The World Ahead Weekly Update — September 18, 2014
Greetings from Charlotte,
This week, many will be watching to see if voters in Scotland decide to declare independence and leave the UK—after 300 years in the Union! If the Scots depart, this could have serious effects on Britain’s role in the world and its role as a key ally of the United States. Meanwhile, uncertainties grow on Europe’s eastern and southern borders as Russia and ISIS pursue their aggressive agendas. In West Africa, the deadly Ebola virus continues to spread. Extreme weather events continue to be a problem—even in the USA (see below—heavy rain in Arizona). As we see ancient prophecies coming alive today, we can earnestly pray, “Thy Kingdom Come.” Here in Charlotte, Dr. Meredith and Mr. Ames taped two new Tomorrow’s World programs on Wednesday. This week the September co-worker letter was mailed out to more than 13,400 recipients. Last weekend, we had a total of 87 visitors who attended Tomorrow’s World Presentations—17 in Columbus, Mississippi and 70 in the New York City area. So far this year, we have conducted 48 TWPs that have drawn more than 2,200 visitors. Plans for the Fall Festival are in full swing. Please pray that God will bless the Fall Holy Days that will begin next week.—DSW
Church Administration
Tomorrow’s World Presents in Columbus, Mississippi
On Friday, before the Tomorrow’s World Presentation on the Sabbath in Columbus, I received a phone call from the hall to let me know that the air conditioning unit had failed. The brethren were made aware of the situation and prayers went out to God for His intervention. The next day 17 visitors came, and 11 enthusiastic brethren who mingled with them and answered questions before and after. Mr. Dan Hall gave a very inspiring presentation on “After Armageddon—Five Keys to End-Time Prophecy,” and I followed up with “The Mystery of God’s Holy Days.” Several of the guests commented during the presentations in response to statements made from the Scriptures. This was in no way disruptive and we appreciated knowing we had their full attention. The high point of the afternoon was the fact that, although it got very warm in the hall and people were fanning themselves, not a single person left. After the presentations, we enjoyed snacks and answered questions. Some asked when we would have another presentation and some asked where we meet for Sabbath services. All in all, things went well and it was indeed exciting. We appreciate all the help and prayers for the event and pray that God will favor the outcome.—Anthony Stroud
Tomorrow’s World Presents in New York City
On Sunday, September 14, Dr. Douglas Winnail gave the first part of a Tomorrow’s World Presentation in Jamaica, Queens (New York City), to 70 visitors and 53 members. Dr. Winnail’s presentation focused on critical events leading up to Armageddon and the return of Jesus Christ. Then Mr. Jonathan McNair presented the second part, explaining God’s Holy Days and His Master Plan and how it offers hope for all of mankind. The response to the messages was very encouraging, with several expressing a desire to attend the Sabbath service we have scheduled in the same location the following Sabbath.—Wayne Tlumak
Obituary—Isaac Hall
After fighting long and hard for many months, our son Isaac Stephen Hall died on September 15. Isaac touched the lives of so many people in his short six months of life. We are truly thankful that we had a chance to know and love him and so thankful that we know he will be completely healed in the resurrection. We would like to thank everyone for the cards and prayers during this past year and we would ask that you please not send floral arrangements since we are not having a traditional memorial service. Thank you again for your continued prayers on behalf of the Hall family during this difficult time.
Phoenix and the 1,000 Year Rainfall
On September 8, Hurricane Norbert gave Phoenix and the surrounding area a taste of what real rain means! Some places experienced “once in 1,000 years” rainfall. In one day we received half of the normal annual rainfall for this area. Many millions of dollars of damage was done as roads, freeways, homes and businesses were flooded or even washed away. A State of Emergency was declared in Phoenix. Some of our brethren saw their property flooded. Just a few hundred miles away, parts of California are experiencing severe drought, bringing to mind Amos 4:7—“I also withheld rain from you… I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, and where it did not rain the part withered.”—F. Young
Hurricane Odile
Last Sunday night, September 14, the powerful Category 3 Hurricane Odile battered the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula in Mexico. It is the strongest hurricane to hit this region in more than 40 years and it devastated the resort area of Los Cabos. Thankfully, there were no deaths. Mr. Antonio Mora reports that our brethren in the nearby city of La Paz were all protected during the storm, though some suffered damage to their homes and were without electric or phone service. However they are all safe. Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for their protection, as another storm is developing in the same path as Hurricane Odile and could affect this region in the coming days.
