Herbert W Armstrong

There is another area, however, in which we need your help! The problem is equitable distribution of Festival Tithe assistance to members. Many have contacted the Festival Office regarding such assistance for needy members in their areas. As the Church has grown and the amount of assistance has increased, this aspect of the Festival administration has become a significant factor in the annual Church budget. The amount required to assist hundreds of member families attending the Feast of Tabernacles is enormous!

Such a vast assistance program needs a basic policy (which has been in effect since 1977) and wholehearted cooperation between the field ministry, Festival Coordinators and the Festival Office if it is to succeed. Hopefully, our present policy is standing the test of time and is providing a fair and equitable distribution of the monies available for member assistance. Please remember, any suggestions which will improve our present program are always most appreciated!

Perhaps the most difficult question is what determination to make for a member family which simply has insufficient funds to attend. A key to determining such assistance is found in Deuteronomy 14:24-25. The implication in these verses is that when the way is too long, a family should attend the Festival "when the Lord hath blessed thee."

If a family has insufficient tithe in any one year, in most cases, they should remain at home, saving that year's tithe and plan to attend the following year. An alternate to this plan is for the husband only to attend. In this way, important lessons, announcements and the spirit of the Festival may be brought home to the family so that they might not miss out entirely—yet, without great expense.

Another point to remember is that if a family has not been blessed with adequate Festival Tithe, perhaps this reflects a problem of some sort: questionable attitude, lack of steadfast obedience or proper approach in other areas of their lives. When this is the case, it would be wrong to override God's lack of blessing with Festival assistance.

Also, we cannot grant assistance to anyone requesting a transfer to a more distant site unless there is a unique situation or an emergency involved. This may sound like a hard or unsympathetic position, but we must be sure the Festival assistance goes to: (1) Those who fall within the spirit and intent of the Scriptures and (2) Those considered eligible in light of the needs of their brethren nationwide.

This can best be done in respect of needs nationally and internationally from a central office in Pasadena! But, from time to time, there has been a tendency to retain Festival funds in the local area. However, when this occurs, deserving individuals within the nationwide and international scope of the policy may be unnecessarily denied assistance.

Please help us in this Ratter. Encourage the members to send ALL of their Tithe of the Tithe and excess Festival Tithe to Tucson for equitable distribution on a nationwide basis.

Also, in some instances, local pastors do not face the issue with needy people at home and end up encouraging some to attend the Festival who cannot afford it! As there are numerous such cases nationwide, this additional, unbudgeted assistance could amount to tens of thousands of dollars. So, please note and announce that NO ONE should go to the Festival expecting to receive assistance once there. All legitimate requests within the limit of monies available will have been approved and provided for by the Festival Office before the Feast.

Certainly, it is never too late for an emergency! We want to help ALL who rightly qualify for assistance. However, we have found many requests for assistance do not lie within our policies or sound judgment. Therefore, families making such requests at the Festival sites will be advised to return home and not stay for the balance of the Feast. Assistance given at the Festival sites must be reserved for legitimate emergency cases.

Again, PLEASE do not view this as an unnecessarily harsh or strict approach, but try to see it in the light of a vast nationwide program. With so many hundreds of families involved, circumventing the assistance program could produce a serious deficit of funds before all Festival expenses are met.

Thank you for your cooperation in this delicate and most important responsibility. Again, if you have any suggestions, please do not hesitate to write.

Sherwin McMichael, Festival Office

PLEASE ANNOUNCE:

"INFLATION FIGHTER ANNOUNCEMENT"

The Festival Office has completed. arrangements with the Hertz Corporation to secure SPECIAL CONVENTION DISCOUNTS for this year's Feast. All members requiring a rental car during the Feast may receive the 20% discount no matter where they may be spending the Feast in the United States.

A special I.D. number will be given to all those interested in this program. Simply give your name and address and the site or area where you will be renting the car, to your minister so he may then forward that information to the Festival Office. YOU will then be notified of your special I.D. number which you will USE: when making your Hertz rental car reservation and you will receive a 20% discount for a 15-day period beginning October 2nd through October 16th. Be sure to include your whole address and zip code as well as name of the city in which you intend picking up the car. In this way, you will be assured of an adequate selection.

PASTOR PLEASE NOTE:

Please compile this information and mail to the Festival Office C/O Budde Marino's attention, as soon as possible.