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WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
WORLD HEADQUARTERS
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
PRESIDENT and PASTOR
April 5, 1971
Dear Brethren:
I have been delayed, by the pressure of responsibilities,
some two or three weeks in sending you the joyous and happy
announcement that we had set -- officially -- the date for ground-
breaking and start of actual CONSTRUCTION of the long-hoped-for
HOUSE FOR GOD at Pasadena headquarters.
I had already announced it to the brethren here -- and it
brought the biggest and most thunderous applause I had ever heard
from our brethren here!
But I have just received a very sobering statement from Mr.
Albert Portune, Vice President in charge of Financial Affairs and
Planning. Last year -- a depression year -- the first three
months' income for God's Work was 13.6% over the first quarter of
the preceding year. We have just finished the first three months
of 1971, with only a 5.6% increase! THAT MEANS 1971 IS STARTING
OUT TO BE A WORSE YEAR THAN LAST!
At this time last year I had to ask all you members to send
in extra special emergency offerings -- even to borrow at your
bank whatever amount you could repay in monthly payments within
two years. I cut all top salaries 20%, and middle-range salaries
15%. I cut The PLAIN TRUTH and TOMORROW'S WORLD and The GOOD NEWS
down to every other month. I cut a hundred or more radio stations
from broadcasting seven times a week to only once a week. We cut
the budget for EVERY DEPARTMENT of this Work by 10% BESIDES!
That kind of cutting back HURTS THE WORK OF GOD -- but it had
to be done, and as a result we ended the year in the best financial
condition in the history of the Work. But now, for the first
quarter of this year we have had to spend quite a bit more than
income. At that rate the Work of God would soon STOP -- it would
DIE -- you would hear NO MORE BROADCASTS or TELECASTS -- The PLAIN
TRUTH, and the other magazines would CEASE PUBLICATION -- you of
each local Church might be able to support your local ministers
and continue assembling -- but THE WORK WOULD STOP!
That is NOT God's will -- and we MUST NOT LET IT HAPPEN! But,
UNLESS THAT SITUATION CHANGES in the next six weeks, I WILL HAVE TO
CANCEL THE GROUND BREAKING AND CONSTRUCTION OF GOD'S HOUSE! In
fact I will have to cancel it within TWO weeks -- because the
contractors must have NOTICE -- they must be SURE, weeks ahead, if
we are going on!
The response to my request for STATEMENT OF INTENTION cards
was fairly good -- but NOT ENOUGH. And, with the general income
for the Work dropping way below budget, I CANNOT give the "GO"