From Mr. Robert Morton: This June, Jesus Christ opened a door that has long been closed to us in Australia. Negotiations for lighted displays in the Adelaide airport were concluded by the Church's South Australian newsstand coordinator. About two years ago we tried, through our national advertising representatives, to secure displays in this airport, but were unsuccessful.
In June, our local newsstand representative contacted the local agency that handles the airport display spaces. On the very morning he contacted them, the agency had decided to let out two more lighted display spaces. Our local representative was able to immediately secure the two spaces, which happen to be in the highest traffic areas in the airport, and the South Australian Department of Aviation has since approved the display we plan to use.
In addition to having an impact on all who pass these lighted displays, the Church will be able to distribute PLAIN TRUTH magazines from racks that will form part of the displays.
Negotiations are also underway for lighted displays in major airports and high traffic areas in other states.
The article on Sri Lanka in the July-August PLAIN TRUTH was received exceptionally well by the Sri Lankan government. As a result of this article, the Prime Minister's Department in Sri Lanka requested 1,000 copies of this issue for distribution to cabinet members and to visitors to the Village Reawakening Programme mentioned in the article.
The article also drew a most exceptional response in Australia. The High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Canberra asked for 2,000 copies to be sent to him for distribution to his staff and the Sri Lankan community in this country. In addition, he asked that the High Commission in Canberra be placed on The PLAIN TRUTH mailing list to receive ten copies per issue. This one article has resulted in additional thousands being exposed to Christ's message in a most unexpected way.
Incoming mail broke all records this month. The letter count was 33,964- our highest count on record. Responses to Mr. Armstrong's semiannual letter totalled 14,355 — 15. 9% of the mailing list. Of these, 77.5% requested both booklets offered — THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN IN PROPHECY and A WORLD HELD CAPTIVE. Responses from Asian readers are just beginning to roll in.
In June, 64,261 pieces of mail (excluding The PLAIN TRUTH) were placed in the post, bringing our year-to-date count for outgoing mail to 603,292. This represents an 18.0% increase over the first six months of 1984. Income for June increased by 6.3%, bringing our year-to-date increase to 9.8%.
During the past twelve months, circulation of our magazines in Australia and Asia has continued to climb. The following table shows percentage increases for The PLAIN TRUTH, GOOD NEWS and YOUTH 85:
Material - Australia - Asia PLAIN TRUTH - 99,958 - 17.0% - 66,727 - 57.6% GOOD NEWS - 16,234 - 56.1% - 2,421 - 67.2% YOUTH 85 - 5,163 - 54.2% - 934 - 100.9%
From Mr. Bram de Bree At the beginning of June, Mr. Ralph Helge from our Legal Department in Pasadena visited our office in Nieuwegein. Later in the month, Mr. Don Patrick and Miss Peggy Warkentin from Publishing Services in Pasadena came to our office to supervise the installation of the Bedford computer typesetting system, and Miss Warkentin is now training our operator.
We are already able to produce galleys (first printouts) for De ECHTE WAARHEID (Dutch PLAIN TRUTH) and International GOOD NEWS articles. Once the system is fully operational, sending translated article material to and from Pasadena by satellite will speed things up greatly. Not only will this save much time, it will enable us to be more compatible and up to date with the U.S. publications.
Plans for the upcoming Feast of Tabernacles are completed. Our quota for foreign visitors is totally filled up. A recent visit to the Feast site in Hoogeveen confirmed that we will be able to make use of large-screen video equipment to handle all videotaped material sent to us from Pasadena, such as Mr. Armstrong's opening and closing messages, "Behind the Work" and the Young Ambassadors program.
At the Feast we will also be able to make use of new infrared translation equipment. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the members of all four Dutch language churches, we are able to purchase 200 infrared (wireless) headphone sets and the transmission equipment for translation purposes. Services at the Feast alternate between Dutch and English, with simultaneous translation.
The increase in income for June was 1.3%, and our incoming and outgoing mail decreased somewhat. A total of 5,600 pieces of mail were processed. Church membership increased 11% compared to June, 1984, while attendance increased 12.5%.
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