Greetings from Charlotte!
Mr. Meredith has called a Council of Elders teleconference for September 11, 2003. Please ask God's guidance in the preparation and planning for these meetings.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
The U.S. ministry will soon receive a member survey packet from Headquarters. This is a priority item and requires immediate attention. We need this information completed and returned to Headquarters by the stated deadline so we can update our database. Accurate and important mailings to member households depend on correct information in our files.
Urgent prayers are needed for two elders who are very ill. Mr. Rod McNair writes:
Just wanted to let you know that we got a phone call from Gideon Benitez last night. His father, Mr. Tex Benitez, was admitted into the hospital on Monday afternoon their time, into ICU. He has pneumonia, and is only semi-conscious most of the time. He is on oxygen, and on dextrose. He has lost lots of weight recently. He has some other health problems, but the doctors said the most urgent and critical issue for him to fight now is the pneumonia.
Mr. Benitez is our most senior Filipino pastor in the Philippines, a man deeply loved by hundreds of people he serves, and a man we deeply respect and love (and need in the Work) as well.
Mr. Raul Reyes, who has cancer, writes:
The most important thing is the prayers and concerns of so many people. My feet are swollen. My back pain/problem is getting worse. It took me 25 minutes to get up and get dressed yesterday when I was going to the chemo due to pain.
INTERNATIONAL
Mr. Jonathan McNair sends this report on the work in the Caribbean:
Trinidad
The total responses for August 9th telecast was 148.
Last week's Telecast was entitled "Who Will Invade the Middle East?" by Mr. Richard Ames. The booklet being offered is "The Beast of Revelation." So far we have received 61 responses.
Last Sabbath we had an attendance of 54. The sermon was entitled "Hold Fast To The Truth."
Eight people are counseling for baptism.
Barbados
On another positive note, someone from our former association has requested that she be allowed to attend with us. Her mother, who was a member there, recently died, but not before instructing her that this is the congregation teaching the truth.
Mr. Dibar Apartian writes:
A New Beginning in Haiti
One of our French-speaking members, Wilner Pierre, who has moved to the Charlotte area, volunteered to visit his former homeland, Haiti, to contact the few members we still have in Haiti. Here is in essence what he wrote upon his return:
On August 14, 2003, I arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where I met with Mr. Roger Courtois and his son, both members of the Living Church of God. I also contacted, by phone, a subscriber to the Tomorrow's World magazine. Later, I spoke to a former member of the Worldwide Church of God, who, like all the others, wants to attend services as soon as we can find a suitable place to meet.
Mr. Courtois' son stated that at least ten former members of the Worldwide Church of God have also expressed their desire to attend the Living Church of God services.
Another one of our members will contact a friend of his who is a director of Radio Caraïbes, to make arrangements for the French broadcast, Le Monde de Demain. We are also planning to open a PO Box.
As of now, sixteen people are interested in attending Church services. Most of our people are employed and are willing to make whatever sacrifices to find a hall and pay their tithes. It was very inspiring to see the willingness and enthusiasm of the people to attend services.
TELEVISION
Wednesday, August 27 was the first day of videotaping the Tomorrow's World telecast in our brand new television studio on the second floor of the Headquarters office in Charlotte.
The taping went marvelously well. Our staff had worked feverishly for weeks, designing and building the new studio. Our director, Dick Quincer, flew in from California with his two-man crew and, with our staff, put the finishing touches on the studio before taping.
Evangelist Richard Ames kicked off the first taping session with his program, "Where Are We Now In Prophecy?", which is scheduled to air on WGN on November 30. Then our Presiding Evangelist, Mr. Roderick C. Meredith, taped two programs back-to-back — "The Beast Is Rising Up" (scheduled to air on November 9) and "The Harlot of Revelation" (scheduled to air on November 16). Mr. Ames finished the taping session with his second program of the day, "Prophetic Signs in the Middle East" (scheduled to air on December 7). Mr. John Ogwyn will do a taping session today.
This was a fine start for our beautiful studio, which we believe will greatly help in getting the Gospel of the Kingdom of God out to the whole world. Watch for a photo of the new studio in the November-December 2003 issue of the Living Church News!
COMMENTS
As you can see, we have much to be thankful for because of these wonderful developments in the Work of God. We deeply appreciate the dedication and zeal among God's people and ministers around the world, which helps to make all of this possible. As we follow closely wherever Jesus Christ leads, with faith and enthusiasm, more and more inspiring breakthroughs are bound to take place throughout God's Church and Work as time unfolds and the end approaches. In spite of the chaos and unraveling of the current world order (all of which is clearly prophesied in God's Word) we have a busy, bright and fulfilling future ahead of us if we will totally yield ourselves to God and humbly do His Will. "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect (complete) in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Hebrews 13:20-21).
Have a happy Sabbath and be especially careful in your travels over this upcoming Labor Day Weekend.
Charles E. Bryce