February 2026 Member Letter

February 5, 2026

Dear Brethren,

I am currently in Australia with Jon and Debbie Pinelli and Doug and Tanya Horchak. This is part of a trip to visit Church members in three countries—Australia, New Zealand and Fiji—and conduct classes for the International Leadership Program in New Zealand. Unfortunately, my wife was not able to make this trip with me, as she was not feeling well at the time of our departure. However, I’m happy to report she is now feeling better.

One of the most rewarding parts of my responsibilities is spending time with the brethren. I was in New Zealand last year for the retirement of André van Belkum, but this is my first trip to Australia and Fiji in quite a few years. (In fact, it has been 30 years since I was last in Melbourne. My wife and I attended the Feast of Tabernacles in Australia in 1996, and during that Feast we attended three different sites: Noosa along the Sunshine Coast, Nelson Bay near Sydney, and Lorne outside of Melbourne. That was our first visit to Australia, and I still remember how striking it was to experience such different climates—the tropical warmth in Noosa to the north, followed by cold and rainy weather in Lorne to the south—all in the same week.)

On Jan. 31, our first Sabbath after leaving Dallas, we met with a small group of members in Melbourne, who welcomed us with open arms. We enjoyed a Sabbath service together (Mr. Horchak and I gave split sermons), followed by nearly three hours of snacks and fellowship. It was a full and tiring day, but also one that was very positive, encouraging and inspiring. Even if we had no other meetings during this trip, that one day alone would have made the journey worthwhile.

However, there is still much ahead before we return home, including Sabbath services in Auckland on Feb. 7, International Leadership Program classes in Auckland on Feb. 8, and a three-day visit to Fiji to spend time with the brethren there.

As I reflect on the past year and all that has taken place, these meetings have taken on deeper meaning for me personally. Last July, I did not know whether my health would allow me to continue traveling to visit the brethren. But thus far, things have gone well. I have gradually increased the length of my trips without any ill effects, at least to this point. In fact, I feel these visits are contributing to my recovery rather than hindering it. The 17-hour flight from Dallas to Melbourne that began our trip was certainly the longest I’ve taken since my surgery last July. It was tiring, but still preferable to having a stopover along the way, and it was good to get the journey completed in one stretch.

Our time in Melbourne coincided with one of the world’s most prominent sporting events—the Australian Open, one of tennis’s four Grand Slam tournaments. The matches were held just two blocks from our hotel at Rod Laver Stadium and took place over three weeks, culminating in the women’s and men’s championship matches during the weekend of Jan. 31 to Feb. 1. Overall, about 1 million people attended the event, making it quite a spectacle.

While I’m not much of a tennis fan, I did watch the men’s final. The match featured Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia. Alcaraz, at just 22 years old, won his first Australian Open, defeating Djokovic, who holds more Grand Slam titles than any other male player in tennis history.

These two men are at the top of their sport, and since Alcaraz is only 22 years old, it appears that—barring injury—he may remain there for many years to come. After the championship match concluded, each man addressed the crowd in the stadium. I was impressed by the humility they displayed, as they directed attention toward others rather than themselves. There was nothing in their remarks about how great they are.

I found it refreshing to see such humility in our society, especially among athletes, politicians and world leaders. As Christians, we understand that humility is a foundational trait Christ taught us to imitate, and Scripture reminds us that without humility, we cannot enter His Kingdom.

When we began the International Leadership Program in 2018, one of the first classes we chose to teach focused on integrity and humility. As we now approach the Passover, we are reminded that Christ described true conversion—and those who will be in His Kingdom—as being humble, like a little child. Notice His words in Matthew 18:4: “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” We see from this that humility is not simply an important trait to possess; it is essential for all Christians. The Bible makes this point very clear. James 4:6 tells us, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Likewise, we read in 1 Peter 5:5-6, “Be clothed with humility . . . Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.”

Consider the example of Jesus Christ on the night of the Passover, when He knelt down and washed the feet of His disciples, as recorded in John 13. We will read this passage again on the night of Passover. What a powerful example Christ set for us. He demonstrated a deep and sincere humility—one that reflects the attitude we should each strive to have as we prepare to partake of the Passover in about eight weeks.

Brethren, I pray for all of you every day. Our world truly seems to be reeling out of control, yet it is vital that we not become so caught up in its politics and tragedies that we lose sight of the most fundamental principle of all—the need for humility, both in our worship of God and in our attitude toward one another.

What a different world it would be if humility were more evident among its leaders. While we cannot bring that about, we can choose to focus on others rather than ourselves, thereby fostering an atmosphere of love, humility and service within the Church. I believe this is exactly what God expects of us.

As we approach another Passover, when we will once again follow the example of Christ, I have been encouraged by the humility I have witnessed during this trip—among the brethren and even between two professional tennis players with no connection to the Church. Seeing such examples is a reminder that humility stands out when seen and continues to point us toward something better.

Sincerely, your brother in Christ,

Jim Franks