Letter to the Brethren: August 11, 2022

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:t

Greetings from the Five Cities region of  California.

In many ways this has been a frustrating, though productive week.

Let me simply share two of the frustrations here.

One of the frustrations has to do with the book, Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church. In June, we submitted a complete book file to Amazon-Kindle which said they needed more information to approve it. We provided that in an email and it was approved.

However, our graphics man had submitted the wrong size book. Once I learned that, I had him reformat it.

We resubmitted last week, and got some odd email. After dealing with that, this week, we then got the same email Amazon-Kindle sent us in June on the same book, which said they needed more information to approve it. I provided that (basically by copying the same email I had sent them in late June), but this time they said that they needed more information but could not tell us precisely what because of their internal procedures — which is what we seemingly needed to get their approval as they never specified the “problem.” Anyway, I emailed Amazon-Kindle again, reminded them they already approved the book in June, and said if they could not tell me a reason for not approving it we would publish it elsewhere. So, without providing any additional information, Amazon-Kindle approved it. So, we should be able to get some copies by the Feast of Tabernacles.

Another frustration to mention is that elder Aleksandar ‘Sasha’ Veljic and I have been working to get him a visa so that he can go to Australia for the Feast of Tabernacles. Sasha keeps running into online problems–and online looks to be the only way to get the visa permission to enter Australia from Serbia. We also had problems with something else related to supporting documentation for the application from a different organization. We have come up with a plan that will at least, hopefully, make it so his visa request can at least be submitted. If that works, then hopefully the visa will be approved and he can go to Australia to baptize as well as give sermons at the Feast of Tabernacles. Please pray about this.

We have intended to send myself or Sasha to Australia since early 2020, but COVID restrictions stopped that in 2020 and 2021. It would be great if he can get to go to Australia in 2022.

Anyway, we all need to “push ahead,” despite difficulties around the way.

Haiti Information Arrived

Suggested Sabbath Service

Here is a suggested  service for the weekly Sabbath:

• 2-3 hymns (our songbook, The Bible Hymnal, contains the materials from the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG with new covers, plus ten additional hymns; there is also some Choral Accompaniment online).
• Opening prayer.
• Sermonette: Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Prophecy. Other sermonettes are available at the BitChute Prophecy channel https://www.bitchute.com/channel/prophecy/ and other CCOG used platforms.
• Announcements (if any) and one hymn.
• Sermon: 1 Corinthians 7-8: Sex, Remarriage, and Christian Love. Other sermons are also available at the ContinuingCOG channel.
• Final hymn.
• Closing prayer.

Note: If you have a slow internet connection, you can watch these by starting the video, then below it (and towards the right) look for an outline of a gear–if you click on that, it will allow the YouTube video to be played with lower video quality, but at least it will not stop often–you can select a quality as low as 144p. If your internet connection is still too slow (as my home one is) and/or you prefer audio messages to audio-visuals ones, go to the YouTube link for the message, click on SHOW MORE related to the description. You will then see something that says, “Download MP3.” Below that is a link to an MP3 file. Most computers (and even some cellular telephones) will allow MP3 files to be downloaded and played. This is an option we have made available (but we are also looking into ways to improve that as well)–and, of course, we have written article options. Some people have found that if their internet connections are not fast enough, that they can simply listen to the messages that are found at the Bible News Prophecy online radio channel. Note: If there are ever commercials before, during or after, they ARE NOT from us nor do we receive money from them–but sometimes platforms put them up.

IN CASE YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A ‘LETTER TO THE BRETHREN’ FOR ANY WEEK, REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE MANY SERMON MESSAGES ON THE ContinuingCOG channel AND MANY SERMONETTE MESSAGES ON THE Bible News Prophecy channel. There are also some messages at the CCOGAfrica channel. There are also messages in the Spanish language at the CDLIDDSermones channel.

World News Items

We may see an escalation of the fighting in Ukraine as its President Zelensky has stated that he intends to fight until Russia gives back Crimea (see ‘Ukraine war must end with liberation of Crimea – Zelensky’). Russia has no intention of giving up Crimea, nor for that matter, at least certain parts of the Donbas. We will not have true peace until after Jesus returns.

The search/raid by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation into the Florida home of former US President Donald Trump is contributing to more division in the USA (see SS: Will there be a 2nd civil war in America? Growing calls for ‘civil war’ after FBI search). As Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls” (Luke 11:17). Despite its military strength, the USA will fall (cf. Daniel 11:39).

As far as division goes, there is division and some unrest in Tunisia (see VOA: With New Constitution, Tunisia Begins Uncertain Chapter; COGwriter: Tunisia will support the coming King of the South) and the Arab world. However, that will end in a temporary, militaristic unity, which will end in disaster (cf. Daniel 11:40-43).

There was a presidential election in Kenya on Tuesday–the results of which are expected next week (see VOA: Why Kenya’s Presidential Election is Important ). Neither in Kenya, nor the USA, nor the EU, the Arab world, nor any human government, will any one leader solve the problems facing humanity. We need the return of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom of God.

Concluding Comments

The Apostle Paul wrote the following:

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 4:2-8)

Brethren, some of these matters are also touched upon in the recommended sermon for this Sabbath.

As time has gone on, we more and more see people promoting sexual immorality as normal and desirable. Do not fall for it.

Sincerely,

Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer