The World Ahead Weekly Update — September 11, 2014
Greetings from Charlotte,
It has been interesting to see how the most powerful man in the world (the President of the United States) cannot control “the tides of history” that have succeeded in “upending” his political agenda (see The Wall Street Journal, September 9, 2014). These “tides of history” are moving ancient prophecies towards fulfillment with the emergence of an Islamic caliphate in the Middle East (this could lead to the king of the south), the declining influence of America and Britain, and the appeals to the Roman Catholic pope to play a more influential role on the world stage! Here in Charlotte, Dr. Meredith has held a number of meetings this week. Mr. Wallace Smith has been in the office to tape two new television programs. The Tomorrow’s World Presentation last Sunday in Knoxville, Tennessee drew 61 new people (see announcement below). Mr. Dan Hall and Mr. Anthony Stroud will conduct a TWP this Saturday in Columbus, Mississippi. I will be in the New York City area this weekend to visit congregations in Manhattan and on Long Island and conduct a TWP with Mr. Jonathan McNair on Sunday. Your prayers for these efforts to preach the gospel and for God’s people are greatly appreciated.—DSW
Church Administration
Tomorrow’s World Presents in Knoxville, Tennessee
On Sunday September 7, Dr. Douglas Winnail gave the first part of a Tomorrow’s World Presentation in Knoxville, Tennessee, to 61 visitors and 20 members. Dr. Winnail’s presentation explained Armageddon and what will happen after Armageddon. Then Mr. Martin Fannin presented the second part, explaining God’s Holy Days and His Master Plan for all of mankind. The response was very positive and most of the visitors stayed for refreshments and asked many questions. Some stayed as long as two hours or more. Also, three couples indicated they would like to attend Sabbath services!—Lenny Bower
French Caribbean Report
On Sunday, August 10, I traveled to Guadeloupe, arriving late at night. On Monday evening I gave a Bible Study with ten people in attendance. On Tuesday, I flew to Martinique, where I met Mr. Etienne Duval and we spent the rest of the day traveling to French Guyana. On Wednesday, August 13, we gave a Tomorrow’s World Presentation in French Guyana, the first one to be given there. There is not a congregation in French Guyana, but ten people attended the presentation and several asked if we are going to start a congregation there. They were given contact information so that they can reach Mr. Duval in Martinique. The next day, Mr. Duval and I flew back to Martinique.
August 15 to 22 I spent visiting the brethren in Martinique. On the Sabbath, we had services and a congregational meal followed by a Bible Study. While in Martinique, I also went to the hospital to visit one of our deaconesses, Mrs. Jeanine Hodebar, a long-time member of our congregation in Martinique. Her doctor has now found new swollen lymph nodes and there is a high possibility she must undergo chemotherapy. Please pray for her complete healing and encouragement, as well as for her husband Simbert, who is a deacon in Martinique. Cards and letters of encouragement may be sent to Mr. and Mrs. Simbert Hodebar, 259 Chemin Démé, Serrault, Le Lamentin 97232, Martinique.
I left Martinique and arrived in Haiti on Friday, August 22. The main purpose for this trip was to meet with a legal firm so that the congregation in Haiti can be recognized by the government. I had several meetings with officials to discuss this and sent all the documents to Headquarters for review. While I was in Haiti, I also met with a media expert to talk about “Le Monde De Demain” on television and will follow up on my next visit.
On Friday I traveled to L’Asile, which is a four hour ride from Petionville, to spend the Sabbath with the brethren there. After sundown, we went back to Petionville. On Monday, I gave a Bible Study for the brethren in Petionville and then had a meeting for the Church leaders. This year, I’m pleased that all the Haitian brethren will be keeping the Feast at the same Feast site. Before returning home, I flew to St. Maarten to visit prospective members.
