Letter to the Brethren: December 26, 2019

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings from the Five Cities region of California.

We hope you all are well.

The world had its biggest holiday yesterday, continuing various traditions incorporated from pagan religions.

We, of course, are to be separate and not be part of such unclean observances (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18). This, also, would include the world’s new year celebrations, which are based on several pagan elements (see Is January 1st a Date for Christians Celebrate? and/or also watch God’s or Satan’s New Year?).

This coming Sabbath marks the 7th anniversary of the official declaration of the formation of the Continuing Church of God. Much has happened in the past seven years or so. The recommended sermon for this Sabbath covers some of that as well as some of what we expect to be our future plans.

Youth Camp

Evangelist Evans Ochieng sent the following video clip related to one of the youth camps: https://youtu.be/6DgY0kHJtSk. He also sent the following email and photographs:

Pastor Dr Bob,

Greetings from Kenya.

I’m happy to inform you that we had a wonderful youth camps in Kenya. This is Ndhiwa you camp. We had 102 youths at at Ndhiwa. On the arrival day our brother Charles osutwa was injured on his way to the youth camp. He broke his leg when he was crossing the river. Since it is raining heavily the river was slippery. Now he is at the hospital getting treatment. Please put him in prayer.

The youth camps in chilani, Bomet, njoro, Mau, molo and kaplong also went well. We are facing heavy rainfall in Kenya seriously. And it will cause hunger in the country.

Another thing I’m sorry to inform you that Martin wanga’s son Anton died. So put wanga in prayer. I’ll go to Tanzania for burial.  …

Evans

 

Bradox Ochieng (who took the photos above) sent the following detailed report:

Youth Camp Report  2019

Greeting to all the Brethren across the world, It is my pleasure to once again give a report for 2019 Ndhiwa youth camp, We all know that we are really leaving  in very deceived world that if we don’t train the youths to grow and walk in Christ, then they may be influenced into doing what others who don’t  obey God does.The only way young men and women  clean their ways is by doing the will of God  “Psalm 119:9”( How can a young man clean His way? By taking heed according to your word)

The only way to be sure that we are strong in Christ is by doing what the bible says in “Psalm 1:1-2” (Blessed in the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly not stand in the path of sinners not sits in the seat of scornful But his delight is in the law of the Lord and and in His law he meditates day and night)

Many are turning away from God and no longer want to listen neither do they read nor obey God’s commandment , during the youth camp, The Ten commandments in Exodus 20:1-17 was touched  elaborately and I believe  those who attend this camp received something to help them in their spiritual lives. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it”

Psalm 127:3-4 “Behold children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward . Like arrows in the hand of a warrior so are the children in one’s youth.”

We should train our young boys and girls to be closer to God in this deceived world so that we may one day be glad and rejoice when Christ return and find us worthy to be part of his Kingdom.  Matthew 19:14 “ But Jesus said, let the children come to me and do not forbid them for of such is the kingdom of heaven”

Even though there was too much rain, many got the opportunity to attend the camp. Our youth from Kissi, Migori and Giribe hard to walk from Ndhiwa town to the site in Sigama area which is  roughly, 7kilometers. NO vehicles could access the area due to bad roads plus too much rain but we sincerely thank God that the camp went on so well and all from the camp arrived back to their various places safely and we thank God.

Have attached some few photos we took during the camp.

Sincerely,

Bradox

Pastor Tiongik Sawek sent the following related to another of the youth camps:

Receive greetings from Chilani church, the youth camp was very blessed. We were very happy on the arrangement of the meeting with Evangelist Ochieng since the meeting went through successfully. Because the Kipsigis and the Maasai are deeply rooted in culture and we saw that it was good for us to assemble youth so as to teach them  on  right ways of Christ, thanks to the continuing church of God which accepted to support this meeting through Evangelist Ochieng. It was not only us who appreciate but the entire Rift valley; including the groups of Mau, Bomet, Molo, Njoro, Chilani and Kericho Chebirbelek. There was a lot of rain but we managed to receive youths from Sunday churches and other churches who join us in the continuing church of God and promised to continue with us as they have receive blessed lessons.

There were also women teachers who took greater part in mentoring the female youth on how to cope up with various challenges facing the youths.

Pray also for the church of Kabolecho because during this rainy season, they are conducting Sabbath service in their houses. So let us all pray to this local church so that may even get a place to shelter. They were happy when I told them on how we have already talk with Evangelist Ochieng of soon upcoming support to them.

Herewith are the photos I managed to take during the meeting.

May God bless you abundantly

Regards,

Pastor Sawek

 

Thank all of you for your prayers, as well as financial support, for the camps.

The end time work includes turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and children to the fathers (Malachi 4:6), and youth camps are one way to help fulfill that.

Year-End Income Tax Matters

We are getting close to the end of the calendar year. Those who live in the United States, to have their contributions eligible for tax deduction for calendar year 2019, need to send electronic or regular mail donations no later than December 31, 2019. For those who physically mail donations, they must be postmarked by December 31, 2019 to be eligible for deductibility for 2019.

All contributions received via US mail for residents of the United States are to be processed for the tax year based upon the postmarked date on the envelopes.

For contributions received via PayPal, we use the date that PayPal gives us.

The PayPal donation link for the USA is at: https://www.ccog.org/donations/

In Canada the rules may be slightly different for mailed and other contributions, so if you want the tax deduction for calendar year 2019, they likely also need to be made before the end of the calendar year to the CCOG in Canada.

(In New Zealand, they use a March 31st date.)