Greetings from Charlotte!
There is still some summer left, but autumn is slowly approaching and along with that comes the fall Holy Day season. Opening night at the Feast of Tabernacles is only two months away! The speaking schedules have been mailed out, and it is time to start finalizing reservations for the Feast. We are encouraged to see that we will again have strong speaking rosters at the Feast sites this year.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
Church Administration now has a dedicated fax line. The number is 704-844-1975. Please start sending all faxes pertaining to Church Administration matters to this number.
More about the DVD Sermons
We would like to clear up some confusion that has been reported to us regarding the different television formats. In the July 10th Update we stated that we could only supply DVDs in the NTSC format and that the recipients of the video tapes in the PAL format would need a Multi-System DVD player to play the sermon DVDs. To clarify: NTSC is the television format for the U.S., Canada, and most of South America. The PAL television formats are used in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, most of Asia and Africa. So this is only a concern to those countries that use the PAL television format. We hope to be able to begin full-scale production of the DVD sermons soon after the Feast of Tabernacles—please get on the waiting list ASAP.
Here is a link to a website that lists the DVD players that will play the DVD-R media format that we use in our DVD duplication. http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdplayers.php
Feast of Tabernacles
Myrtle Beach, SC
Many members planning to attend Myrtle Beach, SC, are wondering if they can visit the new Church Headquarters building in Charlotte, NC, and receive a tour of the property before or after the Feast of Tabernacles. The office will be closed during the Feast, so that the staff can travel to the various sites they will be attending. The last day the office will remain open before the Feast is Friday, October 3. The staff will return to work Wednesday, October 22. If anyone wishes to have a tour before or after these dates, please contact the Headquarters receptionist for an appointment by calling (704) 844-1970.
Llandudno, North Wales
This message is for parents who have children who would like to participate in the Children's Feast Choir in Llandudno, North Wales. Please contact Mrs. Linda Bode at [email protected] or call her in the evening at 816-468-7986. She needs to get your postal address and mail you practice tapes as soon as possible.
Important Notice to all Pastors
Please send in all Festival Assistance forms as soon as you can. They must be properly filled out, signed by the Area Pastor, and in our hands by the deadline which is August 22. It would be very helpful to receive as many forms as possible before that date. Thanks for your cooperation.
Mr. Gerald Weston writes:
Living Youth Camp
Comments are coming in from many different quarters that this year's Michigan Living Youth Camp for teens was a huge success. From an administrative point of view it was definitely one of our best camps, if not the very best. At first it looked as though we would be short on campers, but by the time camp arrived we had 105 campers, 23 high school staff, and 34 young adults. We also had a number of older adults and smaller children, which brought the total in camp to 188.
One thing that stands out in my mind is that a lot of parents in the church are doing a wonderful job in raising their children. We simply could not have the kind of camp we have if it were not for the daily efforts of loving parents who have diligently worked with their children. When complimenting one parent on the job he has done, he responded that he believes example is the key. Young people respond positively when they see Mom and Dad consistently living what they preach. There is more to it than this, but example certainly has to be at the very top of the list on how to raise godly children.
Living 4 Tomorrow
Our first ever Living 4 Tomorrow was held in Trout Lake, Michigan July 15-20. Sixteen men and fourteen women pioneered this new program. All seemed to have a wonderful time and a number reported that it was more than they expected. Four classes were held each day on topics relating to
dating, marriage, childrearing, and the purpose of our calling. Many are already anticipating the next session of Living 4 Tomorrow. More complete details will be given in a future Living Church News.
INTERNATIONAL
Mr. Rod McNair writes:
Mr. Casing mentioned the other night to me that Jun Cuares, of the Metro-Manila congregation, recently traveled down to Leyte to visit his ailing mother, Mrs. Cuares. On the way, while their bus was traveling through Samar, it was attacked. The driver sped on, evading the attackers, although the bus was hit by bullets as it sped away. Neither Jun nor any other passengers were hurt, thanks to God.
This note from Mr. McNair is a sobering reminder of the times we live in, and it is only going to get worse. Mr. Meredith often reminds us to pray for one another and God's Work. I hope we do that every day. We constantly hear of alarming news, and then society adjusts and goes on seeking its own way and not God's. But mankind can only adjust downward for so long, then they hit bottom, and then comes the end. We need God's protection through all of this, all the way into the place of safety and until the time of Christ's return. And we can have it, as Jesus Christ said in Luke 21:34-36: "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."
In the meantime we must not grow weary in well-doing. We have the true message of hope from God to freely give to this sick and dying world. Most won't heed, but some will. However, all those God reaches through this Work will have heard the witness and will be more ready to heed when their opportunity to do so is given to them. So let's take heart, stay strong, be fired up and keep right on following wherever Christ leads. Keep up the good work!
Have a peaceful Sabbath,
Charles E. Bryce