Greetings from Charlotte,
Last weekend, we aired Tomorrow’s World for the first time on WATL-TV 36 in Atlanta, Georgia, and WLAJ-TV 53 in Lansing, Michigan, with mixed responses. Atlanta was off to an encouraging start, and it is still too early to know how Lansing will work out. It is important for members in these areas to really cry out to God to introduce our program to the audiences that are out there. We know that in some cases a station just does not work out for a variety of reasons, but I well remember Mr. Wayne Pyle telling me the story of one station that was doing poorly, but when the members in the area started praying about it, it turned around and became a good station for the Church. This Sunday we are scheduled to begin airing on WTVQ-TV 36 in Lexington, Kentucky, at 7:00 a.m.
Mr. Christo Botha reports that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the country last Sunday evening and extended Level 3 lockdown until at least August 15. In addition to a 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. curfew, funerals and work-related meetings should not exceed 50 people, no parties or family visits will be allowed, and the wearing of masks is now mandatory in all cases when leaving home. Rules such as travel between various provinces will also be tightened.
The week of July 5–11 brought in 58 GOTO requests from around the world, and added 3,902 new subscribers in the United States. Mr. Peter Nathan traveled to Germany and last Sabbath ordained Mr. Adrian Kaefer as an elder, with 15 members in attendance. Then, on Tuesday, he ordained Mr. Jamie Meakin as an elder. It was good that his mother Lynn Meakin, who is suffering from cancer, was awake to see the ordination. Congratulations to both men and their families!—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Death of Mr. Dennis Chornomaz
We are saddened to announce that Mr. Dennis Chornomaz, the Associate Pastor in New Jersey (Rahway and Hammonton congregations), died on Thursday, July 2, after faithfully serving those congregations for a number of years. He was baptized in 1972 and ordained an elder in 1997. Your prayers for his wife and family will be appreciated. Mr. Joshua Lyons and his wife Priscila will be moving from the Atlanta area to the New Jersey-Pennsylvania area to assist Regional Pastor Adam West in serving congregations in that area.
Contacts/Inquiries from the Media—Repeat Announcement
As you may know, Mr. Dexter Wakefield is Director of Public Relations for the Church; handling inquiries from the media is his responsibility.
Therefore, please direct any and all contacts from the media (“reporters,” news organizations, magazines, journals, newspapers, etc.) to Mr. Wakefield. If you receive a call from someone in the media, simply refer them to Mr. Wakefield by providing the contact information, or link to our Press Kit, as noted below. If the individual wishes to leave a message, then please obtain his or her name, the name of the organization they work for, and their contact information and convey that by phone or e-mail to Mr. Wakefield. If you receive an e-mail from the media, please forward it to Mr. Wakefield.
Here is the contact information for this purpose:
Dexter Wakefield, Director of Public Relations
2301 Crown Centre Drive
Charlotte, NC 28227-7705
Phone: +1-704-844-1970
E-mail: [email protected]
The link to the Church’s press kit is: https://www.lcg.org/press-kit.
Feast of Tabernacles
Extended Deadline for Festival (Second Tithe) Assistance Requests—U.S. Only
Attention U.S. Pastors: The deadline to submit Festival Assistance Request forms to the Church Administration Department has been extended to Monday, July 27. All forms should be properly completed by the members requesting second tithe assistance to attend the Feast this year. Then, the Area Pastors should write their recommendations/comments on the forms before submitting them to CAD. The forms are available to ministers on the MyLCG website (www.cogl.org).—Festival Office
Manpower Needs at USA Sites
Several of our USA Festival Site Coordinators are asking for volunteers, such as pianists and those certified for First Aid, to transfer to their Feast site. If you are able and would like to serve in this way, please contact one of the Festival Coordinators below. Note: Please make sure that you contact the Site Coordinator of your assigned site first, to make sure he is not depending on you to fill that particular need in your home site, as well!
