11/06/08
Greetings from Charlotte,
This week America chose a new leader, and many people around the world seem excited about the future. However, at the same time, the shock waves of the financial crisis are still reverberating around the globe. Furthermore, the Middle East continues to threaten to burst into flames at any moment. The coming days will be interesting to watch. Here, in Charlotte, Mr. Meredith finished his “Dear Brethren” article for the January-February 2009 Living Church News and is now working on a co-worker letter. We are also gearing up for the Council of Elders meetings that will begin on Monday. This week we have several visitors at the office. Mr. Rod King, the Regional Director from the UK, arrived yesterday; he will be recording Living University lectures and a sermon. Mr. and Mrs. Ken Frank are also here, as part of the ministerial Headquarters visiting program. Mr. Frank is also recording a sermon and LU lectures. Miss Nicole Wrona from Australia’s Regional Office is visiting for two weeks to learn Headquarters office procedures.
Mr. Bruce Tyler, Australasia Regional Director, will arrive on Sunday along with Mr. Gerald Weston from Canada and Mr. Mario Hernandez, who directs the Spanish-language congregations. Council meetings will be held on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday along with a meeting for Regional Pastors on Tuesday evening. Your prayers for God’s guidance on the meetings and everyone’s safe travel are greatly appreciated. I would also like to thank everyone for the fine offerings at the Feast. In addition, it is very encouraging to report that the year-to-date income for the Work is running well over 10% above last year—for which we can be very thankful.
Church Administration
Behind the Work 2008 Film (Repeat Announcement)
We have received many requests for copies of this year’s Behind the Work film: “The Big Picture.” So our brethren can enjoy this film again, we will send DVD copies of it to all our congregations for placement in the local congregation libraries.—Richard Ames
Florida Update
Mr. Dexter Wakefield, Florida Area Pastor, reports: The Tampa congregation is starting its youth lesson reviews this Sabbath, beginning with the Fall Feasts lesson. This program has been very successful in the Ft. Lauderdale congregation for a number of years, and I am sure that parents and children in Tampa will find it very helpful as well. It’s designed to help the parents teach their children God’s truth—and then what they have learned is reviewed every month at Church. It is a very worthwhile program.
Mr. Thomas Tial Hoe, Myanmar Elder, writes from Thailand: Though it is only eight months since the death of our beloved deacon and strong leader Mr. Mehm Pho Saw, we tried to keep the Feast happily with tears. And as it was not our Feast but God’s, we could keep it happily and joyfully with the help of God’s Holy Spirit and under the protection of His holy angels. Even the widow of Mr. Mehm Pho Saw (Mrs. Phyu Phyu Aye) enjoyed God’s Feast very much and was able to manage everything properly and successfully, for which we thank God greatly.
Our members were very excited and happy to listen to sermons from Headquarters. The sermons were so great that that’s all we heard. I was the only interpreter. On October 20, the children played games led by Mrs. PPA. They were awarded some inexpensive things…. We all enjoyed watching them. Mrs. PPA is a very virtuous woman.
On the other hand, though we enjoyed the Feast very much, it seemed as if we were living in the city of Babel because we could not communicate easily. Though we were few in numbers, we spoke in five different languages (English, Myanmar, Thai, Karen and Chin). We are looking forward to the day when we will be speaking only in one pure language in the Kingdom of God, when our Savior, King of kings and Lord of lords will rule the whole world with His saints.
My wife and I came from a small remote rural village in Myanmar, we enjoyed the Feast greatly… we hope we will meet with them again some day, in Mae Sot or in the Kingdom of God.
While the world economy is reeling with bad news from almost every sector, we in the Living Church of God have good financial news to report. The Holy Day offering for the First Day of the Feast of Tabernacles was 1.5% above the amount we had projected and 8.2% over the First Day of the Feast in 2007. The Holy Day offering for the Last Great Day was 8.9% above the amount projected and 15.9% over the Last Great Day offering in 2007. The average Holy Day offering per person in the USA was $78.70 for the First Day of the Feast and $96.04 for the Last Great Day.
For the year, the combined total of all the Holy Days amounts to an increase of 6.2% over our budgeted or projected amount and 13.2% over our combined total in 2007. This is very important since the Holy Day offerings provide about 22% of the income to do the Work of preaching the Gospel and feeding the flock.
Our 2008 income from all sources, including regular tithes and offerings and Holy Day offerings, through November 6, totals 1.5% over our budgeted income and 8.7% over this same time last year.
These results are remarkable and clearly show that God’s people have their hearts in the Work.