Young Adults Winter Retreat Update: December 28-January 1—Repeat Announcement
Living Church of God young adults 20-35 years of age, singles or married couples, 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 from Charlotte to this event 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
Opening Night Service: October 8
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 opening service on Wednesday evening. This service begins the first day of the Feast, which is a 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.
Beach Parties—Appropriate Swimwear at the Feast: Appropriate beach attire for women and men is swimwear that is modest and in good taste. We are to be guided by the two great commandments—to love God and love neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39; Mark 12:29-31)—so as not to offend God or neighbor in our dress at the Feast. Fathers and husbands have a responsibility to be leaders in their families to teach and guide regarding what is appropriate and what is not (Ezekiel 22:26).
Children’s Conduct and Safety in Meeting Hall and Adjoining Rooms: Parents, while at the Feast, please remember that children are not permitted to run or engage in horseplay at services. Children darting in and out among fellowshipping brethren can be a trip hazard. For the elderly, this can be life-threatening. Parents
need to be aware of and responsible for their children at all times. Also, for their own safety, young children are not allowed to wander around unaccompanied on Church property (including leased/rented property at the Feast—these places are open to the public). Young children should not go to restrooms or wander the halls of hotels unaccompanied by an adult.
Children—Sitting With Their Parents: God wants families to rejoice together at His Feasts! Experience has shown that children and teenagers pay more attention and therefore learn more from the messages when sitting with a parent than when sitting with a group of children off by themselves. Therefore, it is advised that children and teens sit with their parents during services. An exception may be allowed where an individual child or teen sits with a friend who is sitting with his or her parents. The Feast is a time for families to grow together. Let us use the precious time we have during services to further that goal.
Hymnals: Brethren who don’t have a personal hymnal are encouraged to bring a hymnal (one or two songbooks per household) from their local congregation’s supply after the Day of Atonement for use at the Feast. Please make sure that all blue hymnals are clearly marked with the congregation name. Also, please be sure to return these hymnals after the Feast, so that the congregation’s hymnal supply is not diminished.
Special Music—Applause Allowed: In the past, we have discouraged applause for special music, except for children’s performances. As per Dr. Meredith’s direction, applause is allowed as an appropriate way to show appreciation for special music in Sabbath and Holy Day services.
2014 Festival Survey—Repeat Announcement
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.
PayPal Payments Deadline: September 19—Repeat Announcement
Friday, September 19, is the cutoff date for Feast PayPal payments for most U.S. Festival sites. Brethren attending U.S. sites should now 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).
Gatineau-Ottawa Feast Site—Repeat Announcement
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
Living Youth Program
Online Teen Bible Studies To Resume after the Feast
There will be no online Teen Bible Study on Friday evening, September 26. Online Teen Bible Studies will resume after the Feast, on October 24. In the meantime, archives of previous Living Youth Bible Studies, including last evening’s on, “God’s Government Now and in the Future,” presented by Mr. Sheldon Monson, can be found at livingyouth.org.
Finance
Hall Rentals (U.S.)—Repeat Announcement
November hall vouchers should be sent along with the October vouchers this month (if possible) to ensure payment by October 22.
Reimbursements (U.S.)—Repeat Announcement
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
Fall Holy Days: Over the next several weeks we will observe the Fall Holy Days that picture the culminating events in God’s Great Plan of Salvation for all human beings. These days reveal how God is going to put an end to the evils and deception and suffering in this world by sending Jesus Christ to banish Satan and set up the Kingdom of God on this earth, where the saints will reign with Christ for one thousand years. After this, all who have ever lived and died without knowing God’s Plan will have the opportunity to learn God’s way of life (see Revelation 20). Although Satan has blinded the world to the meaning of these Holy Days, we need to remember that Jesus told His disciples, “blessed are your eyes for they see… because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” (Matthew 13:11-17). As we observe the Fall Holy Days, let’s rejoice and be deeply grateful to God for the incredible privilege we have been given to understand and prepare to participate in the fulfillment of these “great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:2-4).
