Herbert W Armstrong

It has been only for the last three years that the brethren in Guyana have been able to meet regularly. In October 1975, British-born Paul Krautmann went to Guyana and began assisting with the Church in his spare time. Formerly, Mr. Stan Bass would visit Guyana once or twice a year, meeting and counseling with the people who were responding, in most cases, to the WORLD TOMORROW broadcast Over a local radio station.

Since 1972, however, there has been no radio broadcast and no concerted effort to reach the people in Guyana. In spite of this, the number of subscribers to the PLAIN TRUTH has been rising steadily, purely as a result of word of mouth.

NOW, with 55 baptized members, the Church in Guyana will undoubtedly make a dramatic increase in its influence upon this former British colony of 63,000 square miles. There are now about 2300 people who receive the PT every month. In addition, the Police Department in Georgetown has requested 500 copies each of our booklets on crime and drugs. They have also requested 400 copies of several other booklets. Mr. Krautmann speaks to various schools on the laws of success and the causes of crime: this results in many booklet requests. An article on crime, in which the crime booklet was advertised, pulled in more than 80 requests.

Canada

We have some excellent news this month on the income of the Work here in Canada. June shows a 12% increase, giving a year-to-date increase of 8%.

The English language ad campaign is continuing to pull responses as we get into the summer months. Since March, we have recorded 3220 responses of which 206 are newsstand responses. These are early responses and we are looking to a substantial increase in this figure over the next few months.

Proportionately, the French people in Quebec are responding in greater numbers than their English-speaking Canadian counterparts. This is clearly seen in the latest ad response statistics where French language media have produced 4887 responses since March to date.

Several reasons can be advanced for the difference in response: the French people in Quebec are more responsive to free offers which concern the family: their interest in religion stems from Catholicism which many have rejected, but which still has a strong underlying influence. A booklet like Is There A Real Hell Fire? has, therefore, a stronger appeal in French Quebecthan it does in English-speaking Canada. The fact that French Canada has not been so well blanketed by our radio and T.V. programs or ad campaigns in past years also makes for higher response levels.

For the first time in several months, the subscription files show an increase. Circulation figures are:

The Plain Truth 58,970
La Pure Verite 22,907
The Good News 8,807

We are actively planning our fall ad campaigns this month, gearin9 up for a newspaper insert test promotion in September. It will consist of a 4-page promotional piece advertising The Plain Truth and will be carried by newspapers in the following countrywide areas: Prince George, Red Deer, North Battleford, Peterborough, and Moncton. These towns have been selected as being representative of Canada's differing regions and results should provide a valid overall reading for future planning.

The newsstand program continues to expand — 200,000 copies will go on display in July now that Calgary, Saskatoon, North Battleford, Regina and Moose Jaw have established distribution outlets.

July is, of course, time for field and sabbatical transfers. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Fahey and family have arrived. Mr. Fahey will be Area Co-ordinator for the British Columbia region and has already begun a tour of the churches in his area. Mr. and Mrs. Larry Greider will be moving to the Vancouver Church area from Barrie, Ontario in the next few weeks to become Pastor of the Vancouver Church and to coordinate Y.O.U. and Y.E.S. programs from the office.

Compiled by Rod Matthews, International Office