Successful Feast: The outstanding success of the 1985 Feast of Tabernacles has literally been reported from the "four corners of the earth," I certainly add my voice in support of these reports.
In addition to our own reports, there are many glowing reports from public officials and business people from around the world expressing appreciation for church members and their exemplary attitude. Their experiences with members is certainly a marked contrast to dealing with the general public.
Cooperation the Key" While still savoring the success of the 1985 Festival, the staff is busily preparing for the Feast of Tabernacles 1986. Housing negotiations are underway even now at the various sites.
With the church membership continuing to grow, we will probably be at or near the 100,000 mark in attendance next year in the United States alone. This has a dramatic impact on housing in any given area. Therefore, we must be continuing to improve our organization of housing arrangements and every facet of the Festival operation. Everything must work more and more smoothly with ever greater cooperation by the membership.
Preparing for 1986: There are few items that Mr. Tkach and I have discussed that will be helpful in preparing our members for the Festival in 1986.
1. Housing continues to be a major area in which members need to be instructed to comply.
• Members should not make housing arrangements until the planner is published. Otherwise, we have no control over the usage of housing establishments and thereby the rates. This can even affect our ability to continue to use a Festival site.
• If a person is improperly treated for any reason by a housing establishment, this should be brought to the attention of the Festival Advisor or Housing Officer and noted on the questionnaire handed out near the end of the Feast. These are our means of solving housing problems. We evaluate the comments on the questionnaires thoroughly seeking out the problems that need to be resolved.
2. Members should be instructed in saving second tithe, the use of it, and the necessity of the Festival tithe to provide for the needy, the ministers and the operation of the sites.
3. Although many church members transfer to other Festival sites at will, it may be necessary to work out a rotation by which some stay at their assigned site periodically to fill positions of responsibility. In Pasadena, because of operating this facility as a Festival site, we normally require employees to remain in their jobs approximately one out of three years. This rotates the responsibility, but still makes it possible to effectively conduct the Feast. Each pastor must, of course, assess his own needs to fulfill church responsibilities.
4. We have to be concerned about customs in this society. Tipping is a part of the cost of service provided. In a few cases, some members have not tipped for whatever reason. This is noted by some as indicative of the church's attitude. People should be instructed that it is appropriate to tip and in cases of exceptional service one should give more than the 15%.
5. Traveler's checks should be encouraged, especially where people are carrying more than $300 or $400. In one hotel everyone was paying the entire cost of the eight-day period in $100 bills. Some establishments are not equipped to keep safely this much cash. A worse problem is for one to be observed carrying large sums of cash. It makes us vulnerable to assaults, burglaries and robberies. It just isn't prudent in this society to carry large sums of money.
There are probably other items that should be covered but these are some of the major areas. We appreciate your assistance in helping to make the Festival operation smoother with each passing year.
FROM FACILITIES ADMINISTRATION
Worldwide Church of God