Greetings from Charlotte,
We were very encouraged by the Tomorrow’s World Presentations given by Mr. Ames last weekend. There were 52 guests in Columbia, the capital of South Carolina. We began the congregation there several years ago in large part due to a TWP, but it has remained small, with about a dozen members. We are hoping some of those 52 will catch the vision and we will see some growth. Mr. Ames then traveled to Augusta, Georgia, for another TWP on Sunday with 44 guests attending—another fine response. Mr. Rod McNair held a TWP in Charleston, West Virginia, but several inches of snow blunted our expected attendance. Still, our members were pleased to see four zealous souls drive an hour or more to hear Mr. McNair. On Sunday, he was in Bristol, Virginia, with 17 guests. We had follow-up presentations in several other cities where our members had the opportunity to visit with 22 guests. This week, Mr. Ames will be giving a presentation here in the Charlotte area; Mr. Wallace Smith will be giving presentations in Arcadia and San Louis Obispo, California; and I am scheduled to be in Memphis, Tennessee, for a presentation. Mr. Lawdi Ferreira is on a ten-day trip to visit our brethren in Zimbabwe and Malawi, returning on March 20. This is the first ministerial visit conducted in those nations since the start of the COVID restrictions, and it is no doubt greatly appreciated by our members there.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
U.S. Passover Supplies Request Deadline Tomorrow, March 18
Important Notice to All Pastors: All requests for additional Passover Service supplies, whether for congregations or for scattered members, should be received by the Church Administration Department at [email protected] by tomorrow, Friday, March 18.
Canadian Tomorrow’s World Presentations in April and May
Here’s a trivia question for you: When and where was the last Canadian TWP conducted? The answer is Gander, Newfoundland, on November 23, 2019. That’s over two years ago! The COVID pandemic and its resulting lockdowns and restrictions certainly negatively impacted our ability to do TWPs in Canada. The good news, however, is that the door is opening again!
The Canadian office is now planning at least six new TWPs during the months of April and May, beginning with Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday, April 2. It will be followed by events in Toronto and Mississauga, Ontario; Kelowna, British Columbia; Edmonton, Alberta; and Winnipeg, Manitoba. We can certainly thank our Father for opening the door to live TWP events in Canada in 2022!
Ministerial Feast Survey
All ministers should have received an email from Headquarters this week, giving you the link and instructions to complete the Ministerial Feast Survey. Please be sure to fill out this form, even if you plan to attend your assigned site. The deadline to do so is March 25. If you did not receive this email, contact Tyler Wayne at [email protected].
Living Youth Program
Living Youth Camps
Registration is continuing for Living Youth teen and preteen Camps. We will begin sending out acceptance letters shortly, so if you want to attend but have not yet registered, now is the time to do so. Visit https://camp.livingyouth.org for more information on this year’s camps and to register.
Comments
Blessings of Unity: David wrote, “How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm133:1). Jesus said, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30), and He prayed that His disciples “may be one as We are” (John 17:11). While the disciples at times had different personal perspectives (Acts 15; Galatians 2), they learned to work together to achieve their mission (2 Peter 3:14–16). They obviously realized that if they each marched to their own drum, they would not accomplish their mission. This is why the Apostle Paul stated that as we do the Work of God, we must be respectful and patient with each other, “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3). Paul also emphasized that there is “one body and one Spirit” (v. 4) and the work of the ministry involves fostering the unity of the faith (Ephesians 4:11–16). As we are led by God’s Spirit, we will have more of God’s mind and fewer divisions that can disrupt relationships within families and within the Work of God.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—March 17, 2022
Wheat Prices Soar! With the outbreak of war in Ukraine, oil prices are soaring, but so are the prices of grains. Russia and Ukraine supply a quarter of global wheat exports, while Egypt is the world’s largest wheat importer (The Guardian, March 7, 2022). Tunisia for example, imports half of its wheat from Ukraine. Ukraine also produces 13 percent of global corn/maize exports. The price of wheat on the futures market is also surging (MSN, March 7, 2022). In just one week, the price of wheat rose six days in a row, and during the first week of March wheat futures rose by 40 percent. Wheat is now up about 70 percent in 2022, and global food prices have risen nearly 21 percent since last year (Reuters, March 5, 2022).
Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, experts fear a global commodity shock is coming. Hungary, a major grain producer, has now ceased exporting grain (Bloomberg, March 4, 2022). A World Food Programme spokesperson noted soberingly, “War leads to greater food insecurity, and food insecurity increases the chance of unrest and violence. So a conflict in Ukraine leading to hunger and pushing people into food insecurity elsewhere could have [the] potential for unrest and violence in other areas. And really, the world cannot afford another conflict.”
Given broad dependence on global trade, with many nations not producing their own crops, the world is ripe for food shortages in many regions—especially under the stress of war and subsequent supply-chain disruptions. Hunger is one of the consequences of food shortages. Bible prophecy foretells a time when the shortage of grain will become far worse than it is today, with a quart of wheat selling for an entire day's wages (Revelation 6:6)—a famine that will come on the heels of war (vv. 3–4). To learn more about these sobering global events, be sure to watch "Who Are the Four Horsemen?"
World Rivers Polluted with Drugs: A recent York University study of over 250 rivers in over 100 countries around the globe determined that many rivers are contaminated with pharmaceutical drugs. According to the BBC, “more than a quarter of the 258 rivers sampled had what are known as ‘active pharmaceutical ingredients’ present at a level deemed unsafe for aquatic organisms” (February 15, 2022). The study found high levels of paracetamol (a pain killer), nicotine, caffeine, and drugs used to treat epilepsy and diabetes. How do these chemicals wind up in waterways? Most pass through the bodies of those who use them. Waste treatment plants do not completely break them down, and they are released into the environment.
As the BBC notes, the presence of dissolved human contraceptives has negatively impacted fish development and reproduction, and researchers are concerned that the growing presence of antibiotics in our rivers will increase the level of antibiotic resistance in disease-causing bacteria. The lead author of the study suggests that reducing the availability of antibiotics and other drugs and more restrictive dosages could help begin to solve the problem.
The detrimental impact of drugs on the ecosystem and human beings living downstream is sobering. However, the Bible reveals the good news that the creation will one day “be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). The time is coming when humanity will no longer destroy the earth but will learn to use it as God originally intended. To learn how the Creator expects humanity to tend and keep the earth, be sure to read “Why Worry About Waste?”—Scott Winnail, Wyatt Ciesielka, Joe Brown, Francine Prater, and Chris Sookdeo