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—September 18, 2014
Israel Appeals to the Pope: As EU nations met in Wales to discuss the ISIS crisis in Iraq, former Israeli president Shimon Peres met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Mr. Peres’ aim was to encourage the Pope to create “a ‘United Nations of Religions’ to counter the rise of religious extremism” (The Times, September 5, 2014). “Mr. Peres said a ‘United Religions Charter’ should be drawn up that made it clear in the name of all faiths ‘that cutting people’s throats, or committing mass killings, as we have seen in these weeks, has nothing to do with religion’” (ibid.). The Pope made no commitment to Mr. Peres, but later discussed the issue with King Abdullah of Jordan (ibid.). Although the Jewish former Israeli president asking the Catholic Pope for religious intervention in the world may sound surprising, it actually fits with Bible prophecies! Prophecy reveals that as the end of the age approaches, the Jews will reestablish religious sacrifices on the Temple Mount (Daniel 12:11)—an act that could lead to war if it happened today. Between now and the time Jewish sacrifices resume, some sort of action must occur to bring a temporary “peace” to the Holy Land. This interim peace will bring Arab nations together with Germany (see Psalm 83:5-8; Daniel 9:27). Apparently, for a short period of time, Jews, Christians and Muslims may all be allowed to worship on the Temple Mount before the end-time Beast power stops the sacrifices and sets up the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15; Daniel 12:11). A “United Nations of Religion” or something like it could be the tool that facilitates this prophesied event. For more on this fascinating topic, be sure to watch our telecast, “The Middle East in Prophecy.”
America in Fear: The Canadian weekly Maclean’s recently ran a sobering article on the USA by Scott Gilmore (Maclean’s, September 10, 2014). Gilmore wrote, “If America is still the ‘shining city upon a hill,’ that is only because of the klieg lights glinting off the razor wire… After endless bloody wars, trillions spent on security, the battering of the Constitution, and the creation of a militarized surveillance state, American citizens, at the very least, look like the losers in the war on terror” (ibid.). “The perception of America as a stabilizing force for good has been severely damaged, and its reputation has plummeted… The United States has become less free, less open, more militarized… The nation responsible for leading mankind to the moon now chooses to spend its money on over 3,000 domestic intelligence organizations and not on new dreams… America is bloodied, cowed and exhausted. But it is not defeated. It is not too late to recognize that the real enemy was not hiding in Abbattabad. The real enemy was fear” (ibid.). The article exudes disappointment with a brother in whom high hopes are placed. It almost begs the U.S. to see what it is missing and return to its former glory. But prophecy reveals that America and its Israelite-descended brothers (including Canada) will diminish prior to Christ’s return (Deuteronomy 28:43). These nations will become the “tail” and not the “head,” due to disobedience to God (v. 44). The handwriting has been on the wall for some time, but it is sobering to watch this happen. For more on this topic, view, “America’s Prophesied Future.”
Chiding Europe’s Elite: As EU leaders met in Brussels earlier this month, former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg wrote an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, thrashing the Europeans for their grandiose ideas and their chronic inattention and inaction. He noted, “One hundred years ago, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, setting in motion a swirl of events that brought decades of devastation to the entire continent. The historian Christopher Clark called the leaders of the time ‘sleepwalkers’ for their lack of ability to assess the larger, systemic consequences of their individual actions” (ibid.). Zu Guttenberg also laid out a four-point plan of action that Europe should take immediately, and warned, “Today we see the menacing signs multiplying, but we have not been willing to accept the fact that armed conflicts have come to Europe’s doorsteps again. Today’s sleepwalkers do not recognize the consequences of their inaction. It is time to wake up” (ibid.). Bible prophecy indicates that a “strong leader” will arise on the scene in Europe. Ten other leaders (possibly nations) will give their power over to him (Revelation 17:12-14). Zu Guttenberg recognizes the need for such an individual; it remains to be seen who will fill that role. For more on the future of Europe, read “Bible Prophecy and the European Dream.”—Scott Winnail, John Bannister, and James Ginn