Cathedral City, California
Service area need: First Aid
Coordinator: Mr. Stephen Elliott ([email protected])
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Service area need: Pianist
Coordinator: Mr. Jim Meredith ([email protected])
Traverse City, Michigan
Service area needs: Pianist, First Aid
Coordinator: Mr. Bill Long ([email protected])
Mt. Snow Canceled: Northeast Congregations Now Assigned to Poconos, Pennsylvania
The Grand Summit Resort in Mt. Snow made the decision earlier this week to cancel all group events for the latter part of 2020, due to a rise in COVID-19 within Vermont. That being the case, we will no longer be planning a Festival site in Mt. Snow for this year. Instead, the entire Northeast region has been assigned to the Poconos, Pennsylvania, site. The Kalahari Resort room price per night is $119 plus tax. It includes two queen beds and a sleeper sofa, as well as a small refrigerator. Those in congregations assigned to the Poconos can begin making room reservations by using the online portal here: https://book.passkey.com/event/50112203/owner/49784154/home. Note the following list of congregations assigned to the Poconos:
Poconos, Pennsylvania Coordinator and Congregations:
Feast Coordinator: Mr. Adam West (518-225-3860, [email protected])
Connecticut: Danbury
Massachusetts: Boston
Maine: Waterville
New Hampshire: Tilton
New Jersey: Hammonton, Rahway
New York: Albany, Corning, Plainview, New York City, Rochester
Pennsylvania: Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Tannersville
Rhode Island: Providence
West Virginia: Morgantown
Festival Registration 2020—Repeat Announcement
Festival Registration is tentatively scheduled to open on Sunday, August 2, at 12:00 noon (Eastern Daylight Time, USA). At that time—on August 2—all LCG members and guests will be invited to register for their assigned site.
Test Your MyLCG Account—Repeat Announcement
We encourage all brethren to test your MyLCG account in preparation for Festival Registration. Your MyLCG account must be working for you to successfully register for the Feast. You can test your account by going to the MyLCG webpage (www.cogl.org) and logging in. If you are not able to log in, follow the help menu instructions. If you still cannot log in, contact [email protected].
Status Updates Needed for Festival Registration—Repeat Announcement
Attention Pastors: One of the most common technical difficulties in registering for the Feast occurs when a person’s “membership status” is not updated on the Church’s files. For example, if someone is listed as a “Co-Worker” or “Subscriber” in the Headquarters database, the person will not be able to register. His or her status will need to be changed to “Prospective Member” or, if baptized, to “Member.” Please look over your area’s member lists and let us know if anyone’s status needs to be updated. This could especially apply to brethren who have just recently started attending with us. We need the pastor’s notification to change anyone’s status, so please send any status updates to [email protected].
Living Youth Program
2020 Texas Teen Camp
Two hundred twenty-five campers and staff have almost completed the first week of Teen Camp in Athens, Texas. We’ve been blessed with sunny skies, a light breeze, and temperatures in the low 90s. Everyone is working hard, having fun, learning lessons, and enjoying our time together as one big family. Even though COVID-19 cases have plagued the state of Texas this summer, God has blessed us and no one has gotten sick. Thank you for your prayers. Keep praying, as we continue to do our part, and move forward in faith!—Sheldon Monson, Living Youth Programs Director and Jason Fritts, Assistant Living Youth Director
Texas Teen Camp: Livestreaming and Contact Information—Repeat Announcement
We are again pleased to livestream the Christian Living classes from Texas Teen Camp. They will be presented each morning, beginning Tuesday, July 14, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. To join, log in at https://live.livingyouth.org using your MyLCG credentials. Check our Facebook page for new photos posted daily throughout camp, as well as information on the next livestream broadcast.
Parents who wish to send a care package may send it to [child’s name], c/o LYP Camp, 6829 FM 317, Athens, TX 75752.