I am happy to report that overall, the brethren all around the French Caribbean are doing very well and making final preparations for the Feast of Tabernacles.—Wilner Pierre
Obituary – Mrs. Shirley Young
Shirley Young, a long-time faithful member of God’s Church in the United Kingdom and regular contributor to the “Woman to Woman” series in the Living Church News, died peacefully this morning, 11 September, after an 11-year battle with cancer. We are thankful for Mrs. Young’s life and contribution to God’s Work, and for the faith God instilled in her and His divine mercy in answering the many prayers that were offered on her behalf. She now awaits the resurrection and we look forward to seeing her at that momentous occasion.—Jamie Meakin
Young Adults Winter Retreat Update: December 28-January 1—Must Read
Living Church of God young adults 20-35 years of age, single or married, are invited to attend a Winter Retreat from Sunday afternoon, December 28, through Thursday morning, January 1. Plans are being finalized for this event which will be located near the Sugar Mountain Ski Resort in North Carolina. We will be having daily Bible Studies and discussions focused on topics of interest to young Christian adults. Activities will include snow skiing and snowboarding at the premier ski resort in this part of the country, as well as other winter recreational sports. The cost for room, breakfast and dinner for the four days will be $165 per person. The cost for lunches, snow skiing/boarding, sledding, tubing and any other activities are not included. We can help provide transportation to this event from Charlotte for those who will be flying in for the Charlotte Family Weekend event that immediately precedes this Retreat. We hope that many of you will be a part of this first of many unique experiences we plan to have for our young Christian adults in the Church. To register for this activity, please e-mail me right away at jmeredith@lcg.org. More details of the activities and costs for optional activities are on the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/
pages/LCG-young-adults/
810157329017652) for this event. We will be posting on this page updated information and details of the event as they become available, so if you “Like” the page, you will get notified of the new updates. A deposit of $100 to secure your spot is due by September 30 and should be made using the PayPal link on the Facebook page.—Jim Meredith
Feast of Tabernacles
Gatineau-Ottawa Feast Site
There is still space in the Adult Festival Choir at the Gatineau-Ottawa Feast site and we are also still looking for a pianist.
The cruise on the Ottawa River has now been opened to seniors as well as anyone at the Feast without a spouse. (Seniors are those over 65 years old. For couples, at least one spouse needs to be over 65 years old.) All singles, seniors, widows, widowers, and those whose spouse did not come to the Feast will enjoy taking this scenic guided cruise on the Ottawa River. Guides will be bilingual. If you would like to serve or join the cruise, please sign up at MyLCG.—Marc Arseneault
Health and Feast Travel
As we prepare to depart for the Feast of Tabernacles, it is not uncommon for God’s people to “push themselves” and compromise their sleep and diet. Many of us try to get multiple tasks accomplished ahead of time (regarding work and school) so that we can attend the Feast without worry. Often this “push before the Feast” results in too little sleep and unhealthy eating habits. Then, when we finally get in the car, on the train, on the bus, or on an airplane, our bodies slow down and we get sick. In past years, this has resulted in some bringing the flu or a cold to the Feast site and spreading it to other Church members. If we do arrive at the Feast feeling ill, for the benefit of our brethren, it is important to avoid fellowshipping and attending services until all our symptoms are gone.
It is essential, as you prepare for your Feast of Tabernacles travel, to get adequate rest and maintain a healthy diet filled with a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Parents should make sure that their children also get adequate rest and eat a very healthy diet before the Feast. For our older brethren, these actions are imperative! In taking measures to stay healthy and improve your health before the Feast, not only will you be more likely to arrive at the Feast “healthy” and not be temporarily detained by the local health officials (if you are traveling abroad), but you will also be physically and mentally prepared to partake of the powerful spiritual food and fellowship that God is preparing for you.
Chemical Sensitivities at the Feast
We want to remind everyone to be aware, while at the Feast, of the sensitivities to perfumes and colognes that some of our brethren have. For some of our brethren with serious allergies, walking by someone with a lot of perfume or cologne is not just uncomfortable but can send them to the Emergency Room. Let’s use extra care to show love to others in this way at the Feast—please use moderation.
2014 Festival Survey
Every year we have a survey taken to get valuable feedback from brethren attending the Feast. We will once again have the Festival Survey at the Feast available online (as well as having paper forms handed out). The Web address for filling out the Feast survey will be fotsurvey.lcg.org. We ask everyone at the Feast to be sure to fill out the survey form during the Feast, as it provides us with helpful information on festival planning for future years.
Opening Night Service: October 8 (Repeat Announcement)
The Opening Night service will be Wednesday night, October 8. Brethren, please make every effort to arrive at the Feast site in plenty of time to attend this “kick-off” meeting Wednesday evening. The Wednesday evening service, which begins the first day of the Feast, is also a High Holy Day. There will also be a special DVD welcome from Dr. Meredith during this service. Check with your Feast Site Coordinator for the time of the Opening Night service at your site.
