Herbert W Armstrong

   Greetings from Pasadena. We are all fine here and in good health. The Personal Appearance Campaign, concluded here last night, went very well and we had about 550 average total attendance — even though we had earlier discouraged most of our Church people from coming. However, realizing that with the negative publicity we have had in this area and the severe gas shortages affecting people's driving, the attendance was not going to be what we thought, we did encourage the brethren, somewhat belatedly to go ahead and attend. In spite of the above problems, brand new people attending were estimated at about 60 to 80 each night and interest was excellent. From the responses we achieved, we hope and expect that at least 12 to 25 of the new people will come to follow-up Bible studies and, we pray, that at least several new people will be brought into God's Church.

   An additional bonus along with the campaign was a much better-than-average article on the campaign by Pasadena Star-News reporter, Dick Lloyd. We will reproduce a copy of this entire article for your interest here in the Pastor's Report. Although I did not ever use the word "scourge" or turn to Obadiah or Nahum, Mr. Lloyd's article was, on the whole, objective and in itself served as a type of witness to those who read it here in the Pasadena area. For this we are thankful. As Mr. Herbert Armstrong said, this is the first positive publicity we have had around here for a long time! And it was in direct connection with preaching the Gospel of God's coming kingdom.

   Mr. Raymond McNair took most of the faculty members over to Tucson this past Thursday for a fine visit with Mr. Armstrong. Everyone said it was a most inspiring and encouraging visit, and the faculty was able to get better acquainted with Mr. Armstrong and receive from him instruction and exhortation as to how to continually improve the approach in the courses taught at Ambassador. As Mr. Armstrong told me on the phone yesterday afternoon, he does want us all to follow his lead in getting the Church back really close to God and in helping prepare the Church for the coming marriage to Jesus Christ! I hope all of us can grasp this concept, and enthusiastically follow Mr. Armstrong's lead in preaching the kind of instructive and heartfelt sermons and in giving the Church the kind of constant advice and example in Bible studies, personal visits, social activities, etc., that will make them inspired to prepare themselves for that ultimate union — on a spiritual plane — with Jesus Christ Himself. I am sure a lot of information will be coming further from Mr. Armstrong along this line, so please note it and act on it.

   Mr. Armstrong has reminded us again that we are to disfellowship any members who attend GTA's campaigns, church services or other meetings. Some of our weaker members apparently do not realize that this man is in direct rebellion against God and His government! We must not allow them, or ourselves, to rationalize about this matter, to try to "help the underdog," or in any other way lend support to one whose gross immorality, whose long-standing "play acting" and hypocrisy, and whose direct insubordination to the Government of God has long been and is now a source of confusion and DIVISION among God's people. So, as per Mr. Armstrong's instructions, I charge and exhort every one of you faithful ministers of the living Christ to explain this in no uncertain terms to your members, to warn them about this cause of division and then to disfellowship any who consort with GTA or any of his followers.

   On a more happy note, I am glad to report that Mr. Gerald Waterhouse has so far reached 68 churches on his tour across the U.S. He reports positive and encouraging response from ministers and brethren alike.

   Let me quote from a paragraph of his recent report:

   "Thus far, I feel the tour has gone exceptionally well. Most of the brethren respond well. Those who have invested their lives in this Church and Work appreciate hearing strong support of our Father, Jesus Christ, their Apostle, and the definite and significant plan and purpose for our calling into this church era. Also, when they see its significance to the world tomorrow and plan of God, it becomes more apparent why Satan is so furiously attacking and fighting this Work! I feel most really want to prove loyal team members in this Work and Church era under God's Messenger and anointed one, Mr. Herbert Armstrong. I feel Christ has given powerful inspiration along these lines which is, in the case of most people, very convicting."

   Getting to the International division, I would like to ask all of you International Directors to send your reports to me through the International Office from now on. That way, Rod Matthews will be able to sort them out and bring them to me in a special way, and he will automatically take care of any special requests that need to be expedited so that they do not get delayed in case I am out of town or busy when your report comes in. If you have a strictly confidential letter, you may, of course, send it directly to me either at the office or at home any time. But all normal reports should be sent through the International office.

   Also, I would like to announce that — pending any problems about this date — we will plan for an International Directors' Conference to be held this July 17, 18 and 19 here in Pasadena. Some of you may wish to come in early and talk to me and Mr. Luker separately and some of you may wish to stay over later. But we will devote all three days to meetings together and plan, God willing, to fly over to Tucson on Wednesday, July 18, to spend most of the day with Mr. Herbert Armstrong. Please let me know immediately if there are any serious conflicts in scheduling that this might involve for any of you International Directors. I have talked to a couple of you about these dates, but not everyone yet.

   Dean and Maxine Blackwell are out here looking for a place to live. They are anxious to get settled out here a few weeks from now, and we are certainly encouraged to have them on our P.A.D. "team." It is great to have this kind of experienced, dedicated "team" of men to work together with here at headquarters, and I hope all of you will let us know any way in which we can better serve you, or God's people as things progress over the coming months.

   And thanks for all of your hard work, loyalty and support! It is much appreciated, and I am sure that under Christ's leadership, we will be able to turn the Church around and have the kind of solid growth we all desire in the months and years to come. So keep up the good work!

   With Christian love,

   Roderick C. Meredith

   (See page 4 of PDF for Dick Lloyd article "Church evangelist predicts grim U.S. future".)