LCG World Ahead Weekly Update

Greetings dear fellow ministers and brethren! With Passover coming soon, all of us should help our brethren focus deeply on Christ’s sacrifice and the wonderful meaning this involves. Also, on doing our part to prepare the way for Jesus Christ’s return to this earth as King of kings. That is our primary responsibility right now—for which we will be richly rewarded throughout all eternity.

Probably some of you have already learned about the wonderful opportunity we have been given to go on the ION Network covering some 60 major cities across the United States. This will greatly increase the impact of the Work in giving the true message of Jesus Christ to the world. We now estimate that by adding this network and going off only a handful of less productive stations, we will soon be reaching almost an additional one-half million people with Christ’s true Gospel message! And this will also add tens of thousands to our Tomorrow’s World subscription list. Of course, all of this costs money. So we will certainly appreciate and need a generous increase in the offerings of God’s people in the weeks and months ahead—especially before the response “clicks in” from these new stations by adding additional co-workers, members, etc.

Therefore, we should all prepare now to give generously in this upcoming Holy Day season. As you know, God directly states that He—our Creator and Sustainer—“loves” a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). So I pray that all our people will be inspired to be very generous to God as He has certainly been so generous with all of us in giving us our lives, our breath, the food we eat and the clothes we wear, and now the understanding of His tremendous calling to be His full sons in the resurrection!

May God bless, guide and inspire each of us to serve one another, to serve all our brethren and to “walk humbly with our God” ever more closely as the end of this age approaches. Please pray for me and for my wife in her special hour of need and for all of us here—especially for those who are seriously ill. And may God grant each of you a meaningful and fulfilling Passover season.

P.S. I would also like to announce that we have added three new members to the Council of Elders: Mr. Dexter Wakefield who serves as our Office Manager and Assistant Treasurer here in Charlotte; Mr. Stuart Wachowicz, an educator from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; and Mr. Wallace Smith, one of our Tomorrow’s World presenters. Mr. Bob League, Mr. Rodger Bardo and Mr. Martin Fannin will rotate off the Council after serving for several years.

Last weekend produced very encouraging responses to five Tomorrow’s World Special Presentations. More than 300 visitors attended presentations held in Dallas, Atlanta, Omaha, Des Moines and Trinidad (see reports below). Here in Charlotte, Mr. Meredith held a pre-Passover staff meeting on Wednesday and encouraged all the office employees to function smoothly together as a team as we strive to do God’s Work and to prepare for the challenges ahead. Mr. Meredith also announced that we will go on the ION television network in a few weeks, which will greatly expand our coverage of major cities in the United States. Mr. Wayne Pyle reports that last week’s Tomorrow’s World television program by Mr. Ames, entitled “Seven Keys to Answered Prayer,” has already topped more than 5,200 responses, one of our best responses for the b ooklet Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer. Today, Mr. Ames taped another new program, entitled “Can You Trust Bible Prophecy?” This coming weekend, Mr. Rand Millich will do follow-up TWSPs in Omaha, Nebraska and Des Moines, Iowa, and Mr. Jack Lowe will do a follow-up TWSP in Atlanta, Georgia. Please keep these exciting activities and the needs of God’s people in your prayers.—DSW

Important Notice to All Pastors: This year the Passover Service will be observed on Thursday evening, April 5. Let us know as soon as possible if any of the congregations you serve will need additional Passover Service supplies (bread trays and/or wine trays or glasses) or a copy of the Passover Servicerecording. To ensure timely delivery and to save on shipping costs, please let us know this information right away.

Additionally, let us know of any scattered members who are unable to keep the Passover with a congregation and who need to receive the Passover Service recording and letter instructions to observe it at home. Please direct your requests to Dorothy McNair at the Church Administration Department by e-mail at dmcnair@lcg.org or by phone at 704-844-1960, ext. 2248, as soon as possible.

Atlanta, Georgia: The Atlanta, Georgia, congregation hosted aTomorrow’s World Special Presentation last Sabbath, March 24. There were 66 brethren poised and ready for the 87 guests who came to hear Dr. Douglas Winnail present “The Gathering Storm.” Most of the guests stayed afterwards to meet Dr. Winnail, fellowship with the brethren and enjoy the refreshments that were prepared for the occasion. We spoke with six people who had been studying Living Church of God literature for several years and want to attend Church services. All were invited to the follow-up presentation I plan to give on March 31, entitled “Where Is the Church Christ Built?”—Jack Lowe

Dallas, Texas: We had an exceptional TWSP follow-up in Dallas on the Sabbath of March 24. Mr. Dan Hall delivered a very meaningful message on “Where Is the Church Christ Built?” Total attendance was 125 with 29 visitors, 21 of whom had attended Mr. Ames’ initial presentation and eight who were there for the very first time. Most of the booklets and literature we had on display were taken. Most of the visitors stayed afterwards for more than an hour asking questions and many said they would be returning next week. One lady asked where she should send in her tithes and asked to counsel for baptism! The Dallas congregation did an outstanding job of making everyone feel welcome and also provided ample snacks and refreshments.—Gary Stein

Omaha, Nebraska and Des Moines, Iowa: On the Sabbath of March 24, Mr. Wallace Smith provided an inspiring message to a packed auditorium at Bellevue University, just outside of Omaha, Nebraska. That message, “The Gathering Storm,” was well received by 74 invited guests and 73 members, for a total attendance of 147. Brethren provided refreshments and conversation afterward. Comments from the guests were very positive.

