you will join us for the studies from camp! The first study will begin at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on July 9. To be sure you can access the studies, sign in to the site sometime between now and then and watch one of the archived recordings. If you have any difficulties accessing the site, please let us know at [email protected], and we’ll be happy to help!—Josh Penman
LYP Camp Transportation—Must Read in Congregations with Campers and Camp Staff—Repeat Announcement
If you have not yet submitted arrival and departure information for the summer camps—especially if you are flying—please do so as soon as you can. 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
New Zealand Camp 2020: Staff and Camper Applications NOW AVAILABLE!—Repeat Announcement
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 applications as soon as possible and notify everyone regarding the status of their 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
Skills That Promote Teamwork: Members of positive and effective organizations (families, businesses, athletic teams, governments, and churches) develop the skills necessary to function together smoothly to accomplish goals. These skills can be identified and learned. As Christians, we must develop these same skills—and many are clearly biblical. Effective team players avoid saying or doing things that offend others (Matthew 18:7; 1 Corinthians 10:32). They are forgiving and able to overlook slights and insults because they have learned not to be easily offended (Proverbs 10:12; 17:19; 1 Corinthians 13:5). Team players do not sit in judgment of others—accusing, criticizing, and digging up evil things about others—instead, they make sure their own lives are in order (Matthew 7:1–5; James 4:11). Team players are peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) who promote harmony and work smoothly with others (James 3:17–18). They deal with people gently, respectfully, and patiently, and are willing to listen (James 1:19). Team players do not promote themselves at the expense of others (Matthew 20:20–24)—they ask, “How can I help?” instead of “What’s in it for me?” Effective team players appreciate that a team is made up of individuals with different talents and abilities who make unique contributions to the team (1 Corinthians 12:12). Their main priority is to work together smoothly to achieve a goal while showing love to one another (Ephesians 4:16). In short, good team players have learned to be good Christians who love their neighbors. Are you developing these skills?
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—June 20, 2019
China and Russia Grow Closer: At a meeting in Tajikistan last weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin presented Chinese president Xi Jinping with a large box of ice cream and a couple of other items, in celebration of Xi Jinping’s 66th birthday (AFP, June 15, 2019). The nations have developed a close trading relationship in recent years, and the two leaders have developed a close personal friendship. When presenting the gift, President Putin commented, “Happy birthday, my best wishes... I am delighted to have a friend like you…. Our whole team, and I can even say our whole nation, wishes you all the best in the world because you do a lot for the development of relations between our two countries.” After a three-day visit to Russia the previous week, Xi Jinping referred to Putin as his “best friend.”
These two leaders represented two of 27 nations sending delegates to the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia last week. Russia and China have recently signed a “comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation” agreement. These events occurred as the United States continues to increase pressure on China and other conference participants, such as Iran and Turkey.
Bible prophecy indicates that in the last days there will be a military threat from the area north and east of Jerusalem (Daniel 11:40–44), and that a massive end-time army will eventually descend on the Holy Land from that direction (Revelation 9:13–18). This 200-million-man army will require a huge population base, as well as tremendous financial, military, and transportation resources to make the trek across Asia at some point in the future. These two current leaders—Xi Jinping and Putin—are certainly not plotting the creation of a massive end-time army. However, the God who “removes kings and raises up kings” (Daniel 2:21) will carry out His prophecies and is no doubt working through these men to make sure nations are positioned when the time is right. To learn more about these future events, read “Where Is Russia Headed?”
Ebola Explodes in Africa Again! There are now over 2,000 Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa and over 1,300 deaths in this current outbreak. “The daily number of new Ebola cases has tripled in recent months, according to aid organizations.” There are 15–20 new cases of the disease each day (Deutsche Welle, June 4, 2019). Healthcare workers are having difficulty reaching infected people because of distrust, and as a result, two-thirds of those who go into quarantine centers with the disease will die! Congo is also a war-torn nation where fighting continues daily—making travel difficult and dangerous for healthcare providers. The Ebola epidemic has now spilled over the border into Uganda and appears to be the “second worst in history” (Financial Times, June 16, 2019).
Ebola is a virus carried by fruit bats. Once introduced into a human population, it usually spreads through contact with blood or other body fluids from an infected person. Even contact with a dead body can spread the disease to those who are living. Great care must be taken to remove and bury the body of a person who dies with Ebola, or the disease can easily be transmitted further.
Anciently, God gave very clear guidelines for avoiding infection from the body fluids of a sick or dead person or animal (Leviticus 11:31–40; Leviticus 13). These instructions involve the quarantine of a sick person and washing thoroughly with water when one touches a dead body or fluids or items of clothing from that body. Ironically, if these ancient biblical public health practices were understood and followed today, the spread of infectious diseases—including Ebola—could be greatly reduced. For more insights into how to stem Ebola outbreaks, watch “Ebola Can Be Prevented.”—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater