Greetings from Charlotte,
We held a ministerial conference online on Wednesday where we discussed a number of items pertaining to the Church. One was baptism. Over the last couple of decades, we have seen a number of oddities creep into baptism requests and ceremonies. Some people want to dictate to the Church where they must be baptized—i.e. not in a tank or swimming pool, but in running water. Closely associated with this are what we refer to as “destination baptisms.” This is where someone postpones having his sins forgiven until on an adventure trip in a beautiful mountain lake. Others have requested to be baptized in some novel way, similar to what we see in marriage ceremonies where the couple wants to tie the knot while scuba diving—making a novelty statement. Video recordings have also been added. One such was done a few years ago where music and slow-motion effects were added. Brethren, let us not lose sight of the purpose of baptism with these kinds of distractions. Another issue has come up where members “crash the party” so to speak. Some individuals prefer their baptism to be private without a crowd, but zealous and truly excited members sometimes invite others to someone else’s baptism. There are many reasons why someone may want his or her baptism to be private. It is important for all of us to leave up to the individual being baptized who attends the baptism. We understand that this is a joyous occasion but let us not presume to know what someone else desires in this matter. Only attend if you are directly invited by the person being baptized, or are directly involved.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last week we held four initial TWPs and three follow-up presentations. These events drew a total of 95 guests. The follow-up in Sydney, Australia, was particularly notable because it drew 25 repeat guests and three new guests—big numbers for a follow-up TWP! This week Mr. Adam West will give an initial presentation in Nashua, New Hampshire, and Mr. Ciesielka will give two follow-up presentations, in Jamestown and Raleigh, North Carolina. Thank you all for your continued prayers for these presentations.
Living Education
This week marks the sixth graduation ceremony for the Living Education program. Seventeen students will receive a certificate for completing the nine-month program and five students will receive certificates for completing the second-year program, which involves additional classes and provides leadership opportunities. This year’s group is comprised of students from throughout the United States, as well as from the United Kingdom and Mexico. We congratulate all twenty-two students and look forward to seeing them apply what they’ve been taught in the years to come.—Jonathan McNair
Mail Processing Department
Returned Mail—Must Read in the United States
Important Notice: Some of you may have sent us mail that has been returned to you as undeliverable by the United States Postal Service. You can be confident that our HQ office is still here! And that our Postal address has not changed. The problem was apparently with our local post office, which was returning the mail sent to our Post Office Box 3810. We believe that the problem has been fixed, and we are receiving mail once again at that P.O. Box. It did not affect our outgoing mail—only that which was sent to us. If you received a returned letter, we apologize for the inconvenience. Hopefully, we will not have this problem in the future.
Feast of Tabernacles
As of this writing, more than 5,100 Living Church of God brethren and guests have successfully registered for the 2024 Feast of Tabernacles. This year, we have approximately 95 Feast sites around the world, with 16 in the United States and 79 outside of the United States. If you have not registered, please do so, even if you are going to your assigned site.
If you are waiting for transfer approval…
If you have requested a transfer and have not yet been notified by email of acceptance (or denial), please be patient. A number of sites are nearing capacity: Branson, Missouri; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; Gulf Shores, Alabama; Dubuque, Iowa; and Montego Bay, Jamaica.
We may be able to accept more transfers to these sites in the future, but we cannot guarantee it. If you applied for transfer to one of these sites and have not been notified of your acceptance, please consider transferring to another site. You are welcome to stay on the waiting list; however, we cannot guarantee that your transfer will be approved.
Criteria for Transfers—Must Read
When a Feast site has limited availability for transfers, we try very hard to accommodate the higher-priority transfer requests first. These include health, financial, service, and family considerations. While spending the Feast with longtime and close friends is a wonderful blessing, we cannot weigh these requests as highly as those previously listed. If you and friends are wishing to transfer to a Feast site with friends from other areas, please consider transferring to a site that has more space available.
The following sites have ample space and are welcoming more transfers:
- Arroyo Grande, California
- Boerne, Texas
- Canaan Valley, West Virginia
- Florence, Oregon
- New Bern, North Carolina
- Rockport–Fulton, Texas
- Tannersville, Pennsylvania
If you have not yet registered for the Feast, please do so, even if you plan to attend your assigned site. Registering helps us know how much open space there is for those on waiting lists.