PayPal Payments Deadline: September 19 (Repeat Announcement)
Friday, September 19, is the cutoff date for Feast PayPal payments for most U.S. Festival sites. After September 19, brethren attending U.S. sites should wait until the Feast to pay for any additional activities. Please check with your local Festival Site Coordinator for details of payment methods accepted at the Feast. For international sites, please check with your Festival Site Coordinator for more information.
Sabbath Times/Contacts for the Day of Atonement (October 4) and Sabbath, October 18—Repeat Announcement
The listing of where services are scheduled on the Day of Atonement (October 4) and on the Sabbath right after the Feast (October 18) is now available online. You can find a chart with the places, contact information, and times for Living Church of God services on these two days by logging in to the MyLCG Web site (www.cogl.org).
Tithe of the Second Tithe—Repeat Announcement
For those who are able to contribute a tithe of their second tithe to help defray the expenses involved in conducting the annual Holy Days, including the Feast of Tabernacles, it would be greatly appreciated if this contribution could be sent at this time (if it has not already been sent). The tithe of the second tithe is used to help brethren with limited funds attend the Feast of Tabernacles, as well as to pay for hall rentals and other administrative costs associated with the annual Holy Days.—Jerry Ruddlesden
Living Youth Program
Online Teen Bible Study Friday Evening
The online Teen Bible Study on Friday evening, September 19, will be on, “God’s Government Now and in the Future,” presented by Mr. Sheldon Monson. If you haven’t had the opportunity to join us for one of the online Bible Studies yet, we encourage you to do so. It is a wonderful way to start the Sabbath day.
The Bible Study runs from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. (EDT) and the chat room will be open for a half hour before and after the study. You can access this Bible Study at livingyouth.org. We hope as many of our youth as possible will join us for this wonderful opportunity for godly fellowship and learning. For those of you who are unable to make it to the study, archives of previous Living Youth Bible Studies, including last evening’s on, “God’s Training Program for Kings and Priests!,” can also be found on the Living Youth Web site.
Finance
Hall Rentals (U.S.)
November Hall vouchers should be sent along with the October vouchers this month (if possible) to ensure payment by October 22.
Reimbursements (U.S.)
Please note that our last scheduled day to print checks will be Thursday, October 2. We will not be able to print any checks again until Wednesday, October 22. Any invoices we receive before October 1st will be paid before the break. Any invoices we receive after October 1 may not be able to be paid until October 22. If you have any questions regarding specific invoices or payments, please contact Haley Ridgeway in the Accounts Payable Department at 704-708-2236 or Lanna Moluf at 704-708-2234. You can also e-mail accounting@lcg.org.—Jerry Ruddlesden
Living University
Call for On-Site Study Applications (U.S. only at this time)
For those seeking a unique and exciting learning opportunity, LU is now taking applications for full-time students to study on site in Charlotte, North Carolina, beginning in the fall of 2015. We hope to have several new male and female students in August 2015! Applications can be initiated online through the university Web site. Additional details and requirements can also be found online, as can a rough estimate of costs associated with on-site study. We will have housing available for on-site students next fall. At this time, we can only accept on-site students from the U.S. Our hope is to expand this opportunity to international students in future years. With our on-site students we are also looking for individuals who might have skills they can contribute to the Work or University through part-time work-study. We have work-study opportunities available in several areas. Students interested should plan to have their applications completed and submitted by February 2014. Besides other application materials, those with no previous college should submit college entrance test scores (ACT or SAT) and should plan to take that examination this fall. You can find out more about these exams through a local high school guidance counselor or local community college or university testing service. If you have questions about on-site study or to find out more, please call or e-mail Dr. Scott Winnail at 704-708-2292 or swinnail@livinguniv.com.
