Dear Brethren and co-workers in Christ:
My wife Joyce and I arrived in Rome, Italy yesterday. So, between that and various meetings, this has been a different kind of week for us.
We are scheduled to pick up tickets next week in order to see Pope Francis (in a public, not a private session) next week. Since I wrote a book with him on the front cover, and have been keeping an eye on him, I believe that this visit can be helpful in many ways.
Feast of Tabernacles
As mentioned last week, the three sites that are currently planned for the Feast of Tabernacles (and more may be possible) are in nations of Kenya, New Zealand, and the United States. There is also a group in India, and they will likely have something there as well.
We are working on the Feast and also sent an announcement out about the three of them toThe Journal: News of the Churches of God. Hopefully, this may allow others with a Church of God background to possibly contact our leaders in each of those countries.
We also now have a link with information on the three Feast of Tabernacles this year that you may wish to view from time to time as we expect to update it with more information as it becomes available: Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2013.
The Internet
We held meetings related to getting the non-English language websites up this week. We also had meetings about how to better reach people over the internet. We also worked on another English language site that we hope may attract others who are looking for the true church.
The www.ccog.asia website is now ‘live,’ but has only very limited information now. This is intended to primarily be a Chinese language website. Several articles are translated into Mandarin Chinese and we are working to improve this process and make more information available in the Chinese language.
The websites for the Tagalog and Spanish languages also have been worked on and we expect to report more on them later.
We have already reached people in at least 215 countries and territories in the past several months, but want to reach more people in them. Matthew 24:14 is going to be fulfilled, and the internet is apparently going to be one of the major tools to better accomplish that.
World News Items
Weather extremes have continued to be in the news, mainly in the USA and Europe.
Also, there has been some backlash by the Russians (Orthodox) (see Russia takes a positive step against the worldwide homosexual agenda), Southern Baptists, and the Pope of Rome concerning the homosexual agenda this week (Southern Baptists condemn new BSA homosexual position; Pope Francis concerned about homosexual lobby and corruption in the Vatican). Yet, June also being declared “Gay Pride” month with certain Protestant support (seeJune is ‘Gay Pride Month’ and lies are being spread) shows that the world’s churches have a certain division about homosexuality now.
The Pope himself keeps trying to push an ecumenical agenda, while also admitting that there is corruption in the Vatican (Southern Baptists condemn new BSA homosexual position; Pope Francis concerned about homosexual lobby and corruption in the Vatican). He again made statements about his church being poor, which suggests that he intends to do some type of possible wealth redistribution. If so, this may well play into the development of a religion that more of the world will willingly follow (Revelation 13:4,8), though others will essentially be forced to (Revelation 13:15-18).
Suggested Sabbath Service for June 15, 2013
Here is our suggested format for Sabbath services on June 15 2013:
- 2-3 hymns (we are using the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG, and in most areas, the Choral Accompaniment).
- Opening prayer.
- Sermonette. Here is a link to one: Should Christians Get a Tattoo? There is also information related to this in the article titled: Tattoos: History and Biblical Teachings.
- Announcements (if any; though for many it will be this letter) and one hymn.
- Sermon which for most will be a recorded one titled: The Future King of the South is Rising. There sermon is based on a lot of information in the article titled: Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Other sermons are also available at the ContinuingCOGchannel.
- Final hymn.
- Closing prayer.
As the Apostle Paul wrote:
18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (Galatians 6:18)
Thank you for your prayers and support.
Sincerely,
Bob Thiel, Pastor and Overseer
Continuing Church of God