Letter to the Brethren: September 8, 2022

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings from the Five Cities region of California.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that last week’s recommended sermonette, Did Joshua of the Bible Exist?, was as popular as it became as it was not a prophetic topic (which often get the most views).

Despite YouTube’s shadow-banning of our channels with them, we had over 600 views on YouTube (plus views on our other platforms) so far–plus it was aired on our AM radio program in Europe. Our recommended sermonette video for this week, Europe WILL deal with China, is also doing fairly well by recent standards.

That said, we used to average over 3,000 views per week on YouTube on our two main channels there (we currently average is 2,000 per week for those two channels on YouTube). Shadow-banning by Big Tech (intentionally trying to make something harder to find online) is one of the reasons that we recently went on AM radio in Europe and Shortwave radio in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. But still do get views on YouTube and other video platforms.

Australia Visa Application Approved!

Late last week, I received an email stating that it typically takes an average of close to 4 months for anyone in Serbia to be approved to get a visa to enter Australia.

Since the application for elder Alexsandar ‘Sasha’ Veljic did not get completed until about two weeks ago, there were concerns that there was not enough time for his visa to get approved for him to be able to go to the Feast of Tabernacles.

We have asked you for prayers for this visa matter for some time.

We have wanted Sasha to be able to go to Australia for a couple of years as there are people who have been awaiting baptism there. But with COVID restrictions, this has not been legally possible.

That said, yesterday, Sasha informed me that his visa had been approved!

In addition to prayer, we took a variety of physical steps to increase the probability of Sasha’s visa would get approved.

Anyway, we are thrilled that this worked out.

This will be our first Feast of Tabernacles in Australia with a minister giving live sermons, plus we expect a couple of baptisms as well.

Thank you for your prayers.

The CCOG goes forward on its knees.

Feast of Tabernacles in the USA

The Fall Holy Days are getting closer for 2022, with the Feast of Trumpets beginning at sunset September 25th.

In 2022, Feast of Tabernacles’ services are scheduled to begin the evening of October 9th and continue until the Last Great Day which is October 17th.

Now it is time to plan for it, no matter where you live.

In the USA we are planning to observe it in Branson, Missouri. We have a contract to meet at the Radisson Hotel Branson, 120 South Wildwood Street, Branson, MO, 65616. Here is a photo of that hotel:

You do not need to stay at that hotel in order to attend the Feast of Tabernacles here. However, many will find staying at the Radisson Hotel Branson convenient. The nightly Double-bedded hotel room rate is $129.95 plus tax and, according to our contact there “includes a full buffet breakfast for every individual staying in each sleeping room every morning.” You can telephone 1 (417) 335-5767, and mention the Continuing Church of God Feast of Tabernacles to get that rate (the current, undiscounted rate, for the same room is $159.95 per night, so CCOG attendees save $30.00 per night, plus pay less tax).

You can also make reservations there online:

www.radissonhotelsamericas.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-branson
Input Arrival and Departure Dates (between October 9, 2022 to October 17, 2022)
Input Occupancy
Select Promotional Code under Special Rates
Promotional Code: CCGF
Select Room Type and Follow Procedures to Reserve the Room

To stay additional nights, telephone the hotel as opposed to using their online system.

Now, to have a guaranteed reservation and rate, THIS MUST BE DONE NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 9TH! We received an email telling us that from the Radisson, though our contact there said that if they still had rooms after the 9th they would try to honor it–but that would be subject to availability. If you have been vacillating, the time to decide is now.

ALL PHILADELPHIAN CHRISTIANS, AND THOSE THAT WISH TO BE, ARE TO GO TO KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES, unless their health or dire circumstances prevent it.

That said, one can attend in Branson and not stay at the Radisson–but because services are to be held there, it is much more convenient to stay there.

That said, according to Tripadvisor, Branson has hundreds of restaurants and 141 hotels. There are also camping facilities in Branson within driving distance of the Radisson.

While Branson does have a small airport, those who fly there will most likely fly into the Springfield, MO airport and then drive down.

If you plan to attend and have not clearly told me you are coming, please send me an email, yes please do so now. My email address remains: COGwriter@aol.com

Rift Valley Report

Pastor Tiongik Sawek sent the following from the Rift Valley in Kenya:

Receive greetings in Jesus Christ. We had a wonderful sabbath meeting at Chilani where we had groups from Takitech and Chlani. We were in abid preparation for the upcoming Feast of Tabernacles which is yet to take place in October 2022.
We were planning such that the occasion occurs concurrently in Takitech and Chilani groups. And already we have appointed the leaders to administer in these areas.
Last month we had also talked with Evangelist Ochieng concerning the preparation and the same has been communicated to the Mau region.
Lastly, we had planned to travel to Bomet to meet with different groups as some are still new in our CCOG church. As some brethrens are in Sot-Sigor, Kapsimbiri and Merigi in Bomet County and it is our plan that we group them in Kiromwok.
I shall be visiting together with Elder Cheruiyot and John Langat. Our journey involves visiting these different regions and finally we shall decide on where to hold a final meeting .
I believe we have come from far with many teachings and my prayer so that they remain with us in CCOG as one.
Once we are done, later after the Feast of Tabernacles we shall plan to visit the same place with Evangelist Ochieng and extend to the Mau region..
Please pray for us as we begin our journey which probably might take a week. God bless you.
Here are some photos i take at Chilani
Regards,
Pastor Sawek

Festival plans are being made around the world. Plan to attend where you can.

