Greetings from Charlotte,
One of our call center agents recorded the following from a viewer: “The caller placed an order 3 days ago and has not received it....” This is not the only such comment we have received, and it says a lot about one of the challenges we face. On a typical Monday morning we are greeted by a minimum of 2,000 calls over the weekend, but often as many as 3,000 or more. This does not include requests that come by way of the Internet. These must be sent through our database to ensure names are spelled correctly and addresses are correct. Those that are not correct must be sent to Records & Information Services (RIS) for individual attention. We receive more requests throughout the week, and all of these are handed off to our Mail Processing Department (MPD). MPD must also process Member/Coworker letters, Tomorrow’s World Presentation invites, semi-annual letters, and much more. Literature is then loaded on pallets to be trucked to a Postal Distribution Center that is 45–60 minutes away. We strive to process all of this within 24 hours of receiving a request, but we must rely on the postal system to deliver it to the person who made the request. Cost is also a factor to be considered, so we try to send booklets of the same weight in batches of at least 200. Over the last several years, we have harmonized our booklets into fewer weight categories (sometimes by adding an extra page or two) so that low-request booklets can be combined with others in mailings—thus getting them to the postal system more quickly. A lot happens behind the scenes, and I thought this might be of interest to you. —Gerald E. Weston
Church Administration
Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last week we held two initial presentations and three follow-up presentations. These presentations drew a total of 46 guests. This week, Mr. Wallace Smith will travel to St. Louis, Missouri; and Springfield, Illinois; and Mr. Weston will travel to Monroe, Louisiana; and Lufkin, Texas to give initial presentations. We will also hold follow-up presentations in Fayetteville, Arkansas; and Springfield, Missouri. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for the Tomorrow’s World Presentations.
Ministerial Move
After serving over the past year as the Assistant Controller for the Accounting Department in the Headquarters Office, Mr. Josh Lyons will be reassigned to the field ministry this summer. He and his wife will be moving to the Upper Midwest United States to serve congregations in Wisconsin, Illinois and eastern Iowa. The transition will take place toward the end of June—the exact date of the move has not been set. Mr. Lyons will be replaced in the Headquarters Accounting Department by Mr. Jonathan Riley, who served as the main accountant and Business Manager of the Canadian Regional Office for several years
Passover 2025—Deadline for Requesting All Passover Supplies and Materials (Repeat Announcement)
Important Notice to All Pastors: In 2025, the Passover Service will be observed on Friday evening, April 11. The deadline for requesting Passover Service supplies (bread trays and/or wine trays or glasses) or a physical copy of the Passover Service recording and letter instructions (available in English, French, and Spanish) for congregations is March 24 for international areas and April 8 for U.S. congregations. Any requests for Passover Service recordings and letter instructions for home observance, needed by members who are unable to keep the Passover with a congregation, should also be received by the above deadlines. (The Passover Service recording for use this year is the same as last year’s by Mr. John Strain.) If possible, submit your requests well before the deadline—this will help us manage supplies and shipments. Please direct your requests to the Church Administration Department at [email protected]. Note: As in recent years, the digital Passover Service recording is available to pastors and video recipients via the FTP site, and a private YouTube link will also be provided.
Living Youth Program
Mark Your Calendars for LYP South Africa 2025
We are excited to announce that LYP South Africa Teen & Preteen Camp 2025 will be held in Wellington, Cape Town, from Monday, 22 December 2025, to Thursday, 1 January 2026. Staff should plan to arrive on Sunday, 21 December, while teen campers should arrive on Monday, 22 December. Preteens should plan to arrive on Friday, 26 December. Departure for both teens and preteens will be on Thursday, 1 January.
The camp will feature a variety of activities, including daily Christian Living classes, dance, netball, tag rugby, indoor noodle hockey, handball, swimming, arts & crafts, woodwork, volleyball, Bible literacy class, speech class, leadership & teambuilding games, a cookout competition, soccer, and more. All attendees are responsible for their own camp fees and travel costs, so start planning and saving now to ensure you don’t miss out!