Comments
Big Picture or Loose Bricks? Jesus commissioned His disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), to warn the nations of Israel and the world about sobering events to come (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21) and to prepare a people to rule with Him in the Kingdom (Luke 1:17; Revelation 5:10). To accomplish this mission today requires a team that is of one mind and able to work together smoothly (1 Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 4:11-16). This is the big picture we need to keep our minds focused upon. Some today, as in the past, are losing sight of this big picture and want to focus on peripheral issues that pique their personal interests, and then sit in judgment of the Church that is actively doing the Work of God and has been given the responsibility to make decisions in these areas (1 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 2:14-23). By contrast, Jesus Christ urged His disciples to stay focused on the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33) and to avoid the nit-picking attitude of the Pharisees who were not able to see the big picture (Matthew 23). In our modern cynical world, we need to stay focused on the mission that Jesus spelled out in the Scriptures and avoid looking for loose bricks and sitting in judgment of the Church that God is using to carry out His end-time Work.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—September 11, 2014
Future of Russia and China: Russia is moving further away from the “West” politically, militarily and monetarily. “Russia and China pledged on Tuesday to settle more bilateral trade in rouble and yuan and to enhance cooperation between banks… we’re going to encourage companies from the two countries to settle more in local currencies, to avoid using a currency from a third country [the U.S. dollar]” (Gulf News, September 9, 2014). One political scientist noted three years ago, “This economic and trade relationship is not limited only to economy, it is also a strategic relationship. So, it is going to have a huge impact on the world” (RT.com, June 17, 2011). In his Early Warning Report, Richard Maybury commented “The closest contenders [for military prowess] are Moscow and Beijing, and compared to Washington’s forces, both of theirs are second rate. But in recent years, they’ve returned to seeing Washington as their common enemy. Suddenly it’s not hard to imagine them joining to create a force that is first rate” (September 2014). Bible prophecy has long foretold that “kings from the east” will play a major role on the world stage at the end of the age as they move into the Middle East with a huge army (Revelation 9:13-16; 16:12-16). Russia and China are located to the north and east of Jerusalem, and as they work more closely together, their combined military capacity could easily fulfill the prophecy in Daniel 11:44. It is sobering to watch geopolitical observers draw the same conclusions the Bible has revealed for millennia. For more on this topic read, “What’s Ahead for Russia?”
More Floods! “Deadly flooding has affected more than one million people in Pakistan, officials said Wednesday.” Tens of thousands have been rescued and hundreds of thousands remain stranded (AFP, September 10, 2014). “The death toll from the heaviest rain to fall on Kashmir in 50 years rose to more than 400 on Tuesday, with thousands still trapped on rooftops… On the Indian side of the heavily militarized Line of Control that divides the Himalayan region, the city of Srinagar lay submerged along with more than 2,000 villages” (MSN, September 9, 2014). Pakistan’s Prime Minister noted that, “the devastation caused by the record rains and the consequent flooding is unprecedented” (CNN, September 10, 2014). Record-breaking rain also drenched parts of Arizona this week, where nearly three inches of rain fell in a matter of hours, flooding roads and cutting power. Many believe that weather disasters are happenstance. However, the destruction and suffering caused by such events, devastating floods, drenching rains and high seas are just one sign of the end of the age (Luke 21:25). For more information on the reason for weather disasters and a forecast of end-time weather events, be sure to read our booklet, Who Controls the Weather?
Video Game Scholarships: “A new athletic program at Robert Morris University in Chicago is offering scholarships for videogamers—to play on the school’s League of Legends team” (The Wall Street Journal, September 1, 2014). The University is giving creative scholarships in order to counter its declining enrollment. Describing the game, one team member stated “When I’m playing, I’m thinking about who to kill, and how to kill them and whether any of my teammates needs my help” (ibid.). This young man spends about four hours a day playing the video game (ibid.). It is conceivable that the University will require him and others to play for several hours a day in “practice” and pay him to do so as an athlete to represent the school. Times and society are changing, but is it for the better? Who would have believed ten years ago that universities would be giving athletic scholarships for students to play destructive video games? The book of Proverbs states, “There is a way that seems right” but that it leads to death (Proverbs 16:25). Bible prophecy refers to Ephraim as a “silly dove, without sense” (Hosea 7:11). Ephraim was one of the tribes of Israel and became the British people, but as the leading tribe it can also refer to the descendants of all twelve tribes of Israel—the modern Israelite nations of today. Scholarships to videogamers killing simulated enemies add credence to ancient prophecies about the increasingly foolish and godless activities that are prophesied signs of the approaching end of the age. For more on this topic, read the Tomorrow’s World article, “Decline of the West—Why?”—Scott Winnail and Michelle Broussard