Reports are now coming in from the business offices of the various Festival sites in the USA and it appears that each one of the sites operated on or under budget. Our hearty thanks to the Festival Site Coordinators and to all the diligent workers who made the Feast run smoothly and within the amount budgeted for each site. I’m certain God is pleased when we are good stewards of the resources He provides.—Davy Crockett
The Key to Christian Fellowship: Fellowship involves communication, companionship, participation and the mutual sharing of common interests and activities. The Bible reveals that the foundation of our fellowship in God’s Church involves our common belief in the Gospel preached by Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:5; Mark 1:14-15), repenting, receiving and using God’s Spirit (Philippians 2:1) and sharing the trials and sufferings experienced by Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:10). Our fellowship also includes participation in the activities of the Church as fellow workers (Colossians 4:11), fellow servants (Colossians 1:7; 4:7) and fellow soldiers (Philippians 2:25). However, the real key to fellowship in the Church of God means having “no fellowship” with the unfruitful ways of this world (Ephesians 5:11), and developing a closer relationship with God, with Jesus Christ and with each other (1 John 1:3, 6, 7). God’s weekly Sabbath is designed to make this possible.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—November 6, 2008
Earth-Shaking Rumors from Iran. “This past Saturday night, southern Iran experienced what was reported as a significant earthquake—a seismic event measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale. Its epicenter was just north of the strategic Straits of Hormuz…” According to a leading Iranian nuclear scientist, the earthquake was the result of an Iranian underground nuclear bomb test. According to Israel, this was the second quake in recent weeks. The first was a 4.8 magnitude quake only five kilometers from the epicenter of Saturday’s quake. Israeli intelligence also reports that Iran has two nuclear rockets ready and intended for Israel. “The geographical location of the test has several advantages. It is exposed to significant seismic activity, which could serve to mask nuclear tests… delivery and transport of material and personnel can be effected easily through the Hormuz Strait; and Iranian enemies would hesitate to bomb the area because that would threaten the flow of a substantial percentage of the world’s oil…. Iran has begun building a line of naval bases along its southern coast and up to the Straits of Hormuz” (IsraelNationalNews.com, October 30, 2008). As “wars and rumors of wars” and “earthquakes in various places” continue to escalate, so does the destructive power of opposing nations. This development highlights the importance of Christ’s prediction that if time is not cut short, no flesh would be saved alive (Matthew 24:6-7, 22).
Europeans Giddy Over Obama Election. Europeans “partied in the streets” of Brussels all night on Tuesday in anticipation of a Barak Obama election victory. Some likened Mr. Obama to an “American Sarkozy.” Using a phrase from Franklin D. Roosevelt, European Commission President Barroso optimistically observed, “We need a new deal for a new world. I sincerely hope that with the leadership of President Obama, the United States of America will join forces with Europe to drive this new deal.” Europeans are optimistic and desirous for the U.S. to move back into a light in which it can once again be admired and respected. The comments from one election party celebrant in Brussels highlight both the optimism and uncertainty felt by some Europeans, “All of Europe is behind Obama. He’s going to bring back some of the good things we think of about America,” he said. “People here see him as a kind of European, but he’s an American really, and a politician. Democrats have started wars as well” (EU Observer, November 5, 2008). In the last ten years, it has been the nations that sacrificed their uniqueness and sovereignty which have become members of the “inner circle” in Europe. God warns that the Israelite-descended nations will one day be taken into captivity by a European Beast Power (Leviticus 26:31-33, Lamentations 5:1-5). It remains to be seen what will happen in the days ahead that will turn the world against America and its Israelite allies. God will work His will and we must continue to watch.
More Bible-Supporting Archaeology. “Archaeologists have discovered what they say is the oldest Hebrew text ever found, at a site they believe was King David’s front line fortress in the war against the people of Pleshet, also known as the Philistines. The site overlooks the Elah Valley, where the young David slew Goliath, the Philistine giant, with a well-aimed shot from a sling.” The writings were found as five lines of text on a pot shard. “Carbon-14 dating as well as chemical analysis of the pottery found at the site shows conclusively that it dates from between 1,000 and 975 B.C. – the time of King David’s reign.” Archaeologists digging at the site preliminarily think the words on the shards refer to a “king’s brother” and “servant of God”. More analysis is necessary to substantiate these claims (IsraelNationalNews.com, October 31, 2008). As time goes on, it is interesting to watch the detailed archaeological history that God is allowing to be “literally” uncovered. At the time of the end, there may be an abundance of solid and irrefutable evidence to support the Bible record that critics must ignore in order to dismiss the Bible and its prophecies as “myth.” Jesus said, “there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light” (Mark 4:22). This verse may have both spiritual and physical significance.—Joseph Brown and Scott Winnail
COGwriter, 2008
Back to home page