Applications will open in July 2025, so stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, if you are interested in attending, please contact Mr. Lawdi Ferreira (email: [email protected]; WhatsApp: +27 721-249-018).
Comments
The Importance of Forgiveness: As we approach the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, we are reminded of our need to be forgiven—and to forgive others. The Scriptures state that we have all sinned and that Jesus suffered and died so we can be forgiven (John 3:16; Romans 3:23–26; 6:23). To be forgiven also requires that we repent of our sins and change (Acts 2:37–38) and that we are ready to forgive others who have hurt or offended us (Matthew 6:12–15). This is not easy when memories, emotions, and personal pride are involved, but this is what we are admonished to do if we want to be Christians—and if we want God to forgive us. Forgiveness is an important tool that makes working together with other people possible—and enjoyable. If we remember that Jesus died so we can be forgiven, we should be motivated to forgive others.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy – March 13, 2025
Call for a New World Leader: President Donald Trump’s heated meeting and disagreement with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky two weeks ago set many world leaders on edge. Politico reported that European leaders met immediately afterward, and the European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas remarked, “Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge” (February 28, 2025). The article observed that the moment “may prove a significant turning point in the tottering postwar Western alliance between Europe and the United States.” Mr. Trump has always been a polarizing force, but following the now-infamous meeting, the majority of European leaders clearly came down on the side of Ukraine and in opposition to the U.S. president. EU leaders, feeling the pressure of a tenuous future for any U.S. military presence in Europe, are now meeting regarding the buildup of their own militaries. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen recently shared “EU plans to strengthen Europe’s defence industry and increase military capabilities” that “could mobilize close to 800 billion euros ($841.4 billion)” (Reuters, March 4, 2025). Many in the bloc, seeing the handwriting on the wall, are talking about moving forward without the United States and the “leader of the free world”—the U.S. president. President Trump’s aim in his first term—to push Europe to arm and defend itself—is coming to fruition. However, this is happening as the U.S. makes itself a hated nation.
As world leaders plan and strategize and the press reports breathlessly about every twist and turn, most overlook what Bible prophecies have long predicted. The Bible foretells that at the end of the age, Israelite-descended nations, including the U.S., will become hated by the world—especially by a German-led Europe. They will eventually be taken into some form of national captivity by this coming European “beast” power. These Israelite-descended nations also include the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and many nations of Europe itself. While many of these nations have led the world in recent decades, they are destined to become the “tail” and not the “head” (Deuteronomy 28:43–44). To learn more about this coming global reversal and who will become the new world leader, read or listen to The Beast of Revelation.
Another Strange Disease in Central Africa: Central Africa is known for its outbreaks of unique and deadly viruses. Recently, another “mystery disease” was discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Deutsche Welle, March 3, 2025). This outbreak follows just six months after an outbreak of “Disease X” that occurred in the same general area. Over 1,000 cases of the mystery disease have been identified, and “a separate outbreak in early February consisted of 158 cases and 58 deaths.” Experts are still studying to understand the outbreaks. The symptoms of the disease are broad and seen in many different types of infections, hindering quick diagnoses. Some experts believe the latest outbreak may be some type of poisoning, though early reports suggested that the first incidence of the illness was in a group of children who may have eaten a bat. Other experts believe the current disease has resulted from “several known pathogens acting together.”
Why is Central Africa such a hotbed for emerging infectious diseases? There are multiple reasons, including the consumption of a wide variety of animals that were not created by God for food, unsanitary living conditions, unsanitary death and burial practices, rampant sexual promiscuity, and a warm climate that promotes the growth of different pathogens. The local infections and deaths from these diseases are sad enough—but, with air travel, disease outbreaks that would once have been limited to one geographical area are now easily transmitted around the globe. To learn more about a risk factor for such infections and how to prevent many of them, read “Do You Really Want to Eat That?” —Scott Winnail, Adrian Käfer, Francine Prater, and Chris Sookdeo