FROM MINISTERIAL SERVICES

Joseph W Tkach

International News

Update From London: PLAIN TRUTH circulation in the United Kingdom and Eire has already reached the 1984 end-of-year target of 150,000, and will rise further before year's end. Circulation for July is 72% above July last year.

GOOD NEWS circulation is up 15.4% over July 1983, and a promotional program is planned in future issues of The PLAIN TRUTH. It is Mr. Armstrong's wish that The GOOD NEWS be offered to all PLAIN TRUTH subscribers who have renewed their subscriptions at least twice. This will result in a major increase in circulation and, hopefully, in donors and co-workers.

Mail income for July showed a 15% increase over July 1983, bringing our year-to-date increase to 7.3%. July was the second best month ever for mail.

Scandinavia: The Norwegian language PLAIN TRUTH circulation has just topped 16,000. The combined English and Norwegian circulation in Scandinavia currently stands at just over 27,000, 11% above last month's figure, and is continuing to grow towards our end-of-year target of 35,000. Good responses have been received to literature offers, with particular interest being shown for THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN IN PROPHECY.

From Canada: July was an exciting month for God's Church in Canada, although tinged with a little disappointment. The month began with the Vancouver Church and office being host to the fifth annual national track meet. All the participants and coaches toured the office on July 5th. The office staff enjoyed the opportunity to meet and fellowship with young people from all parts of Canada.

During July, Messrs. Colin Adair, David Hulme and Bill Moreland (the latter is Senior Vice-President for BBDO in Los Angeles) met with representatives of Baker Lovick, our media agency, to discuss updates in the media area. Upcoming spot ads on television for The PLAIN TRUTH and our current radio situation were reviewed. A number of radio stations which have not been producing will be canceled soon, saving several thousand dollars this budget year. This money will be used in other ways for spreading the Gospel.

The decision was made to run more direct mail ads in August and September. After the Feast we will have, once again, a newspaper insert campaign. Coupled with the newspaper inserts will be a pilot program to be tested in Winnipeg. A 30-second TV ad will be run for a five-day period directing the viewers to the insert in their local newspaper(s). If this program is successful, we may expand it into other cities.

Mr. David Hulme also brought with him some exciting news. The door has finally opened for us to rent display islands in airports starting in September. We will have display islands in the Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal airports. Careful monitoring of response cards will enable us to measure the effectiveness of these outlets.

The disappointing news this month was the rejection by Canada Post of our application for second class mailing privileges. We are in the process of appealing this decision and are now awaiting an answer to our appeal letter.

Income for July was a plus 9.3%, bringing the year-to-date increase to 13%.

From the Spanish Department: Ads are now slated for several issues of READER'S DIGEST in the months ahead. Two-page spreads with a return reply card will appear in the Iberian (Spain) edition (circulation 410,000) in September and December. A two-page ad without a card will be placed in the October Peru edition, which has a circulation of 40,000. Also, a two-page ad featuring the SEVEN LAWS OF SUCCESS booklet in Portuguese will run in the Portugal edition (circulation 165,000) in October. Between 9,000-14,000 responses from these four ads are expected. To date, 18,900 responses have been received from ads placed last year in editions of READER'S DIGEST appearing in Mexico, Spain, Portugal and Venezuela.

Mr. Herbert Cisneros conducted Bible lectures May 19-20 in the Camino Real Hotel in San Salvador, El Salvador. A total of 397 (13.3% of those invited) attended. Mr. Cisneros said that the audience was well educated, evidenced by the fact that 70% were from the professional class.

The next weekend, May 26-27, Mr. Cisneros gave PV Bible lectures in Guatemala City, where the El Dorado Hotel was host to 503 new people. Mr. Cisneros noted that about half of those in attendance were from Protestant backgrounds, the other half Catholic. Some 270 requested future Bible studies, which begin this month.

Approximately 4,600 miles (7,400 kilometers) southeast of Guatemala, Mr. Alber to Sousa conducted four Bible lectures in Bahia Blanca, Argentina. Forty-eight new people attended, and 34 of those wanted to attend future Bible studies. Turnout was six percent of those invited and was probably adversely affected by wildcat postal strikes, which delayed delivery of the invitation letters, and by the cold, windy weather. Mr. Sousa said that most of those who attended were either current or former students of the Bible correspondence course.

Mr. Mario Seiglie, pastor of the Santiago, Chile Church, recently completed a series of eleven follow-up Bible studies for those attending his May PV Bible lectures. Thirty-five people were still interested after these studies, and 12 of those are attending Sabbath services.

Seven more Bible lectures are scheduled through the end of the year for Argentina, Honduras and Mexico. A total of 1,463 new people have attended a PV Bible lecture this year. We expect this number to double after the above-mentioned lectures are conducted.

**** TO BE READ IN ALL CHURCHES ****

1985 Festival Housing Arrangements

Although the Feast of Tabernacles is still weeks away, much planning for next year's festival has already taken place. One critical factor is housing. Because of the following reasons, we are requesting that all members wait until next spring when the Festival Planner is distributed to make housing reservations for 1985.

1. The sites are not yet firm. Almost any site could be changed.

2. We have no way to guarantee that all transfers will be approved.

3. All housing at each site must be negotiated by the Festival Coordinator between now and next year. Negotiating for better prices is impossible if available housing is already partially filled by members.

4. Finally, those who book their housing early, especially if they are transferring to a very popular site, make it much more difficult for those assigned to that site to find housing.

So please wait until the Festival Planner is distributed in the spring to make your 1985 festival housing arrangements. Your cooperation will help make a better Feast for everyone!

Taping of Services at the Feast

As explained in the PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT of July 23, 1982, sermons or other parts of services should not be taped by anyone except those appointed by the Church to do so. The same policy applies at the Feast of Tabernacles. Please do not take your tape recorder to the Feast to tape the services, as this will not be permitted. Those who are unable to attend may request to borrow sermon tapes from their pastors after the Feast.

Taking Pets to the Feast

For many years the Church has discouraged members from taking their pets to the Feast. (The obvious exception would be seeingeye dogs or those trained to aid the deaf.) If you cannot make arrangements to leave your pets with a friend, in a kennel, or at home, then you must arrange in advance with your hotel or motel to have pets in your room. However, any damage or other problems caused by the pets must be your responsibility. In no way can the Church be involved or held responsible.

— Festival Office

NOTICE TO ALL U.S. CHURCH PASTORS

1984 Festival Housing for Wisconsin Dells and Biloxi

Any brethren who need housing in Wisconsin Dells or Biloxi, Miss. should already have requested reservations. Any who have not yet done so should submit their housing applications to you as soon as possible.

Please do not send any more housing applications or requests for changes for these two sites to Pasadena. These should now be sent to the Wisconsin Dells office, and must be received before September 26. After that date we cannot make any more changes.

The address and phone number for the office in Wisconsin Dells is:

Worldwide Church of God
P.O. Box 111
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
(608) 254-2516

NOTICE TO ALL MINISTERS
(NOT to be Announced)

Due to telephone inquiries received regarding Mr. and Mrs. Charles Crain, we feel it is necessary to advise the ministry that Mr. Crain has been removed from the ministry and that his membership in the Church has been terminated. Mrs. Crain remains a member in good standing. This notice is not, and should not be considered a marking of Mr. Crain.

Comments From Monthly Church Reports

From the United States

ALAMOSA, CO — GARY PENDERGRAFT: I appreciate reading the "Comments From Monthly Church Reports" section in the PGR. It illustrates the single-mindedness among the ministry; generates ideas to use in the area where we are working; and, when certain parts are read to the Church, can be used as a "first warning" if certain problems cited apply to this area.

QUEENS, NY — EARL WILLIAMS: The brethren were stirred and inspired by Mr. Armstrong's powerful message on prophecy. Many were moved to pray more earnestly for Mr. Armstrong's eyesight. All of us are thankful that God's inspiration upon him is getting stronger and stronger as he begins his 93rd year.

TACOMA, WA — MEL DAHLGREN: God's hand was clearly visible at Camp Tanglewood this year — from diverting storms to His general protection. One highlight was the Bible Bowl. The campers' general knowledge of the Bible this year far overshadowed that of only a couple of years ago. The fruits of family Bible study, as well as the YES and YOU programs, are truly visible.

DULUTH, MN — BILL GORDON: In conjunction with Mr. Armstrong's proclaiming world peace in the World Tomorrow, it was interesting to notice at our recent Church campout how the children were building bridges, roads, tunnels, etc. in the sandbox, displaying peace and cooperation, as opposed to playing with tanks, soldiers, and guns, as is so commonly seen in the world.

JONESBORO, AR — CLYDE KILOUGH: We had seven teens go to the first session of the SEP, which represented over one-third of our total youth group. It is amazing what three weeks there can do for a youngster — they are so impressionable at that age and the overall effect of camp is very positive. All parents noted positive changes in their children.

ROANOKE, VA — ROBERT PERSKY: I am having good results with the YOU this summer. Almost all the teens are involved in the scheduled activities. Enthusiasm is high. As participation and involvement increases, the influence of the Church upon the lives of the teens becomes greater and greater.

CONCORD, NH — KEN WILLIAMS: Our children have an uphill battle all the way to qualify as leaders in the World Tomorrow. It's evident that we need to give more of ourselves to them. I'm encouraging the brethren to pray that God will help us turn our hearts more fully to our children.

From the Caribbean

HAMILTON, BERMUDA — CECIL PULLEY: The local TV stations are still not broadcasting the program regularly, so there is still a famine of the word here in Bermuda. Newsstand distribution is picking up, but it still has not translated into many new subscriptions. Bermudians seem content to just pick up a copy each month from the stand. PM activity is increasing with a few good prospects.

— Joe Tkach, Ministerial Services

Pastor General's Report

August 31, 1984

Vol 6 No. 37