On Sunday, March 25, Mr. Wallace Smith traveled on to Des Moines to deliver the same message to 55 invited guests and 26 brethren, for a total of 81 in attendance. The guests were very receptive to this presentation as well. The atmosphere was stimulating and many stayed well over an hour to ask questions of Mr. Smith and to talk to the brethren.

Trinidad: On Sunday, March 25, there was a TWSP follow-up held at the Montrose Mall in Chaguanas, Trinidad. There were 60 guests and 71 members present to listen to a message by Mr. Fitzroy Greeman, that asked and answered the question, “Where Is the Church Christ Built?”The presentation started at about 3:10 p.m. and concluded by about 5:00 p.m. and then there was a question and answer session that continued until about 6:00 p.m. There were lots of questions which were all answered to the questioners’ satisfaction. Some members of the audience kept nodding their approval and one person was softly vocal in her endorsement of the message.

After the question and answer session, everyone enjoyed some snacks that were provided, while making their requests for various booklets. I responded to a request by one gentleman who asked to be anointed. He had attended WCG during the time of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong and, even though he is currently attending a Sunday church, said that he had always felt guilty since he knew that the Sabbath was the day of worship. He promised to make a valiant effort to attend with us. He had been reading literature from another group and wanted to know if there was any difference between our teachings. After I pointed out some of the differences, he was surprised that he did not see them before. There was also a lady who promised to be at services next Sabbath. I was later engaged by four gentlemen in a lengthy discussion on various topics of interest, including some Bible prophecy. They requested a visit to their home, which I promised to do. It was after dark before we were able to dismantle all our paraphernalia, clean the hall and return home.—Fitzroy Greeman

The Charlotte singles would like to welcome you to our third annual Carolina Singles Weekend! This year it falls over the weekend of Pentecost, adding to the great spiritual atmosphere. The dates for the weekend are May 25 to May 28. We will be having lots of wonderful messages, great fellowship and delicious food. For more information, please visit our local website www.charlottelcg.org (not an official Church website).

Registration is now open. We have set up the option for you to register online this year and you may also pay online. If you would rather mail your payment, you may do so. The cost for the weekend will be the same as it was last year, $20. Your registration will not be complete until we receive your payment.

We are working with a few motels around the area for discounted rates. That information will be provided shortly. Housing with brethren is available as well. Please let us know if you would like help arranging transportation when you come to Charlotte. More detailed information and a schedule can be found on the website. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Darren Brinson at Darren.Brinson@hotmail.com.

We hope to see y’all there!

The applications for the Missouri Pre-Teen Camp are off to a strong start and we are getting close to half-capacity, already! If you are interested in attending or serving at the camp, please go to www.lyc.lcg.org. The Missouri Camp is June 10-15. More information can be found at www.livingyouth.org, with more details to come in the future.—Wallace Smith

Campers ages 7 - 12 will participate in full days of challenging activities while making friendships that will last a lifetime. Mini campers age 6 and under will take part in many of the activities their older siblings do, but with more unstructured time for games, crafts, and play. Older siblings, campers ages 13 and 14, will be a part of our camper/staff training program and have an opportunity to learn and practice skills needed to be an effective camp staff member while also partaking in many of the activities provided for the campers. Parents are always needed to fill our staff positions, and more importantly, to create the family atmosphere that has always been a big part of LYC Texas Pre-Teen Camp. We encourage all who are interested in attending to register by filling out the applications online at www.lyc.lcg.org. If you are unable to apply online, you may receive a paper copy of the application by calling Jenny Penman at 704-844-1960, ext. 2283. If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact our Camp Director, Mr. Phil Sena, by phone at 512-535-6771, or by e-mail at psena@lcg.org.

