Archive for year: 2022

Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated Reading Time: 4 min.

Mr. Weston’s latest forum challenged the Living Education students to ask themselves, “Why am I in this church?”

This question may seem simple, but the real answer is more nuanced than we may realize. Our decisions are influenced by our past choices, past experiences, and even factors we have little control over like temperament and family. 

Understand your Life 

To illustrate, Mr. Weston summarized his childhood and early years and related the moment he first came into the Church. While the world is much different today, we all must learn to examine the experiences that shaped our perspective, because we will face critical decisions in our lives and the right path will not always be clear. To do this, we must understand ourselves. This includes our weaknesses and proclivities, and if we examine our lives and experiences, we will be better prepared for those serious decisions when they come. 

A Crossroads 

Mr. Weston had a certain momentous decision, as he recounted, in his life. In 1994, he was a minister for a church that began to radically and rapidly alter fundamental doctrines. Mr. Weston recalled how he was forced to decide whether to go along with the changes or stand up for what is right and resign. He had been a minister for that church for over 25 years, and this position was his livelihood. He knew he might have to find a job flipping burgers to survive if he chose to follow God! We may face such decisions in our lives, too. If we do not understand why we are in God’s Church, we may be tempted just to go along with changes, taking the path of least resistance. Mr. Weston chose to follow God, gave one last sermon, and then was forced to resign. But this was not the end of the decisions to be made. 

Finding the true church

Continuing with his narrative, Mr. Weston explained that various churches existed at the time. He had to find the church that was in alignment with God’s ways, which is a search that all of us must make. We cannot simply end up in a church as the mindless culmination of our experiences, family, temperament, and subconscious beliefs. We have to find the real church of God.

Mr. Weston continued by telling us about how, after resigning his ministerial position, he investigated a few different organizations and the differences between them. He determined two critical keys to discerning the right church. First, he looked for a church that has “not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). God’s Church knows more than just the Holy Days and the Sabbath. Some organizations may allow a lot of flexibility in beliefs among their members and ministers, but Mr. Weston stressed that the Church needs to lead its members in the right paths, not allow confusion. Second, God’s Church started in the right direction, which includes the right government. God’s Church fulfills Christ’s commission of feeding the flock and preaching the Gospel. A church must be founded on this commission and be absolutely ruled by Christ, with the leadership structure outlined in the Bible. In the future, we will face similar choices, and we can use these same principles to find the true Church of God. 

The right church?

Why is it so important that we find the right church? Mr. Weston turned to the account in Revelation about the church eras (chapter 3), in particular the churches of Laodicea and Philadelphia (vv. 7-22). In the end times, there will be two separate churches: a lukewarm one and a zealous one. It seems one of these churches will be spared from the great tribulation because it has done a work, spreading the Gospel as much as it could. The other will be tried and refined in the fire of tribulation. 

Therefore, we have two questions to ask. First, are we sure that we are in God’s Church? If so, are we in the zealous church? We need to answer these thoroughly, proving the answers for ourselves. It is not enough that we were born into it; people were born into Islam, false Christianity, and other religions. We have to prove that this church is the right place, fulfilling the commission and purpose of God’s true Church zealously.

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated Reading Time: 5 min.

Have You Traveled Internationally?

Mr. Wakefield, only a few short days after returning from keeping the Feast in Africa, gave a presentation to the LivingEd students. He began by asking, “How many of you have traveled internationally for the Feast?” Several of the students had; several had not. Mr. Wakefield, on the other hand, certainly has. For the last 21 years, he has gone wherever he was needed, which resulted in observing 20 Feasts at international sites and only one year in the United States. Mr. Wakefield chose to share with us a summary of his previous Feast, in Uganda and Kenya, to encourage us to travel to international sites in the future, and to give some practical tips for traveling. 

The Feast of Tabernacles—in Kenya and Uganda!

