Update from the President
As I write this, our Beyond Today team is producing three new programs for airing. It is an intense week with many hours of work by a dedicated staff: presenters, editors, technicians and support staff. Each program is predetermined in production meetings weeks before. This final run-through considers final touches of voice, tone, camera angles, and supplemental video. We have produced 298 programs so far and when we meet again next month we will have gone over 300 completed Beyond Today programs!
The programs produced in the last two days are as follows. First, Darris McNeely hosts a prophetic program where he asks: "Would it surprise you to know that your Bible foretells a coming time when a world leader emerges with the claim to not be like a god...but to be god? Don't think this strange. It could happen in our time. World conditions could easily turn so that such a person would appear." This is part five in a series called Kingdoms at War and examines a little understood part of the book of Daniel.
Then Steve Myers presents a program about the human mind and why it's so superior and different to an animal brain. He explains how the Bible holds the key to understanding that.
And Gary Petty presents a program called The Hidden Agenda in which he speaks about the popular movement of secular humanism whose purpose is to remove God and the Bible from daily life.
All three programs are well researched, written and delivered. Our team has really come together as a group of dedicated, converted and experienced professionals. I thank God for what they are doing.
United Church of God Hong Kong Limited
In January 2015, I met Earl Roemer in Hong Kong. We were there to visit our brethren, but also we wanted to start the process of registering United Church of God in Hong Kong. With the help of Jimmy Wong, CFO for Mass Mutual in Eastern Asia and long time member, we met with two different consulting firms in Hong Kong. One did not have the necessary know-how about non-profit, charitable organizations. The other was knowledgeable, but incredibly expensive. As our time in Hong Kong was very limited due to other obligations in Eastern Asia, we were not able to pursue the matter to fruition on that visit.
Later in the spring of 2015, senior pastor Earl Roemer, accompanied by Mary Ong and Jimmy Wong, met with a consulting firm, Focus Asia (CPA Limited, Market Consultants Limited, Secretarial Services Limited, Corporate Consultants Limited). They engaged their services and on January 13, 2016, they signed the documents that were filed with the Hong Kong government. On March 2, 2016, United Church of God Hong Kong Limited was duly recognized as registered in Hong Kong.
The Church's website is ucghongkong.org. As last year, the United Church of God will host a Festival of Tabernacles site in Hong Kong.
In other news from here, we are preparing to hold another Personal Appearance Campaign, this time in Indianapolis on Sunday afternoon, March 20th. Also, we are planning our final meeting in the current series of regional conferences to be held in Temecula, California, at the end of this month.
Let's all pray for one another and encourage one another. The apostle Paul continually thanked God for those whom God had called. He always made sure that the brethren were valued. Here is just one of those expressions: "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure" (2 Thessalonians 1:3-4).
Let's hold one another up as we walk together through uncertain times.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
