Greetings from Charlotte,
Passover arrives this coming week. This truly is both the most sobering and the most encouraging occasion of the year as we remember the sacrifice of Christ and what it means for each of us. Newly baptized members will be observing their very first Passover, and we rejoice with them. Some of us have observed this annual memorial for decades and we have to wonder how many more we may have. A number of ministers will be traveling around the world to serve our brethren. Dr. Douglas Winnail will be leaving this coming week to spend Passover in Barbados and the Last Day of Unleavened Bread in Trinidad. Mr. Nathan is scheduled to be in Kenya. Messrs. Mario Hernandez and Armando Orrego are currently in Bolivia. Mr. Robert Tyler is visiting the Philippines, and will be in Indonesia for the Passover and the first part of the Days of Unleavened Bread. My wife and I are looking forward to spending the Last Day of Unleavened Bread with the brethren in Baytown, Texas, and staying over for the weekend, when I will conduct Tomorrow’s World Presentations in Baytown and San Antonio. Many other ministers will be traveling to encourage our congregations around the world. Please do pray for everyone’s safety, as Satan hates this time of year, since it reminds him of his defeat and Christ’s victory.—Gerald Weston
Note: The World Ahead will not be published for the next two weeks, during the spring Festival season. The next issue is scheduled for May 2.
Church Administration
Charlotte 10th Annual BRiC Weekend, May 24–27—Registration Update
The plans for the upcoming BRiC (Building Relationships in Christ) weekend are shaping up quite well, especially in regards to the Uptown Challenge! As we encourage any singles who can make it to consider visiting Charlotte for this occasion, we would like to thank everyone who has participated in years past to make the event so memorable. These Memorial Day singles’ activities have been going strong for ten years now, and we hope to keep it that way this year! The event will take place from May 24–27. The registration link for the BRiC weekend is http://charlottelcg.org/bric-weekend/, and the password is BRiC2019. Feel free to contact Mr. Jacob Hall ([email protected]) with any questions you might have.—William Williams
Regional Conference in Atlanta
Last weekend, Mr. and Mrs. Weston were in Atlanta, where Mr. Weston spoke at a combined Sabbath service for the Atlanta, Columbus, and Warner Robins congregations, and then gave a Tomorrow’s World Presentation in the afternoon. On Sunday, he conducted a Regional Conference for 71 leaders from the six surrounding congregations in the Southeast Region. He gave an overview of the Work, discussed challenges we face in preaching the Gospel to a generation that is turned off by religion, and gave insightful instructions relevant to the ministry and local congregation leaders. It was an exciting weekend of learning and fellowship.—from Mr. Dan Hall
Saratoga, Wyoming Family Weekend, June 21–23
Mark your calendars for a wonderful Saratoga, Wyoming Family Weekend, June 21–23. Special guests from all over the west are coming to enjoy covered dish meals and steak cookouts at a pleasant summer weekend down by the peaceful North Platte River. Please let us know if you’re planning on joining us, as we have limited space. The camping facilities are at Saratoga Lake, about 1.5 miles North of Saratoga, Wyoming:
- Camp sites (Tents and Non-electric) $10.00/night.
- Full hook-ups (Electrical) $15.00/night.
Motel: Riviera Lodge: 1-307-326-5651
You may also want to check out these Saratoga websites to book other area housing.
- www.wyomingcarboncounty.com
- Chamber of Commerce: 1-307-326-8855; saratogachamber.info
See you soon!—Ben Whitfield
Feast of Tabernacles
What if you are assigned to a closed Feast site?
Some brethren have written in, concerned that if their assigned site is closed before they have registered, they might not be able to get in. Not to worry! We have had to close several sites for that very purpose: to reserve enough space for those assigned to the site but not yet registered. If you are in that category, you can rest assured that, yes, you will still be able to get into your assigned site. With that in mind, if you have not yet registered, please do so soon!
Consider transferring to Mt. Snow or Hilton Head Island!
We have a number of Feast sites in the U.S. that are now closed to transfers. Therefore, beginning this week, we would like to highlight several Feast sites that still have lots of room available:
Mt. Snow, Vermont: For the fourth year, Vermont will host the Feast of Tabernacles! The “Green Mountain State” will be ablaze with fall colors as we keep the Feast at the Grand Summit Resort, atop Mount Snow. If you are looking for a peaceful, secluded setting away from the hustle and bustle, with the gorgeous backdrop of tree-lined mountains, you will find it in the beautiful Green Mountain National Forest. That’s where the Grand Summit Resort is nestled. The Grand Summit offers a variety of accommodation options, most with kitchenettes. The breath-taking views will be matched by warm Feast fellowship at a number of family-friendly activities, organized by brethren from throughout the Northeast. For more information, contact Festival Site Coordinator Adam West, at [email protected].
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina: Hilton Head Island is a secluded location, tucked away on the eastern coastline, making it an extraordinary location to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. About a 30-minute drive from beautiful, historic Savannah, Georgia, many vacation planners describe Hilton Head Island as one of the most family-friendly destinations in the world! For those who remember keeping the Feast at Jekyll Island years ago, Hilton Head Island has much of the same out-of-the-way appeal. Hilton Head Island is rich in Southern American history, with many historical and cultural tours, and offers children’s museums and art museums, wildlife sanctuaries, numerous parks, quaint shops, great restaurants, and some of the most beautiful beaches on the eastern seaboard. For more information, contact Festival Site Coordinator Wyatt Ciesielka, at [email protected].
Feast Registration Announcements
The following International Feast site is closed to further transfers:
- Carry-le-Rouet, France
The following USA Feast sites are closed to further transfers:
- Williamsburg, Virginia
- Boerne, Texas
- Sandestin, Florida
- Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
The following USA Feast sites have ample room, and we encourage brethren wishing to transfer within the United States to register here:
- Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
- Mt. Snow, Vermont
- Cathedral City, California
- Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Living Youth Program
Morgan Montgomery Fund
We would like to thank all those who have donated to the Morgan Montgomery Fund again this year. Several young people from international areas are being provided the opportunity to attend camps in the United States, and others will receive funds in order to attend international camps, because of your generosity! Some are receiving a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the Teen Camp in Texas, too. We may not have enough funds to fulfill all requests for assistance, however most are being helped. Once the funds are depleted, applicants who did not receive assistance this year will be placed on a waiting list to receive assistance in the future, provided the funds become available. Thank you very much for making this possible for our youth! It is appreciated more than you know.—Sheldon Monson, Living Youth Program Director
Sunday Application Deadline for Ministry and Employees for U.S. Camps—Reminder
The deadline is Sunday, April 14, by midnight (Eastern Time zone), for any ministers or other LCG employees to apply to attend any U.S. camp. Acceptances will be approved before the end of April, and staff assignments posted in early May.—Sheldon Monson, Living Youth Director
Finance
Holy Day Envelopes (U.S. Only)—Repeat Announcement
Pre-addressed green Holy Day envelopes for the spring Festivals were mailed in the U.S. the week of March 16. If you have not received yours by now, please contact us at [email protected] or call the office at 704-844-1970 and we will send you a new set. Please include your PIN (the 11-digit number above your name on mailings from Headquarters) on any correspondence. Using the pre-labeled green envelopes for your offerings speeds up the processing and saves the Work money. We also suggest that you place your envelopes with the things you take to Sabbath services so you do not forget to bring them with you on the Holy Days.—Jerry Ruddlesden
Comments
A Time to Reflect and Change: The Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread provide us with an annual reminder of the important initial steps in God’s Great Plan of Salvation. The Passover reminds us that Jesus Christ, the Creator of the Universe, suffered and died to pay the penalty for our sins. When we realize the tremendous personal price that Jesus paid so that our sins can be forgiven, we really need to take time to examine ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:28–32) and make every effort to identify and eliminate from our lives any sins that God allows us to see. Our focus during the Days of Unleavened Bread should be on searching ourselves and to get rid of any leaven (sins) that we find in our lives. To carry out this commanded process, we need to remember the biblical definition of sin—“sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4, KJV). Reviewing the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and the spirit of those commands (Matthew 5–7; Galatians 5:16–26) and the consequences of continuing to sin (1 Corinthians 6:9–10) can help motivate us to identify attitudes and actions that we need to change. If we do not use God’s word as a guide, we can deceive ourselves by thinking we are OK. However, God has called us to come 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.
Have a Profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—April 11, 2019
India Shoots Down Satellite: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently announced that his nation had shot down a low-orbit satellite in a military test. In his comments, Mr. Modi noted India had not violated international law, and that India was not weaponizing space.
One Indian space expert stated, “A ground-based missile defense interceptor system was used to destroy the satellite. If some country or adversary places a satellite for intelligence or for troubling India, India now has the capability to remove such an irritant” (Deutsche Welle, March 27, 2019). Pakistan’s foreign minister condemned India’s achievement, stating, “Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarization of this arena.” India and Pakistan have been in protracted conflict over the disputed territory of Kashmir.
India is one of several nations working hard to exploit space. They have sent probes to Mars and the moon and intend a manned space mission by 2022. Other nations are also working to militarize space, and the President of the United States has described forming a “space force” as another branch of the U.S. armed services. Space is seen by some as “the final frontier” and a necessary domain of the military. Will mankind further militarize space, and will we fight future wars in space? To find out, be sure to view our telecast entitled “Space Wars.”—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater