Greetings from Charlotte!
There are two important Church activities taking place, for which we ask your prayers. One is the "Living 4 Tomorrow" singles activity, now under way in Michigan. The other is the Living Youth Camp, which will start next week and run for two weeks. Travel, classes, sporting events and friendships are just some of the things to keep in mind in connection with asking God's blessing and guidance on these excellent Church programs. Thank you.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
We are receiving quite a number of encouraging reports of healings from brethren in several Church areas. Also, Mr. C.B. Short, one of our Elders in Corpus Christi, is holding his own in his battle with cancer. He told me that his condition is about the same right now—not getting worse. Mrs. Val Burgett, wife of the Bluefield Area Pastor, said she is improving somewhat. Her color is better and her strength is steady in spite of the cancer. Thankfully, she is planning to come to the Feast with her family, as is Mr. Short with his family. It is clear that God is helping these servants of His, but they still need and are asking for our prayers.
Mr. Paul Shumway writes: We just found out that Gloria [Mrs. Shumway] has a benign brain tumor that has been slowly growing for a number of years. The pressure is now causing dizziness, numbness in her face, headaches and loss of hearing in one ear. We deeply appreciate the prayers of our wonderful brethren.
South Africa Update
Mr. Syd Hull reports: We are thrilled with the way things are working out for God's Work and Church in South Africa. People on our mailing list now seem to be waking up. Several new prospective members are already attending services. God is really encouraging us now. It seems that we could easily have a 30% increase in attendance at the FOT 2004 over FOT 2003. All of us are very busy regarding the Work in this country. We are all very excited about recent developments. Just last week five new people, two couples and a single man, visited our office for counseling throughout the day. In Pietermaritzburg, we have two new members. Please give our regards to those at HQ.
French Work Update
Mr. VG Lardé reports: The figures of the 1st semester of 2004 for the French Website at (www.mondedemain.org) are very encouraging. They are still deeply increasing! During this 1st semester, we have exceeded all the figures of the FULL year 2003 (except the number of sessions). The French Website recorded 40,147 unique visitors and 77,487 visitor sessions in six months.
The server recorded visits from 98 known countries for this semester. We also have counted first visitors from Albania, Angola, Guinea, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Kenya, Latvia, Mozambique, Nepal, Niue, Slovenia, Ukraine, Venezuela, Virgin Islands and Vatican (2 sessions). This brings to 111 the number of known countries to have visited our French Website since January 2001.
The activity increased by 153% to 578% over the 1st semester 2003 levels! More than 65,000 articles and 11,000 booklets were downloaded. Additionally, about 22,500 audio files were downloaded, including 18,350 radio broadcasts—578% increase over 1st semester 2003, the highest increase—and 4,100 sermons.
The Website's various pages were viewed about 160,000 times. The "Order Free" page was viewed more than 4,400 times, and we received 1,662 online requests forms.
Feast of Tabernacles 2004—Children's Feast Activity Books
A Feast of Tabernacles Children's Activity Book is being prepared here at Headquarters. It will be sent to the Festival Coordinators to be handed out to the children at the Feast. Therefore, individuals and local churches won't need to prepare such publications for the Feast sites. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
MEDIA
Pray For the Little Things
Recently a bizarre thing happened to one of our TV-tape shipments. One of our TV sponsors in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Errol Wade, received a package that contained a videotape and a telephone battery! The box was supposed to contain two tapes. He called Headquarters to find out why a battery had been put in his box, instead of a videotape. Well, we assured him that the battery did not come from Headquarters, that someone must have intercepted his box, taken out one of the tapes, and stuck in the battery. We wondered if someone pulled some kind of not-so-funny prank.
The next day we received a letter of apology from the plant manager of the U.S. Postal Service facility in Minneapolis. Somehow, the shipping box with the two tapes had spilled open, along with one or two other boxes from other companies. Apparently, postal employees tried to figure which of the scattered items belonged to which box, and accidentally stuck a battery in our box, and placed one of the videotapes in someone else's box!
This goes to show that not only should we be praying for the success of the telecast, that people be moved to watch the program and that they be moved to respond, but that we should also ask God to bless and protect the videotape shipments/mailings of all kinds, etc.—Wayne Pyle
Public Access Television in the State Capitals
Mr. Dan Friz suggested that the Tomorrow's World program be aired on public access television in all the state capitals. I think this is a good suggestion. I am happy to report that we already have reached, or are in the process of reaching, 25 of the state capitals.
Of the remaining 25 state capitals, seven do not have public access television that we are aware of. These capitals are Dover, DE; Topeka, KS; Augusta, ME; Jefferson City, MO; Concord, NH; Pierre, SD; and Charleston, WV.
According to our member files, six capitals do not have Church members, whom we would need to sponsor the telecast. These state capitals without local member residents are: Hartford, CT; Lansing, MI; Salem, OR; Harrisburg, PA; Juneau, AK; and Frankfort, NY.
There are 12 state capitals that we have not reached, as yet, with the Tomorrow's World program, which do indeed have public access television and Church members. These capitals area: Annapolis, MD; Boston, MA; Tallahassee, FL; Santa Fe, NM; Salt Lake City, UT; Olympia, WA; Madison, WI; Columbia, SC; Denver, CO; Raleigh, NC; Columbus, OH; and Indianapolis, IN.
If any member in these 12 capitals would be able and willing to help sponsor our telecast, he or she should contact Wayne Pyle for specific information about the public access station in his city. Mr. Pyle can be reached by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at 1-800-737-0766, or by sending a letter to his attention at the Church's Charlotte address.—Wayne Pyle
COMMENTS
We all know that our adversary, Satan the devil, stays very active, constantly. His main target is God's Church. Rev. 12:10 says, " And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." Day and night, day and night, accusing, accusing, accusing the brethren—that's his vile mentality.
But what about us? Are we falling into his trap and starting to accuse and criticize like he does? If so, we are developing his attitude instead of the attitude of our Savior. Here is what Jesus Christ says about our conduct toward one another—I Cor. 12:25-26, "That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it." And in John 13:35, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
So as we wend our way through these long, hot summer days, perhaps now is a good time to take a good, long, honest look at what our attitude really is toward one another. Negative and accusing, like Satan's, or positive, forgiving and loving like Christ's? Once we do that, will we have the courage and maturity to change our attitudes toward one another if need be? We had better do so, and we can by God's power and strength—II Tim. 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
Let's honor God and respect one another on this wonderful Holy Sabbath day!
Charles E. Bryce