Herbert W Armstrong

We greet you with good news from Southern Africa. Good news, that is, as far as God's Work is concerned. The area presently administered from the Johannesburg office consists of South Africa, Zimbabwe/Rhodesia, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Bophuthatswana, Swaziland, and Transkei.

Our total PLAIN TRUTH circulation is 80,000, of which 50,000 are distributed by mailing and the remainder on newsstand outlets in various supermarkets and hypermarkets. Our response to the latter still averages out at 4%. What we like about our mailing list is the fact that 50% of our subscribers are readers who have renewed again and again.

New Subscribers

New subscribers have been added to our PLAIN TRUTH mailing list as follows:

1. Newsstand Distribution responses: 5,200 since January 1979. We increased our newsstand distribution by 14,000 in the month of September 1978. Total newsstand distribution is now 30,000 per month.

2. Referral Program Responses: Our PLAIN TRUTH wrapper carries an offer of an introductory copy of the PLAIN TRUTH to a friend of the reader. We find that 30% of those who receive the sample copy also request a year's subscription. Since January we have added 5,200 new subscribers, averaging about 900 per month. Excellent results for a no cost program.

3. Word of mouth responses: monthly we receive approximately 500 requests for the PLAIN TRUTH from those who have been introduced to the magazine through personal contact with another reader.

Renewals

Our mailing list is subject to an ongoing renewal system. The reader is given three opportunities to renew. The results are good. Presently we have a response rate of 64%.

Bible Correspondence Course

Since January 1979 we have added 4,900 to those already on the Correspondence Course. We still find the Correspondence Course the most valuable means of leading people towards the Bible and the Church.

The Church

The Church is growing and our membership at the end of May, 1979 is 1,239. This is a 6% increase compared with this time last year. Our overall attendance is 7% higher now, averaging about 1630.

Finances

Our Holy Day offerings year to date, including Pentecost, are 10.5% more than in 1978. Our monthly money income is up 13% year to date. However, we continue to face a climbing inflation rate — now at 12.6%. This will go up, some say, by as much as an additional 1.9% because of the energy crisis and price of gasoline. Our litre now costs us 54 cents (45.76 U.S. cents) which is 2% times what is paid in the United States. The recent 15% increase in the price adds 1200 US dollars to our office fuel bill every month.

There was to have been a 50% increase in postal tariffs in October, 1979, but this has just been postponed. A temporary relief only.

GERMANY
(Mr. Frank Schnee, Regional Director)

The highlight for the German-language churches in June was Mr. Frank Schnee's series of weekend visits to the various church areas. During his seven-week stay, Mr. Schnee visited and preached to each church area, devoting himself to current projects and planning ahead for the '89s with expansion in mind. The membership greeted Mr. and Mrs. Schnee enthusiastically, again demonstrating that recent events revolving around the receivership have had no negative repercussions. Instead, many members have indicated that this persecution of the Work has further bolstered their conviction that this is indeed the end time. Mr. Schnee returned to Pasadena in the middle of July.

In June Alfred Hellemann, local elder serving Austria and Bavaria, visited our lone member in Poland, Victor Przybylla (pronounced Chee-bee-lah), and his wife and six children. Despite their isolation, Mr. Przybylla's family is doing well and he himself is growing in faith. His wife is not baptized but is becoming increasingly friendly to visitors from the West, Mr. Hellemann reports. Mr. Przybylla hopes church members everywhere will pray that more religious freedom (and thus the opportunity to preach the Gospel more freely) will soon be allowed in Poland. The success of the Pope's recent visit will probably result in more leeway for other churches too, Mr. Przybylla feels.

Office

As usual with the summer school vacation beginning, our incoming mail decreases in comparison with other months of the year. We are using the additional time to plan our efforts for 1980. This project with all the different considerations involved, will undoubtedly take several months to complete. Also, office members are now able to take their vacations without leaving others behind inundated with additional work.

Income

The mail income for the year to date is up 8.5% over last year. At present our Holy Day offerings are up 14.4% over last year.

Compiled by Rod Matthews, International Office