Information on our sites around the world are in the following article: Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2022.

Series on 1 Corinthians

Housing in Ancient Corinth
(Photo by Joyce Thiel)

This week’s recommended sermon is the 8th and final sermon in an 8-part series on the Book of First Corinthians.

Many with a Worldwide Church of God, or other Church of God, background may find the comments on 1 Corinthians that Herbert W. Armstrong once made, interesting as many are included in this series.

Here is a listing of all eight sermons in this series:

If you missed any of the sermons, or wish to re-watch any, hopefully the list will make that easier for you.

CG7 in Ethiopia

On Monday, CCOG deacon Koang Deng sent the following photo and report:

Dear Elder Bob.
We want you now to hear the arrived of our brother (Gatkouth Wiyual) from South Sudan yesterday.
This man is a one from those who wants to be baptized Last years, but due to travel problem in the country, the plan to see them there failed.
Today, we touched more things concerned the difference between those called themselves cog7day and ccog doctrines.
Now, we agreed to do a baptism to them if God’s will.
The tall one is him ( Gatkouth Wiyual).
1. Gatkouth Wiyual.
2. Chuol Biel
3. Koang Deng
Best regards,
Koang Deng.

Those with us in Ethiopia had no Worldwide Church of God background, but mainly CG7. Most CG7 groups do not keep the biblical Holy Days, have other losses of doctrine, and tend to not properly teach biblical prophecies.

Gatkouth Wiyual also had some questions on some CCOG understandings on doctrine and prophecy that I provided to Koang Deng to give him.

As far as CG7 goes, more on the Denver-branch of CG7 can be found in the article: CG7-D: Church of God, (Seventh Day): History and Teachings.

Suggested Sabbath Service

Here is a suggested service for the weekly Sabbath for our scattered brethren unable to attend with live speakers:

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: Europe WILL deal with China. Other sermonettes are available at the BitChute Prophecy channel https://www.bitchute.com/channel/prophecy/ and other CCOG used platforms.
Announcements (if any, other than, for many, this letter) and one hymn.
Sermon: 1 Corinthians 15-16: Resurrection Hope, Collections, and 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. Here is one recommended for this week: Seran Martirizados los Cristianos de Nuevo.
World News Items
A new poll concluded that 62% of Americans expect political violence to increase in the next few years (see Civil war concerns in USA and civil unrest concerns worldwide:’Worst Has Yet To Come’). Sadly, this like one area that the majority is right about.
Over in the United Kingdom, they got their third female prime minister this week (see Liz Truss to be New British Prime Minister). This brings to mind passages such as Isaiah 3:11-12. Speaking of the UK, Russia and some of its allies are looking to eliminate London’s dominance of the international metals market (see Eurasian alliance plans to eliminate London’s metal market dominance as well as USA dollar dominance).
The Anglo-American world order will be toppled one day–fairly soon.
As far as Russia and the Anglo-Americans go, Russia’s former President Dmitry Medvedev referred to them as “perverts’ this week (seeAP: Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev denounces ‘dirty dreams of the Anglo-Saxon perverts’). Sadly, the Anglo-American nations have been teaching perversion instead of God’s ways (watch also Do not indoctrinate children in perversion).
Israel365 News reported that the Israeli government hinted about animal sacrifices in a brochure it used to promote a train station in the Temple Mount area (see Jewish rail plans for ‘House of Prayer for All Nations,’ animal sacrifices, and the ‘Temple of God’). Since the Bible shows that regular animal sacrifices will be stopped in Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11, we know that they must start first–and in Israel, this currently will require government approval–approval that indirectly is being hinted at.

Concluding Comments
This week’s recommended sermon covers the last two chapters of 1 Corinthians.
Let’s go over last three verses, the Apostle Paul wrote, beginning with verse 22 of the 16th chapter:

22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come! (1 Corinthians 16:22)

How do you know if you lover of Jesus?

Jesus said:

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15-16)

24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. (John 14:24)

33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:33)

Now, here is the next verse:

23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (1 Corinthians 16:23)

Grace is favour and includes unmerited pardon–God forgiving us. Grace is needed.

And now, the last verse:

24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. (1 Corinthians 16:25)

Love is important.

Love is what the plan of God is all about.

The Book of 1 Corinthians contains a lot of correction and also discusses love.

Brethren, hopefully, you are willing to accept biblical correction and grow in love.
Sincerely,

Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer