Weekly Update

June 6th, 2024

Greetings from Charlotte,

Mr. Gerald Weston left for Canada on Monday and has been recording programs and taking care of other business in the London, Ontario, office. He’ll be in Edmonton this Sabbath. Mr. Dexter Wakefield is working with Mr. Rees Ellis on getting Le Monde de Demain, our French-language radio program, aired in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mr. Wallace Smith reports that Dr. Meredith’s autobiography is going through its final review in preparation for printing. Mr. Christo Botha reports that last week’s elections in South Africa have created uncertainty as new party coalitions form. In the meantime, heavy rains in the Eastern Cape and two tornadoes in KwaZulu-Natal tragically left eleven people dead, 1,200 families displaced, and destroyed much property. And now freezing temperatures and widespread snowfall have made life difficult for those in temporary shelters. Our members are unharmed and grateful for God’s protection. Please keep our brethren in South Africa and all over the world in your prayers.—Rod McNair

Church Administration

Tomorrow’s World Presentations

Last week we held four initial TWPs—in Georgetown, Guyana, as well as Crossville, Tennessee; Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania; and Bordentown, New Jersey. We also had three follow-up presentations and two Tomorrow’s World Presentation Series events. These events drew a total of 64 guests. This week we will hold one initial presentation in Bridgetown, Barbados, and four follow-up presentations. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for the Tomorrow’s World Presentations.

Living Youth Program

Texas Teen Camp: Music

We are looking forward to a fun-filled summer camp program this year, and that includes music! If you want to participate in the choir at camp, sign up right away at (Login to MyLCG for links). You will receive rehearsal music and updates on what’s happening in preparation for camp. Also, if you’d like to participate in the talent show, you’ll need to sign up at (Login to MyLCG for links). All participants in the show must sign up before camp and submit a recording of the song they would like to perform. There will be no try-outs at camp—just rehearsing for the big show! We always have a lot of interest and a lot of young people who’d like to be involved, so don’t miss your chance to join in the fun! Don’t miss out—sign up today! For questions, just contact Mr. Jonathan McNair at [email protected].

Camp Staff: Necessary Certifications for Some Positions

First Aid/Lifeguard Certificates
If you have a current Certificate in First Aid/Lifeguarding, etc. and will be serving in this capacity at any of the USA camps in 2024, then please send a copy of your Certification to Jill Ewers ([email protected]). The Certificate must be current and valid through the entirety of the camp(s) where it will be used.

Food Handler Training Program
If you have received certification through an ANSI-accredited food safety program for the State of Texas as a Food Handler or Food Manager and will be attending Texas Teen Camp or Texas Preteen Camp in 2024, please send your certificate to Jill Ewers ([email protected]) and copy Joshua Penman ([email protected]).

TrainRight Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training
All staff members who are 18 years old and up are required to participate in an online training program for awareness and prevention of child abuse: TrainRight Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training Program. This is an online training course that takes about one hour to complete. Once you have been accepted as a staff member at one of the camps, you will receive an email from [email protected] titled “Invite – Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training Program” with a link to register for and complete the training online.

Note: The Certification for this TrainRight course is good for two years, the year it’s taken plus the next year. For example, if you took the course in 2022, the Certification was valid in 2022 and 2023. Therefore, you would have to retake the course in 2024 to receive your new Certification for 2024/2025.

If you have any questions, please contact Jill Ewers ([email protected]).

Comments

Sobering Days Ahead: The Bible contains many warnings for Christians living at the end of the age. Noah was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5) who spent a hundred years warning his generation that judgment was coming on a world filled with wickedness and corruption—but only a few listened (Genesis 5:32–7:6). Lot and his family were warned about the disaster that was coming on Sodom and Gomorrah because of their depravity—which included homosexuality—but they were reluctant to leave their city (Genesis 19:12–26). Jesus warned that these same evils will be extant and growing as the end of the age and His return are approaching (Matthew 24:37–39; Luke 17:26–32). The Apostle Paul wrote that these Old Testament events were recorded "for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Corinthians 10:1–11). Are you watching and growing, and will you be ready for the sobering days ahead?

Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail

News and Prophecy—June 6, 2024

European Elections and the Future: EU parliamentary elections are underway, and the outcome could significantly alter Europe as we know it. Leaders who have become household names across Europe could see their political parties dismantled as the political elite are replaced by growing numbers of populist leaders. According to recent polls, “MEPs from far-right parties look set to outnumber those from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s center-right European People’s Party after next week’s election” (Politico, May 29, 2024). Although more far-right MEPs are expected in the next cycle, they are not expected to gain great political advantage because they are so fragmented into different parties. Yet some sort of unity among them may arise.

The fact that so many far-right leaders once seen to be on the fringes of society are increasingly seen as acceptable and even desirable highlights how the youngest voters—Gen Z—are increasingly conservative in their outlooks and shockingly anti-immigration. In a number of countries, they poll right behind the most conservative voting block—baby boomers (The Guardian, May 28, 2024). Pollsters and political analysts are uncertain just how this cycle of parliamentary elections will play out, but large changes appear to be on the way.

Where is Europe really heading? While analysts are uncertain, Bible prophecy indicates that Germany will eventually emerge as the powerful leading nation of Europe, and a charismatic political and military leader will arise, backed by the Roman Catholic Church. This German-led European power is known in Bible terms as "the beast" and will draw the crucial support of ten leaders or nations for a short time. We need to watch and consider how the coming elections could play into these biblical prophecies. To gain a bigger perspective about Europe's future, be sure to read or listen to The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor, or Soon-Coming Reality?

Is Democracy Dying in Europe? Democracy has been hailed as the savior of civilization by many. History indicates that democracies have been wealthier and, generally, more politically stable than many other forms of government. Across Europe, democracy is seen as a fundamental value of European culture in the modern era. But the winds of change are blowing, and many do not view democracy with the respect it once held—especially European youth.

Headlines tell part of the story, as autocratic leaders are on the rise. Politico reports on a poll that highlights just how far the views of Europe’s youth diverge from that of older generations (May 21, 2024). Poll participants were asked how supportive they were of democracy versus other forms of government like dictatorships and military rule. The survey findings were sobering in light of the history and future of Europe. In Germany, only 38 percent of those “aged 18 and up are consistent supporters of democracy. In France, the number stands at a paltry 27 percent, while Italy and Poland clock in at less than 45 percent.” Survey results are particularly sobering when comparing young people to their parents and grandparents. “For example,” Politico reports, “in Germany, just 21 percent of Generation Z and millennials said they consistently support democracy compared to 66 percent of those aged 70 and up. In Poland, meanwhile, only around one quarter of 18 to 29-year-olds showed consistent support for democracy.”

What does this mean for Europe's future? As older members of society age and die, they are being replaced by young people with more extreme perspectives. This could drastically affect future elections in Europe. Europe is changing and so is European democracy. To learn more about the future of Europe and the changes that will occur, read “Shadows Over Europe.”—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater