Greetings from Charlotte,
It is with sadness that we must report that Mr. Ephraim Abok, our pastor in Kendu Bay, Kenya, died this week. He was elderly, and in poor health for some time, but was a vibrant servant to the congregation. Our prayers are with his family and the Kenyan members who will miss him greatly. As has been previously announced, we have family weekends in coming weeks in several locations across the United States. We are scheduling more of them in diverse locations to shorten the distance for members to travel to these activities, effectively lowering the costs so that a greater number can participate. Mr. Jonathan McNair is scheduled to travel to Oklahoma this weekend for a Men’s Training Camp where we have nearly 60 men signed up to participate. We hope as many as possible will take advantage of these Family Weekends, Men’s Training Camps, Living 4 Tomorrow young singles events, and other unique opportunities for fellowship and service.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Past and Upcoming Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last weekend, we held two Tomorrow’s World Presentations: one initial presentation in Christchurch, New Zealand; and one follow-up presentation in Reading, England, UK. These presentations had a combined total of 27 guests. This weekend, we have a follow-up presentation in Christchurch, New Zealand. Thank you all for your continued prayers for these presentations.
Alabama Family Weekend: December 23–25
The Alabama Family Weekend will be held December 23–25 at the Embassy Suites at 2300 Woodcrest Place, Birmingham, AL 35209. There will be activities throughout Friday, December 23, ending with a 7:00 p.m. Bible Study. The next day, Sabbath services will be at 1:00 p.m. and a dinner and dance will begin at 5:30 p.m. On Sunday, December 25, activities and games will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
There are two dinner options for Saturday night: filet mignon ($36.00 per person) or grilled chicken on the barbie ($33.00 per person). Both come with sides, dessert, and beverage. Room rates at the Embassy Suites are $119.00 for a king bed with queen sofa sleeper, and $139.00 for a double queen with queen sofa sleeper. Please contact Mrs. Barbara Hall by text (205-601-2224) or email ([email protected]), as we need to know how many are coming and which meal each person desires. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Kansas City Winter Weekend: December 23–25
We are looking forward to seeing you all! The weekend starts off on Friday at noon with family gym time and moves on to a family Bible Study at 7:00 p.m. On Saturday we look forward to Sabbath services in the afternoon, followed by dinner and a formal dance in the evening. On Sunday morning there will be a seminar and the family Bible Olympics will begin. The weekend wraps up Sunday afternoon.
Please register soon, as we are in full swing getting things together for a very fun-filled weekend with all the fellowship you can handle! All the details are on the registration website: https://www.kclcg.org (not an official Living Church of God website).
Living Youth Program
South Africa Teen and Preteen Camps 2022 – Bergkroon, Cape Town—Repeat Announcement
The LYP South Africa Teen Camp and our first official Preteen Camp are scheduled for this December. They will be held in a campsite at the Bergkroon (Berg crown) Centre, Wellington, Western Cape, on the Bains Kloof Pass Road. This unique site offers panoramic views of the Paarl and Wellington valleys, backdropped by the towering Hawekwa Mountains.
Teen Camp will start on Tuesday evening, December 20, and end on Friday morning, December 30, and Preteen Camp will run from December 25–30. Staff will arrive on Sunday, December 18, for setup and staff orientation.
The camp schedule consists of a well-balanced program of Christian Living classes, leadership and teamwork activities, educational classes, and sports, including soccer, volleyball, netball, tag-rugby, water polo, swimming, dance, indoor noodle hockey, an obstacle course, and other games.
The theme for this year’s Christian Living classes is “What are you doing with your life?” The theme will focus on our young people and what they do now to build a foundation for a godly life in the face of challenging times. We look forward to an exciting camp.—Lawdi Ferreira
Comments
Modern Misguided Leaders: Some of the strongest condemnations by Hebrew prophets were against the leaders of Israel “who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture” and “cause My people to err by their lies” (Jeremiah 23:1–2, 13, 32). Few today realize that these prophecies are dual, and that their ultimate fulfillment will impact modern Israelite nations and their leaders at the end of the age. It is no coincidence that today not only atheists and agnostics are attacking belief in God, the Bible, and biblical values that have been part of the foundation of Western civilization, but also liberal leaders in schools, churches, governments, and the media. As a result of the seeds sown by these attacks on fundamental biblical concepts and values and “forgetting our Maker” we are reaping the whirlwind of confusion, immorality, and social chaos that was prophesied long ago (Hosea 8:7, 14). This is why God has commissioned His modern-day servants to “Cry aloud” and warn our leaders and nations of the consequences that are coming, so they can heed the warnings and escape God’s punishments (Isaiah 58:1; Luke 21:36). We have a big job to do!
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—December 1, 2022
Starvation in Somalia: According to the United Nations, one child is admitted to the hospital or clinic for treatment of severe malnutrition every minute of every day, on average (Deutsche Welle, November 22, 2022). In Somalia, where almost half the population “urgently needs food,” many cases arriving at the clinics are children in the last stages of starvation and some are beyond doctors’ ability to prevent their deaths. Experts blame climate change and Islamist extremists for the increasingly dire situation.
Somalia is experiencing its worst drought in 40 years, and over 7 million people need food aid. Drought and conflict have displaced 1.6 million people. Over half a million children are acutely malnourished, which means that if they don’t eat soon, they will die. Tragically, no food aid can even enter some regions of the country because of armed conflict in them. And al-Shabab, the extremist group responsible for the conflict, does not seem interested in helping the starving people.
Today the world is filled with strife, suffering, and starvation. It is rife with leaders who seize power caring only about themselves and not about those whose lives are in their hands. However, the trauma and selfishness of this present age is prophesied to end in the not-too-distant future. Jesus Christ is going to return as the King of kings to set up His lasting and abundant kingdom over the earth, and the suffering and starvation of today’s world will become a thing of the past (Psalm 72). To learn more about what this peace and abundance-filled world will be like, be sure to read The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?
The Power of Purpose: For years researchers have known that living life with a sense of purpose and meaning helps people live longer, happier lives (Medical News Today, November 21, 2022). A new study of over 13,000 people 50 years old and older clarifies the power of this effect even more. According to the study results, “those with the strongest sense of purpose lowered their risk of death by 15.2% compared to people with the least sense of purpose.” Moreover, Boston University researchers report that “having a purpose lowers the risk of all causes of mortality [that is, death by any cause], regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity,” meaning that the benefits of living life with a sense of purpose are available to everyone! The longevity benefits of having a sense of purpose were more pronounced among women, decreasing their all-cause mortality rate by 34 percent, versus a 20 percent drop for men.
People with a greater sense of purpose tend to be less bothered by stress and less worried. They also tend to engage in other health-promoting behaviors, such as regular physical activity.
In the light of modern research, it is interesting to note what the Bible reveals about a sense of purpose. Jesus Christ taught that we should “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). King David wrote in a song to his Maker, “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:165). Understanding the ultimate purpose for mankind enables us to look beyond the stresses of today: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). To learn more about the real purpose of human life, a purpose that is worth striving for, be sure to read What Is the Meaning of Life?—Scott Winnail, Chris Sookdeo, and Francine Prater