How did Mr. Wakefield end up going to Africa? He told us that he simply asked where he was needed, and that was that. He and his wife took the two-day trip to fly to Nairobi, Kenya, and spent the Day of Atonement with the brethren there. From there they traveled to Kendu Bay, Kenya, to begin the Feast with 128 brethren. The Wakefields then departed, with an intrepid and capable driver as a guide, to go to Tororo, Uganda. A vehicle inspection managed to extract a fine, though Mr. Wakefield’s driver informed the government agent that he was in error and reduced the fine considerably by what must have been an extensive knowledge of legislation and emissions. But all of this was nothing, interposed Mr. Wakefield, compared to the joy and warmth that came from seeing the 53 brethren keeping the Feast in Uganda. 

It’s a Whole New World 

As Mr. Wakefield explained, traveling halfway around the world can be difficult, but if you understand a few good principles, it can be more productive and enjoyable. First, jet lag is a thing that exists, especially the further away you travel from home. Mr. Wakefield recounted how he did not really take it seriously as a young man, and found it a rude awakening (quite literally). This trip, he made sure to give himself a few days to adjust to the local timezone. It can be easy to dismiss jet lag, but if you don’t get sleep, then you can’t think straight and can get sick. It really can ruin a whole trip. 

Next, Mr. Wakefield emphasized the importance of knowing the history and culture of the country that you’re visiting, particularly countries with which westerners are not as familiar. He then gave us a rundown of some critical history of Kenya and Uganda, discussing the cultures and summarizing the last few hundred years of political events. 

We should also, Mr. Wakefield informed, be prepared to adjust our expectations of countries. If we are going to a second- or third-world country, we should be prepared to have rooms without air-conditioning, a local currency with aggressive inflation (in Uganda a meal can cost 10,000 shillings, which is only $4), and fewer amenities. Of course, we can survive without such things, but it helps to know this in advance. 

He then added a few more general tips. Take photocopies of all IDs and important documents and have them accessible on your phone or an online cloud service. Taking two credit cards is wise and so is taking lots of cash (especially in second- and third-world countries where the US dollar may be popular). Knowing the local custom for tipping can help avoid some awkward situations. Also, use the colloquial advice: Take half the clothes and twice the money—meaning, it is smart to leave luggage space so you can bring gifts back!

Why Bother?

Looking at all the considerations you have to take in traveling internationally, it can be easy to think: Why bother? Well, Mr. Wakefield told a story to convey the value of going to foreign Feast sites.

It all began when Mr. Wakefield requested to go to the Philippines, so he could see the office there and have a better sense of their operations. Dr. Winnail approved it, but then called a few weeks later: “Have you bought your tickets yet?” They needed Mr. Wakefield in Malaysia for half the feast. Two international sites—not a big deal. 

A few weeks later, Dr. Winnail called again: “You haven’t gotten tickets yet, right? Can you be in New Zealand for Trumpets?” Mr. Wakefield was going to three places on this trip now.

“Have you bought tickets yet?” asked Dr. Winnail again a few days later. At this point, Mr. Wakefield was really wishing he had bought those tickets. They needed a speaker in Brisbane, Australia, for Atonement. Mr. Wakefield had accumulated quite the itinerary.  

Traveling for the fall Holy Day season, Mr. Wakefield went through Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Yet, as he said, in every country, with every group of people, when he walked into Church services, he could tell he was with God’s people. The same spirit was in each place. We are all the same body, the same spirit, and the same family. As Mr. Wakefield quoted from Paul, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). 

Visit Our Spiritual Family

To conclude, Mr. Wakefield highlighted that about 54 percent of the Church is outside of the United States, and that the Work internationally is growing more rapidly, too. He encouraged the LivingEd students to go to an international site—not necessarily a popular one, but one of the small and less amenable sites—to experience the amazing feeling of unity and God’s presence that you feel when visiting those sites. He advised the students to consider serving with their Feast site choice, to choose a place where many visitors don’t go. In doing so, we can visit our spiritual family around the world. 

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Estimated Reading Time: 5 min.

Etiquette—What Is It Good for?

Mr. Jonathan McNair began his forum by elaborating on the importance of showing respect for others, and the role that etiquette plays in fulfilling that objective.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, etiquette is a set of behaviors either indicative of a high social status or enforced by an authority for an occasion. For instance, some upscale events require attendees to follow proper etiquette or they will be asked to leave. In modern times, etiquette is often associated with a bygone era of stiff ladies and gentlemen following strict social guidelines who are unable to “be themselves.” But this is not the case.

Etiquette is a blueprint for us to ensure that we do not make others uncomfortable or present ourselves in a bad light. To introduce the students to this pertinent subject, Mr. McNair showed the students two videos on dining etiquette. 

Best Practices for a Dinner Engagement

The first video addressed fundamental table manners for informal, semi-formal, and formal dining environments to a limited extent. Table manners are important because they can show respect to the host or to guests. They are a way of regulating our behavior so that we do not detract from the conversation and the overall dining experience. The video outlined a scenario where one is invited to another person’s house for dinner, and it went through the event showing the different rules of etiquette for such an occasion and why they were beneficial.

But before the dinning begins, there are some preliminary rules. We should always respond to an invitation and always issue invitations. We should not show up unannounced without RSVPing or give guests too short of notice. And an important rule for modern times: Our cellphones should be put on silent before a meal and put away; we should not leave them on the table or check them excessively during the meal. 

Table Manners

Here is a summary of what the video discussed on table manners: We should not excuse ourselves from the table often, and when we do, it should not be for longer than five minutes. We should eat politely, taking small bites, chewing with our mouth closed, and waiting until everyone is seated with their food before beginning to eat. We should be polite and try every type of food that the host has prepared, unless it is necessary not to due to allergies or some other limitation.

Such embarrassing moments as removing food from one’s teeth should be handled in the bathroom rather than at the table. Serving dishes should be passed to the right to avoid any mishaps, and serving utensils should always be used and not one’s own cutlery. While eating, elbows should not be on the table, and we should strive to maintain good posture, sitting all the way back in the seat, having our feet placed firmly on the ground, and avoiding leaning over our food excessively.

The video made another interesting point: Be sure not to over-explain. If one is getting up to take a phone call, he need not explain every detail of how his mother is calling him and she has had terrible health as of late and he simply cannot miss it. Instead, we should simply ask to be excused and have that be the end of it. The same applies to refusing to drink and other personal decisions. 

Restaurant Etiquette

Mr. McNair then showed a second video on a similar yet unique topic: restaurant etiquette. This topic can be quite significant for many reasons, but there is one less obvious reason that is quite relevant. Many employers take interviewees out to eat to see their dining etiquette and social skills on display, and knowledge on this subject can be a professional asset. All the principles just discussed on table manners still apply, and this video brought up many good practices specific to restaurants.

The first is to budget for the event. We should know what the menu is, know how much it costs, and be prepared to pay for ourselves, even if the host says they will pay for it. If we have coats and hats, we should ask the waiter if they have a coat room they will store those garments in rather than having them by our table. If another dinner guest comes in while we are already seated, standing up to shake their hand is best practice.

If the host is paying, we should order around the same price range as them to be courteous. When a guest is ready to order, closing the menu and placing it on the table lets the waiter know that we are ready, and when dealing with the staff, we should always be polite and kind, even when pointing out that food was not correctly prepared or that some mistake occurred. If we are arranging to pay for the whole table, telling the waiter beforehand to avoid any awkward debates or hassles at the dinner table can improve the experience by removing any potential for contention. 

What We Learned

After each video, Mr. McNair asked the students if they heard anything that they had never heard before. While  we were somewhat familiar with many of the topics, we all found something in particular that we did not know. Mr. McNair also prompted us to state the bad practices that the videos brought up that we were guilty of doing in the past—we all had a few. Ultimately, etiquette is a set of helpful guidelines that ensures we know how to behave in order to set others at ease and present ourselves in the best light. These are not complicated or overbearing customs, but rather just good rules for life. God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), and we should do all things “decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). In light of this, we will all take the chance to include etiquette in our dining experiences from now on.

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.