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RADIO CHURCH OF GOD
WORLD HEADQUARTERS
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
PRESIDENT and PASTOR
Broadcasting
The WORLD TOMORROW
Publishers of
The PLAIN TRUTH
October 28, 1958
Dear Brethren:
What a wonderful Festival we had! I believe everybody was
pleased with the new Tabernacle, and much impressed by its hugeness
--but already we are having to start operations to expand it 50%
larger for next year!
We could not possibly seat more than an additional 500 in
the present auditorium. This year attendance was about 1300 more
than last year. We expect an increase of about 1500 next year over
this. That would mean that a thousand people would be unable to
get in, unless we proceed to enlarge the Tabernacle.
The Church and attendance at the Feast of Tabernacles has
been growing so rapidly that, in designing this new Tabernacle, we
planned in advance for its enlargement. That was one of the
reasons for selecting this aluminized steel type of building
construction. It permits of continuous enlargement up to a seating
capacity of somewhere between 12,000 and 16,000 people.
Architects and engineers are already working out blue-
prints for extending the long width from its present 250 feet to
378 feet--an additional 128 feet, or an increase of a little over
HALF. Also they are trying to work out a method of recessing the
stage, which will be moved to the middle of the new 378-feet width,
ten feet into the front wall. This will add some 10% additional
seating capacity. Later, it is planned to extend the depth of the
auditorium some 100 or 125 or more additional feet in the center of
the rear on a width of 121 feet. Then our last and final addition
will be a huge balcony.
Some have asked: what if attendance continues increasing
until this Tabernacle will not hold all the people, even after we
have enlarged it to its very limit? If God grants such a great
attendance, then we will build a second tabernacle on the grounds.
The people in the first tabernacle will hear the same sermons as
those in the second, by having each minister repeat his sermon a
day later in the other tabernacle. So it appears that God has
provided a way so that His great Feast of Tabernacles may grow and
grow and never have to stop growing. We already have 152 acres,
clear and paid for. We feel sure additional ground can be
purchased.