Greetings from Charlotte,
The year 2021 is shaping up to be another wild year. Here in the United States, we have already seen an unprecedented assault on the Capitol and a disastrous storm in Texas and surrounding states that revealed how unprepared we are for unexpected, extreme conditions. At the same time, a migrant crisis is shaping up on the southern border with predictions of 117,000 unaccompanied children to cross the border this year, to say nothing of the hundreds of thousands of other desperate people from many nations looking for a better life. On the other side of the world, China and India continue their skirmishes and cyberattacks related to territorial disputes. Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel has accused Iran of an act of terrorism by deliberately spilling thick oil onto Israel’s beaches, considered one of the worst ecological disasters in modern times. This is a mere sampling of what is happening in a restless world. Meanwhile, the Work of God goes on. Two new stations will begin airing Tomorrow’s World in Fargo, North Dakota, on Sunday, March 14: WDAY TV 6 at 7:00 a.m., and WDAY TV 6.3 at 7:30 a.m.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have fallen in many parts of the world. Since a number of states and countries are relaxing guidelines, we are considering what the best course is for our Church congregations. As we have done from the beginning, we are monitoring the situation and adjusting accordingly. We held a meeting this week and plan to meet next week with our U.S. Regional Pastors to evaluate the situation. Expect an announcement next week regarding our discussions with the Regional Pastors.
Passover is now only three weeks away.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Any Additional Requests for Passover Supplies Should Be Submitted Right Away
Important Notice to All U.S. Pastors: Any additional requests for needed congregational Passover Service supplies (bread trays and/or wine trays or glasses) or Passover Service recordings and letter instructions should be sent to the Church Administration Department at [email protected] right away. That includes all requests to send the Passover Service recording and letter instructions for observing the Passover at home to scattered members who are unable to keep the Passover with a congregation. The deadline for these requests is Friday, March 5.
Living Education
Our special edition Holy Day children’s lesson packets for Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread have now been published! The packets are written for the purpose of helping parents teach their children vital biblical topics in a focused, easy-to-follow format. Each section is not meant to be taught in one lesson; rather, the topics are organized so parents can choose specific areas of focus and gear lessons toward the learning styles and ages of their children. Each topic is presented in a straightforward manner with accompanying verses for study. The main study should always come from the Scripture itself, while these lessons can act as a guide for reading passages from the Bible. Each lesson packet includes memory verses, questions for meaningful discussion, and activities (added at the end of the packet). Also, though some things may be labeled as Level 1, 2, or 3, the activities, questions, and scriptures for memorizing can be used to fit the needs and learning levels for children of all ages. The lessons can be accessed on our website https://www.lcgeducation.org/children. Find the new Holy Day lesson packets by clicking on “Special Edition Lessons.”—Jonathan McNair
Living Youth Program
Teen Camp Staff Registration Closing Monday, March 8
Enthusiasm for the 2021 Teen Camp has been very high. We have more staff applicants than we can accept! Registration for camp staff will close on Monday, March 8. If you have not yet applied and would like to, please do so right away. Camper applications will continue to be accepted until May.—LYC Office
Preteen Camps Registration Now Open!
Registration for the Living Youth Preteen Camps is now open! These camps serve our youth in the 8- to 12-year-old range, and will be held in Missouri, Texas, and West Virginia this summer. We are preparing an exciting and enriching God-centered program that is guided by the overall motto of “Do everything decently and in order, without confusion and in peace.” Please register as early as possible to assist us in planning. We will be accepting staff ages 15 and older. Also, we need lifeguards or those willing to become certified! For details about each preteen camp and to register, visit http://camp.livingyouth.org or email Jenny Penman at [email protected] for a paper application to be mailed to you.—LYC Office
Comments
Prepare for the Spring Holy Days: In just a few weeks, we will be observing the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. These annual Festivals are a memorial of the great sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for our sins and the sins of the world. They are also a reminder that we need to recognize and eliminate sin and inappropriate thoughts and actions from our lives so we can become more like our Father and elder brother Jesus Christ. For the Passover to be meaningful and profitable—and not just routine—we need to do our part to prepare for this important step in God’s Plan of Salvation. To put the Passover in proper perspective, it will be helpful to review the gospel accounts of the events that led up to the Passover, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. Placing our own period of self-examination within this biblical context can help us appreciate the tremendous significance of Jesus’ sacrifice. The Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread provide us with an annual opportunity to examine every aspect of our lives in the light of God’s instructions found in the Scriptures. Spending time every day in prayerful study and reflection, as we go through this Holy Day period, will help us grow to be more like our Savior Jesus Christ.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—March 4, 2021
German Military Prepares for the Future: In recent weeks, the German defense minister and the inspector general of the Bundeswehr published a strategic white paper on the future of the German military (German Foreign Policy, February 15, 2021). This new document highlights the increasing threat against Europe that Russia represents. It also highlights China’s rise as a military superpower and the need for Germany to balance that rise.
The paper calls for more than just military defense. It calls for a drastic increase and advancement in offensive military capabilities. “The Bundeswehr ‘urgently’ needs hi-tech capabilities and innovations. ‘Critical’ sectors, such as a ‘comprehensive and modern air defense’ and the capability for ‘rapid deployment of fully operational forces must be prioritized.’” The paper also calls for national defense to become a “whole of government” effort that is embraced by the entire nation, not just the meager military defense budget. The paper also proposes that Germany become both the military leader in Europe and the military logistical hub of central Europe.
German ambition, organization, and industrial capabilities are known throughout the world. Germany’s capacity to quickly create a powerful military industrial complex is illustrated in its national history. Bible prophecy reveals that German effort and ambition will emerge again as we approach the end of the age and the nation begins to lead Europe and the world in both trade and military might. Germany is on the rise and its leaders have ambitions for the future—just as God long ago declared would take place in our day. For more information on this timely and sobering topic, be sure to read or listen to “Resurgent Germany: A Fourth Reich?”
Italy Must Support Europe! Mario Draghi, former president of the European Union’s central bank, recently “laid down the law” in Italy as the nation’s new prime minister (Politico, February 17, 2021). In a speech to his fellow national leaders, Draghi emphatically stated, “Supporting this government means sharing the view that the decision on the euro is irreversible, sharing the vision of an increasingly integrated European Union, [and] moving towards a common budget capable of supporting countries in times of recession.”
Mr. Draghi brings a strong background in finance and a strong commitment to the European ideal to his new role as prime minister. He has entered into power in Italy with the largest majority since World War II. Draghi made clear that there is no place in his government for those who doubt the EU. In fact, he “spelled out a vision that he said would mean giving up ‘some national sovereignty for shared sovereignty’”—something his predecessor had frequently opposed. This time the government seems more interested in agreeing and moving forward than in times past.
So, what future role might Italy play in relation to the rest of Europe? Revelation 17 and other prophecies in the Bible indicate that the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church will play a leading role in Europe in the years just ahead and will work closely with a German-led “beast” power. Italy is likely to be one of the nations that surrenders its sovereignty to this future “beast” power for a period of time. To learn more, listen to or read The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor or Soon-Coming Reality?—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater