Herbert W Armstrong

Income for October was 51.3% up on last year. While this may seem a very large increase, it is, of course, due to the fact that the Feast of Tabernacles was held later last year, which meant we had many more income days this October than last. Year-to-date income stands at 11%.

Reports from the coordinators across Canada indicate that the Feast of Tabernacles went extremely well at all sites. Attendance was over 14,000 — which was an increase of 6.4% on 1984. Offerings on the first day were up 16.1%, and on the Last Great Day 34.4%.

The brethren have commented very favorably on Mr. Armstrong's book "Mystery of the Ages" and wish me to pass on their thanks to him for producing such a fine work. From Fort McMurray, AB, the most northerly church in Canada, to Windsor, Ontario, the most southerly, all extend their thanks for Mr. Armstrong's efforts.

The fast day for the health of Mr. Armstrong and others with serious illnesses in the Church was taken soberly by the brethren here. Almost continually, members and ministers alike are inquiring how he is. The concern is obvious and the brethren's prayers continue.

Canada's 11% unemployment rate continues to be a problem for some members. However, many local churches have begun a campaign to help members obtain employment by holding job seminars in which pastors instruct members how to go about getting a job. The campaign has been very successful in some church areas, resulting in members obtaining substantial employment after not having worked for years.

From Dibar Apartian: There are 40 French-speaking countries and/or dependencies located in Western Europe, North America, the Caribbean, South America, North Africa, Western and Central Africa, the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific. A population of 250,000,000 live in these countries. They have divergent cultures — all they have in common is the French language! The surface areas where these people live is 16,212,276 square kilometers.

The worldwide circulation of "La Pure Verite" is up 32.6% over last year. We currently have 177,499 subscribers, of whom 67,490 have been added to our files so far this year. Penetration of "La Pure Verite" among the 40 French-speaking countries is currently 1 in every 1,017 persons.

The circulation of "La Bonne Nouvelle du Monde a Venir" (the French "Good News") has also experienced good growth. The current circulation is 30,273 — which is an increase of 136.9% over last year.

Currently 21 ordained ministers and two trainees serve in 27 French­ speaking churches. The average weekly Sabbath service attendance stands at 2,642 persons, an increase of 16.7% above last year.

Attendance at the five French Feast of Tabernacles sites was 2,947 — an increase of 15.5% over last year. Holy Day offerings for 1985 were 36.3% above last year, with an overall increase given per person of 21.7%.

Radio is effective in areas and hours where people are still tuning in. RTL-Radio covers the northern quarter of France, reaching the Parisian region. Radio SUD broadcasts from Andorra into most of Southwestern France.

We've just added four new radio stations in the Abitibi-Val d'Or region of Quebec. This opens up a rather isolated region 1,500 kilometers northwest of Montreal. Two new radio opportunities in Martinique have opened up on private FM stations.

"The World Tomorrow" subtitled in French is having a synergistic effect in whatever French areas it has been airing. TMC-TV, broadcasting from Monte Carlo, reaches a larger area of southeastern France this year, including Marseille and Aix-en-Provence. Six new stations are carrying the French-subtitled broadcasts in Canada. Three are in Quebec and three in northern Ontario, where there is a significant French-speaking population.

Future possibilities of increased television in France are looking very bright. Within the next one to two years it appears that a private cable TV industry will open up in France.

As an inexpensive substitute to running a newsstand program, we are just kicking off a new program called Chevalet-présentoir program (easel cardholder). Instead of distributing a magazine with its inherent production and transportation costs, we simply negotiate space in local business establishments, such as shopping centers, and distribute brochures advertising “La Pure Vérité.” As the cost of the two-color brochures is minimal and the format does not change from month to month, we can take advantage of large printing runs and can ship them in bulk by sea freight.

In Martinique we have now placed six Chevalets-présentoirs in supermarkets, distributing in three weeks 3,160 brochures. We've had over 250 responses so far, which is a 4% response rate. Last week we received 215 responses from newly placed easel cardholders in Guadeloupe.

French Canada continued this year to employ direct mail to good advantage, adding 13,568 new people — 49.8% of the white mail from French Canada. And worldwide, “Sélection” (French edition of Reader's Digest) accounted for 22% of our white mail of 15,030 responses through November 7, counting as well new responses received from previous years' ads.

The Pasadena office, where everything is centralized and computerized, handles nearly all of the editorial work, in addition to worldwide administration. At the present this office has a total of 16 employees: two ministers, five full-time employees and nine students.