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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, November 20, 1979
Page 6
It was also the most memorable Feast season in the history of the
Philippine Work. We had 25 ordinations--14 deacons, 9 local elders (8
of them not in our employ) and two preaching elders.
Reports coming back from the various sites show that cooperation and
togetherness was at a high level this year.
Also during the Feast, God added 48 new members to His Church.
The month of October concluded with an above-average incoming mail total
of 7,183 letters: this figure was well above the monthly mail average
of 6800 letters we've been having since January this year. New requests
for Plain Truth subscriptions totalled 716. Latest statistics showed a
total circulation of 44,685.
We received the following letter last month showing the impact of the
Plain Truth:
I have the honour to request from your good office a copy of "What
a New War in Korea Would Mean" which is now available at your office.
May I inform you that this book will be used as reference materials
in our office. Furthermore, your unceasing cooperation would surely
enrich our information office and help build friendship, unity and
understanding among our peoples.
Enclosed herewith is the coupon with my name and complete mailing
address. Anticipating your warm response and hoping to hear from
you at your earliest convenience.
--Ricardo R. Alcaraz, Press & Culture Asst.,
Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Philippines
October brought in the highest ever monthly mail count for the Pacific
Islands. This was due mainly to thousands of responses pouring in from
our recent advertising campaign in Fiji, which was the first major newsÂ
paper advertising campaign we have ever conducted in Fiji. It consisted
of daily ads for The Plain Truth magazine alternating between Fiji's two
leading newspapers for a month, beginning September 20th. Over 3200
responses have so far come in, already pushing us well past our target
of doubling the P.T. mailing list in Fiji.
The Fiji P.T. list has risen to 188% higher than for October 1978. We
have also been able to increase the size of the magazine from 32 to 48
pages.
Responses in Fiji have been boosted by our opening of a Post Office Box
in Suva, and we're also beginning to advertise a local box number in
Tonga. It's much cheaper for readers to post locally in those countries
than to send a letter overseas to New Zealand. Our ministers in Fiji and
Tonga collect the mail and send it on to the Auckland office for processing.
At the end of October our contract for the World Tomorrow broadcast in Fiji
expired. The local Council of Churches has been agitating very strongly