Basic HTML Version
PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, August 15, 1980
Page 11
During the month Regional Director Bob Morton made a brief visit to Fiji,
where he was able to hold a conference with our ministers from Fiji and
Tonga, plus a member from Western Samoa.
The minister in Tonga, Tolu Ha'angana, reports that all the local repre
sentatives of churches sponsoring radio programs in Tonga were summoned
to a meeting in late June. A number of them were given instructions about
their programs and how they need to be improved. The WORLD TOMORROW pro
gram was cited as an excellent example of what a religious program should
be! It was "highly recommended" because it is so educational to the pub
lic.
The Work in the Pacific Islands is growing very well, with the number of
letters received so far this year totalling 143% more than for the same
period last year! On the Sabbath while Mr. Morton was there, attendance
in Suva totalled 58--an all-time record for that Church. While in Fiji,
Mr. Morton approved additional advertising in Tonga, Fiji and Western
Samoa.
This month plans were laid for a major advertising campaign later this
year in which THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN IN PROPHECY, along with a
subscription to The PLAIN TRUTH, will be advertised nationwide via full
page, full-color ads in the two major circulation weekly magazines, full
color inserts in national daily newspapers, and a full-color householder
card going to half a million homes throughout the nation.
In addition, Mr. Morton announced that the Work in New Zealand will hire
two additional full-time ministers. These will be Mr. Bill Sidney, who
for the last three years has been serving as a local church elder in
Auckland, and Mr. Tolu Ha'angana, the local church elder in Tonga who is
due to retire from his government pos� as Director of Agricultural
Quarantine soon.
Summertime Not Slowing Work in Germany: Despite five weeks of virtually
constant rain, God's people in Germany enjoyed several church socials.
Among these was a Y.O.U. "Midsummer Night's Dance" on July 12th in the
Bonn office. Over 60 young people from Germany, Austria, Switzerland,
Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Australia, and the United States danced into
the wee hours of the morning.
On July 25th,Bonn office manager Mr. John Karlson and his family arrived
back in Europe from the United States, where he had attended the Ministe
rial Refresher Program in Pasadena. He will be reporting on the Refresher
Program to the German-language ministry during a miniconference scheduled
for August 25th-26th in Bonn.
The month of July showed an upward trend with donation mail up 13% and the
total mail up 188% over last year, inspite of many Germans being on summer
vacation which normally tends to cause a sharp reduction in our incoming
mail. Mail Income for the year to date was a 20.9% increase over July
last year.
The condition of the German churches continues stable and highly suppor
tive of God's Work and His apostle.