To register, go to the Feast Registration system at fotreg.cogl.org (or visit the members.lcg.org website, click the “Member Resources” link, then click on “Feast Registration”) and log in using your MyLCG credentials. For information about each Feast site, click “Feast Sites Information” at the bottom of the page.
Living Youth Program
Living Youth Podcast
This week the Living Youth Podcast is posting its 100th episode. Thank you for your support and encouragement! The weekly podcast can be found in multiple formats—such as YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts—at LivingYouth.org. On the website, you will also find a list of all 100 episodes, plus a growing collection of essays, links, videos, and other material of interest to teens and young adults in the Church. If you are just now learning about the podcast, then check out what you’ve been missing at LivingYouth.org.
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Perseverance—A Vital Quality: Perseverance is one of the laws of success. The word is defined as tenacity, remaining steadfast under pressure, and staying on a chosen path in spite of difficulties and opposition. Solomon wrote, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small” (Proverbs 24:10). Jesus stressed, “he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22). The Apostle Paul advised, “let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9). Paul also wrote encouragingly that, while trials will come, God will also “make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). When difficult trials come, we need to seek a multitude of counsel about how to deal with the trial, but we also need to ask God to intervene on our behalf as these verses indicate He will. Let’s remember this advice to persevere… and never, never, never quit!
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—May 23, 2024
Public School Board Revokes Parent Rights: In Washington County, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C., the school board recently decided that parents cannot opt their young children out of elementary school lessons focusing on LGBTQ+ themes. Concerned parents sued the school district requesting the right to prevent their children from being forced to participate in the lessons, on the basis of their religious beliefs. Interestingly, the three sets of parents bringing the lawsuit were Muslim, Jewish, and Christian. According to Reuters, the group of parents “objected to a curriculum for pre-K and elementary school-aged children that included books that portray gay, transgender and non-binary characters in various situations” (May 15, 2024). A lower court, and now an appeals court, have upheld the school board’s ruling, preventing parents from removing their children from these lessons. Parents with children in government schools in Washington County now have no choice but to find alternative means of education or allow their children to be subjected to what amounts to LGBTQ+ indoctrination in the classroom. The court ruling states that “part of the compromise parents make when choosing to send their children to public schools” is allowing their children to be exposed to issues they disagree with, religious or not (MSN, May 16, 2024).
The prophet Jeremiah was inspired to warn ancient Israel—and the modern Israelite-descended nations at the end of the age—“My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray” (Jeremiah 50:6). When boards of government-funded schools claim to seek the best interests of children while indoctrinating them to accept biblically abhorrent acts and lifestyles, we are seeing the spirit of this age-old prophecy brought to life. To learn more, read or listen to “Misguided Education and the Decline of Western Civilization.”
DNA Sale! As the end of the age draws closer, real life seems to blur with science fiction. Today’s realities are becoming scenes out of a dystopian movie or political espionage novel. The last two decades have witnessed monumental advances in the field of genetics. Scientists are learning how to turn genes on and off and how to program organisms in the language of genetics. In their work, some scientists buy and sell the genetic sequences of various bacteria and viruses.
At first glance, this may seem both interesting and exciting, because it might lead to incredible scientific advances. Many presume, given the high potential for danger, that such research is strictly and safely regulated. However, health and medicine news source STAT reports that a research team from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in cooperation with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, tested the effectiveness of current controls by attempting to purchase “gene-length DNA fragments that could be used to generate the 1918 influenza virus, which killed more than 50 million people” (May 8, 2024). The team took minimal steps to mask their identity. They even requested to have genetic material sent to non-laboratory locations. Of 38 providers contacted, 36 shipped the genetic material for the 1918 flu virus. STAT notes, “Only one company detected a hazard and requested proof of biosafety approval.” This experiment demonstrated just how easy it would be for a rogue nation or terrorist group to obtain the genetic material needed to create a devastating bioweapon.
One of the signs of the end of the age is that God will punish the Israelite-descended nations for their rejection of Him. God promises to “appoint terror over you,” including terrifying diseases (Leviticus 26:16). As technology increases, the tools for creating terror become more advanced and more accessible. Will genetics become one of these new tools? To understand where this technology could lead, watch “Prepare for Armageddon.”—Scott Winnail, Peter D’Amico, and Francine Prater