Member Letters

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually,” according to what the apostle Paul wrote to the Church (1 Corinthians 12:27). In this chapter, he uses the parts of the body as an analogy to show the different functions of people who make up the Church of God.

His point is that every Christian has a function and a vital role in the Church. After all, being Christ’s representatives in this world is the commissioned Work that is being done on His behalf in preparation for His return.

But there is more!

We are in training…

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

We are seeing greater worldwide persecution and hostility against individuals that call themselves Christians. The following are news headlines from the past several months:

“Gunmen Kill 27 in Predominantly Christian Villages in Mali,”

“10 Christians, Including a 3-Year-Old Girl, Killed by Extremists in Nigeria,”

“Militant Extremists Kill More Than 80 in Nigerian Village,”

“Gunmen Kill 58 in Attacks Aimed at Christians in Burkina Faso,”

“Christian Boy, 16, Stabbed and Stoned to Death for His Faith in Eastern India.”

These attacks are from extremists in predominantly Muslim-controlled regions. The hatred towards Christianity in these countries is nothing new, but this disdain is…

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Dear Brethren,

These days we all have something in common. And when I say “we,” I mean everyone in the whole world. Every single one of us is affected by the societal response to the global pandemic of Covid-19. We’ve canceled trips. If we’re fortunate enough to have work, we’ve changed the way we do it. We’ve been forced to find masks to wear when we shop. We were told to stand in lines six feet apart from the person in front of us. Some have hesitated or refused shaking hands. We’ve been shocked to see shortages of goods.…

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Dear brethren and co-workers,

What a difference a few months make. As late as February or the beginning of March, things were going along as usual with no major interruptions in our daily lives; yet all that has changed now since the outbreak of and the reactions to the Coronavirus.

Draconian measures have been implemented by most governments worldwide, including restrictions on travel and individual movements. In some areas, violations to these restrictions and the mandatory requirement to stay home can be punishable by fines and even imprisonment if not adhered to.

In some areas they are not so strict, allowing…

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Dear Brethren and Friends, 

Prophecy is being fulfilled! That which has been prophesied to occur is happening right in front of our eyes, and the effects are being felt around the world. The worldwide panic-stricken results from the coronavirus are only the beginning, and we have seen what an impact this has had already, day by day, minute by minute, and even as this letter is being written, more dire developments are arising. We hear news about more closures, cancellations and quarantining happening all over the world in large proportions like the canceling of sporting events, concerts, schools,…

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

In Galatians chapter 5 we read about the works of the flesh and the fruit of God’s Spirit. One such fruit is longsuffering, and it is one that I would suggest doesn’t come easily to most of us.

By comparison, God is very definitely longsuffering. Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries translates the word “makrothumia” as “(objectively) forbearance (or subjectively) fortitude; longsuffering, patience. Longsuffering is defined as enduring wrongs or difficulties; patiently enduring lasting offense or hardship; stoic, tolerant or uncomplaining; obliging, unconstrained and many other descriptions.” Does this describe you and me?

It could be said that…

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Dear Members and Friends:

How often do we feel like we are failing? That life is hard? Maybe wondering what the point of trying so hard is all about? Maybe asking ourselves what good is living in the world at this time in the way that we do? Why put forth effort in overcoming, in changing? Maybe we have questions about why life is so mundane and frustrating? Maybe our attitudes take on a negative and depressive nature? 

Often times, when these types of thoughts and feelings start to invade in my own life, the only way to overcome…

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Dear Members and Friends:

A well-known Christmas song, which we can’t avoid hearing, no matter where we are, goes like this:

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year… It’s the happiest season of all with those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings… and caroling out in the snow. There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago…”

For a converted Christian, these words could not be further from the Truth. Rather, they describe the most dreadful time, which, sadly, we must endure in this world ruled by Satan. After all, true Christians know that…

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

Have you ever deeply considered what being called into the Truth means? It is our opportunity for salvation! It is our selection by God to be among the firstfruits and to be in the first resurrection! But most of all, it means that God is willing to give us His Holy Spirit if we respond to His call.

Without the Holy Spirit we could never grow in the Family of God to become perfect and one with both the Father and Jesus Christ. Because we have been called and have repented, been baptized and received the…

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Dear Brethren and Co-Workers,

Here we are at the time of year when we make the last big push before the Fall Holy Days begin. The Feast of Trumpets is on Monday, September 30th. The Day of Atonement is on Wednesday, October 9th. The Feast of Tabernacles begins Monday, October 14th, lasting for 7 days, culminating with the Last Great Day on Monday, October 21st. All of these days begin, of course, with the previous evening, at sunset. With only a few short weeks away, now is the time when we make sure all of our arrangements are in…

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Dear Members, Co-Workers and Friends,

In 1961, I was partaking of a track meet in Langley, British Columbia, as the second leg of a four-by-one-hundred-yard relay. The race started off well and by the time the first runner reached me, we were in second place. After the passing of the baton, I had to put all my effort into catching up to the first runner, and about halfway, I actually passed him. The pass-off to the third runner went smoothly and now being in first place, I thought we would come in first, and it looked like a sure…

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Dear Brethren, Co-Workers and Friends,

With the plethora of man’s differing beliefs, there doesn’t seem to be an end to the growing polarization of ideologies. We see impassioned speeches, peaceful gatherings and civil unrest—all to further particular points of view. But mankind only grows further apart because the efforts to sustain beliefs are based upon false wisdom. Paul warned Timothy of such reasoning, “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith” (1 Timothy 6:20-21).

It is easy…

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