We are very happy to announce the successful completion of a very exciting project! All Living Church of God booklets are now being released as e-books! Download to your Kindle, iPad, Nook, or other e-reader by visiting the booklet pages at www.TomorrowsWorld.org. Initially, we are making this announcement just to the LCG membership, and we are encouraging our membership to download, test and review these new digital offerings. We think you will be pleased! But we also welcome your feedback or suggestions for improvement before we distribute these to the various marketplaces.—Wyatt Ciesielka

A Time to Reflect and Change: The Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread are an annual reminder of the important initial steps in God’s Great Plan of Salvation. The Passover reminds us that Jesus Christ died for our sins. When we come to realize that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, we must also take time to examine ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:28-32) and make every effort to eliminate sins that God allows us to see. Our focus during the Days of Unleavened Bread should be on examining ourselves in the light of God’s word. To carry out this process, we need to remember the biblical definition of sin—that “sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4, KJV). The Scriptures can help us identify sinful attitudes and actions—if we prayerfully read the Ten Commandments (Exodu s 20) and meditate on the spiritual intent of God’s instructions (Matthew 5-7; Romans 12 and Galatians 5). If we do not use God’s word as a guide, we can deceive ourselves by thinking that we are OK, because our thoughts and actions may not be as bad as others around us. God has called us out of this world (2 Corinthians 6:17) so we can be lights to the world (Matthew 5:14-16). The Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread are designed to help us in this vital process of reflection and change so we can become more like Jesus Christ.

Giant Seismic Zone off West Coast of North America: In the last 15 years, scientists have uncovered evidence of a “sleeping” giant subduction zone (The Cascadia) 60 miles off the West Coast. The 800-mile-long fault runs from northern California to Vancouver and closely resembles giant faults off the coasts of Chile (9.5 quake in 1960), Alaska (9.2 quake in 1964) and Tohoku, Japan (9.0 in 2011, causing the devastating tsunami) and Sumatra (9.3 quake in 2004). The Cascadia was believed to be “dead” because it has generated no quakes or tsunamis in “recorded history.” However, 20 years of research has uncovered evidence of a major quake in January 1700 that caused a devastating 16-foot-high tsunami which hit Japan. Until recently, no one understood the cause for t hat tsunami. Scientists currently believe there is a 37% chance of a major quake (9.0 or higher) on the Cascadia subduction zone in the next 50 years (DiscoverMagazine.com, March 13, 2012). Jesus warned that one sign of the end of the age will be “earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:7). The book of Revelation foretells major seismic events during the “Day of the Lord.” The second trumpet plague describes what appears to be a volcanic eruption and possibly an earthquake and tsunami causing massive destruction that will destroy a third of all sea life and ships on the sea (Revelation 8:8-9). For more information on signs of the end of the age, review our free booklet, Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ’s Return.

Male Circumcision—God Was Right! The benefits of male circumcision (MC) have been contested by many including medical professionals in recent decades. But evidence supporting the practice has grown steadily. Last month, the most definitive study yet was published in a professional medical journal. Researchers from the University of Sydney performed an in-depth quantitative analysis of nearly 200 articles and studies on MC. They found “overwhelming evidence” in support of the practice. “Circumcision reduces the risk of infections, cancer and other painful conditions and should be routinely carried out on newborn boys” (New Zealand Herald, March 8, 2012). “Adverse effects are uncommon (< ;1%), and virtually all are minor and easily treated” (there is no evidence of negative mental or psychological effects on infants and children). In the view of these reviewers, “The ethics of infant MC and childhood vaccination are comparable. Our analysis finds MC is beneficial, safe and cost-effective, and should optimally be performed in infancy. In the interests of public health and individual wellbeing, adequate parental education, and steps to facilitate access and affordability should be encouraged in developed countries” (Open Journal of Preventive Medicine, February 2012). Nearly 4000 years ago, God began the practice of MC with Abraham (Genesis 17:10), and He instructed the people of Israel to continue the practice (Leviticus 12:3). While MC is no longer a spiritual requirement (see Acts 15), many health benefits clearly remain.

Can Global Control Fix the Water Crisis? The sixth annual World Water Forum meeting in Marseille, France, heard a proposal for establishing a global water fund under the control of the U.N. During the meeting, a Philippine activist explained that privatization of water has worsened conditions in her country: “Since 1997, prices went up by 450 to 800 percent, and a year ago some 600 people died as a result of bacteria in the water because the private company didn’t do proper water checks.” A representative of a major water company disagreed, “As far as I know, the water supply in Manila has improved very much. Millions now have access to water that they didn’t have before…” (Deutsche Welle, March 18, 2012). Recent research predicts that by 2050, 1.4 billion people will live with insufficient water and sanitation. Also, 3.9 billion people, more than 40% of the world’s population, are likely to live in river basins facing severe water stress (OCED.org March 7, 2012). Bible prophecies have long warned of a coming water crisis (Jeremiah 14:3-4) and that, if nations despise God, He will make “…your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze” (Leviticus 26:19). Trusting that our own efforts will deliver us from present and coming calamities will not work (Psalm 146:3). However, at Christ’s return, He will restore the rivers and bring waters to dry lands (Isaiah 41:17-18; Ezekiel 47:1-10).—Scott Winnail, Phyllis Api, Kinnear Penman and Justin Ridgeway

COGwriter 2012

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