If you need to contact the camp, please call the office using one of the following phone numbers: 980-254-0132 (Jenny Penman) or 704-519-5371 (Joshua Penman). You can also e-mail the office staff at [email protected].—Joshua Penman
Comments
Beware of Misguided Ideas: The Apostle Paul warned, “in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1–4) and that many will not listen to sound doctrine but will prefer to follow and promote their own ideas (2 Timothy 3:1–6). The Apostle Paul also warned that individuals within and from outside the Church will try to divide the Church to gain a following (Acts 20:29–31). He pointed out that Satan will try various ways to mislead well-meaning people (2 Corinthians 2:11)—often new people (1 Timothy 3:6)—by appealing to the human desire to be in the limelight or be recognized as an authority (3 John 9–10). Numerous issues threatened to divide the early Church: foods, hair lengths, ideas about the resurrection, circumcision, etc. (see 1 Corinthians and Galatians). However, Paul’s consistent advice was to “Guard what was committed to your trust” (1 Timothy 6:20), to hold fast to what you have been taught (Titus 1:9–11), and “avoid foolish disputes” (Titus 3:9; 1 Timothy 6:3–5). When questions arise over doctrine, the biblical example is to take the issue to the leaders of the Church for a decision (Acts 15:1–31). Nowhere do the Scriptures encourage individuals to take on themselves to “correct” or “save” the Church. That is something that Jesus Christ will take care of in His time as He “builds” His Church (Matthew 16:18).
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—July 16, 2020
Iran-China Connection: China and Iran have worked together for years on many projects. The Wall Street Journal reports that a draft agreement between the two nations is currently in the works in the Iranian parliament (July 12, 2020). If approved, the agreement “would pave the way for Chinese investments in Iranian free-trade zones and for joint projects in other countries, such as Syria and Iraq. It would expand cooperation between the two countries in defense and counter terrorism. And it says that under a 25-year partnership, China would import ‘sustainable’ levels of Iranian oil, but offered no further details.”
China’s Belt and Road initiative calls for travel and trade systems to pass through Iran. In addition, China’s thirst for oil will benefit from a close relationship with Iran, as China is already Iran’s largest trading partner.
Bible prophecy indicates that at the end of the age, armies of “kings from the east” will descend on the Holy Land by crossing over the Euphrates River (Revelation 16:12–14). China certainly has the capacity and military might to field a massive army (cf. Revelation 9:16). To invade the Holy Land from the east, these armies will have to pass through the nation of Iran. The pending 25-year partnership being discussed by China and Iran could help pave the way for the fulfillment of this and other prophecies. To learn more about coming events that will dramatically impact the world, be sure to read or listen to Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled!
Another Pandemic in Africa: According to the Telegraph, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a second pandemic in Africa: violence against women (June 24, 2020). Between the COVID-19 lockdown and rapidly declining national economies, sexual violence has increased throughout the world, and Africa has not been immune. In Nigeria—Africa’s most populous nation, notorious for its domestic violence issues—hotlines have reportedly seen a threefold increase in domestic violence calls in recent months. “After a string of… horrific rapes and murders, the governors of Nigeria’s 36 states declared a state of emergency on rape earlier this month.” Reports include victims of all ages, including very young girls.
Because of lockdowns due to the virus, some rape victims have not been able to access health care and receive treatment. Many of those who do have access are afraid to visit health centers and hospitals out of fear of contracting the virus. According to a member of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Democratic Republic of Congo, “The numbers on rapes we have are just the tip of the iceberg. Some communities are avoiding health centres because they’re scared of infection of both coronavirus and Ebola.”
The Bible records that in the days of Noah, “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ foretold that similar conditions will prevail in the world just before His return (Matthew 24:37–39), and as the end of the age approaches, more and more people will become “unloving… without self-control, brutal, [and] despisers of good” (2 Timothy 3:1–3). As human governments struggle to deal with brutal behaviors that cause so much suffering, caring Christians will “sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done” (Ezekiel 9:4) and they will be praying that God’s Kingdom will come soon (Matthew 6:10). This crumbling world desperately needs the return of the Prince of Peace, when true justice will be established all over the earth (Isaiah 9:6–7). To learn more about the real Gospel that Jesus preached, read “The Way to Peace: The Missing Dimension.”—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater