Greetings from Charlotte,
We began sending out acceptances to teens and staff who have applied to attend the Texas Teen Camp this July. If you are interested in attending, please get your application in as soon as possible. We have also accepted 18 students for the Living Education Onsite Program. It is truly encouraging to see the way the program has been growing the last several years. Two Living-Ed students will also be traveling to Thailand this summer to teach English to grade school children as part of our Foundation. Mr. Mario Hernandez is scheduled this afternoon (Thursday) to record the script for this year’s “Behind the Work” video, which will feature the Work in the Spanish language and will be shown at the Feast of Tabernacles. Editorial is working feverishly to have Dr. Meredith’s autobiography ready for distribution in the next few weeks. It will be sent to members automatically. Dr. Don Roach, longtime elder serving in Southern California and Las Vegas, died on March 14, after an extended health trial. Please pray for Mrs. Alice Roach and the entire family during this difficult time.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last week was a big week for Tomorrow’s World Presentations. We held six follow-up and four initial events, which drew a total of 179 guests. This week, we will hold four follow-up presentations in Texas, California, and Nevada. Thank you to everyone for your continued prayers and support for the success of the Tomorrow’s World Presentations.
Feast of Tabernacles
Ministerial Feast Survey Deadline: Friday, March 29
The deadline for all ministers to complete the Ministerial Feast Survey is Friday, March 29. Please be sure to fill out this form even if you plan to attend your assigned site. If you do not have the email, contact Tyler Wayne at [email protected].
Living Youth Program
Adventure Camp—Eagle Cap Wilderness
Camper and staff registration for adventure camp will be closing next Monday, April 1. If you want to come to adventure camp and have not yet registered, please do so right away so your application can be considered for approval. Information about the hike can be found on the Living Youth webpage. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Jonathan Bueno ([email protected]).
Comments
The Importance of Forgiveness: A vital key for working together with others is the willingness and ability to forgive someone. The Scriptures tell us that we have all sinned, but if we repent, we can be forgiven because Jesus died for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 3:23–26). However, Jesus taught that we must be ready and willing to forgive others who offend us—or God will not forgive us (Matthew 6:12–15). Forgiving others involves not holding grudges or harboring bitterness, not seeking to get even, and not gossiping or saying negative things about others who have hurt us in some way. This is not easy, especially when memories, emotions, and personal pride are involved, but that is what we are admonished to do if we want to be real Christians—because real Christians are people who have learned to forgive. Forgiveness is a vital key that makes working in harmony with others possible, productive, and enjoyable.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—March 28, 2024
Europe Preparing for World War III: This Work has long warned that Europe and Germany will shift into a war-production mode, becoming the military and economic powerhouse known in the Bible as “the beast.” For decades, this warning has appeared far-fetched to many. But that is changing! With the increasing “Russian threat” on its border, Germany has been forced to adopt a mindset of war preparation. In January, 300 experts visited Berlin at the request of the Bundeswehr (German Foreign Policy, February 20, 2024) to explore coordinating military and civil actions in the event of war on the continent. Germany’s Operationsplan Deutschland sets out actions needed for the “militarisation of German society as a whole,” and this recent meeting occurred in accordance with that plan. Should war break out, all elements of German society must be able to work together. Germany has greatly increased military spending, is exporting more military hardware, and broke ground last month on a new artillery shell factory (Deutsche Welle, February 12, 2024). Germany’s education minister has even suggested that schools should prepare pupils for war and foster a positive relationship with the armed forces (Deutsche Welle, March 17, 2024).
However, Germany is not alone in preparing for war. European Council President Charles Michel has made very plain, according to Reuters, that “Europe must strengthen its defence capabilities and shift to a ‘war economy’ mode in response to the threat posed by Russia” (March 18, 2024). In a recent op-ed, Michel warns, “If we want peace, we must prepare for war.” He also suggested changing the rules of the European Investment Bank to allow for the support of the European defense industry.
Germany and Europe are on the threshold of significant changes. War rhetoric is returning, the engine of the military industrial complex is rumbling, and Bible prophecy is proving right, yet again. To learn what the future holds for Europe, watch “The Beast of Revelation.”
Tears Bring Kindness: While supporters of evolution believe in a world where everything happens by chance and the survival of the fittest, new scientific findings that highlight the complex nature of life continue to challenge the legitimacy of this theory. How likely are so many different processes to arise from a mindless, purposeless process?
New research has discovered that when women cry, their tears emit an odorless chemical that triggers a sympathetic response in men (Scientific American, December 21, 2023). “When someone starts to cry, other people oftentimes feel empathy and concern. But the biological reasons for shedding tears can extend beyond merely prompting a sense of compassion. The tears themselves appear to take on a role as a chemical peacemaker between men and women, new research has discovered.” These finds have been “confirmed through human behavioral studies, brain imaging and molecular biology.” The newly published research posits that a primary reason women shed tears is “to convey a chemical signal that lowers aggression.”
While evolutionary theory may suggest this chemical process exists to protect women and perpetuate the species, the complex chemical nature seen in female biology, and the corresponding response to chemical signals that is seen in men, speaks to the improbability that such processes have come about by chance. Ascribing virtually sentient wisdom and the ability to plan to a mindless process, devotees of evolution deny that an intelligent God of the universe actually exists. As science discovers more about the body and creation, it continues to confirm the reality of a wise and powerful Designer who created all things with a plan and a purpose. For deeper insights into the creation vs. evolution debate, be sure to read Evolution and Creation: What Both Sides Miss.—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater