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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, March 13, 1981
Despite his other activities like meetings with President and Mrs. Marcos
and speaking before students, civic and government leaders, Mr. Armstrong
took the opportunity to visit the church office in Makati, Metro Manila.
He also delighted the entire Philippine ministry and their wives by
speaking for almost two hours January 27, during a five-day ministerial
conference which Mr. Ames convened that week. This was the first time
all the ministers and their wives were able to attend a nationwide
ministerial conference, and the first time for Mr. Armstrong to personally
address the entire Philippine ministry.
Mr. Armstrong encouraged the ministers to carry on with their job of help
ing the Church to grow to become God's holy temple. He also reemphasized
how Jesus Christ, and not another human being, taught him through the
Bible what we now believe as the truth of God.
The ministerial conference culminated with a "barrio fiesta" February l
in honor of the Ames family and the entire Philippine ministry at the
Philippine Navy Officers Clubhouse. Nearly 500 brethren from the Metro
Manila and outlying churches came to share games, food and entertainment.
Mr. Ames announced that this could be the first of an annual Church Barrio
Fiesta.
Mail Trends: The advertisement "Does God Exist?� placed last August,
1980 in Panorama magazine, is��till pulling in some responses, for an
all-time record of 4,410 as of this month. A good number of queries
about the Church and how one could meet with one of God's ministers are
being received.
German Office News As of the beginning of March, five full-time ministers
of the Work, including Regional Director, Mr. Frank Schnee, have completed
the Ministerial Refreshing Program at Pasadena. Enthusiasm for the
"refreshment" received in Pasadena is very high. Two more full-time
ministers plan to attend in March and May.
New visit requests seem on the rise. One minister reported seven new
contacts in his area in January and February, compared to his total of
eleven during all of 1980. Another also reported, "Those who have at
tended services for a long time without being baptized are asking for
counseling."
Enthusiasm and active interest for the Work and Mr. Armstrong's activities
continue to run high in all the churches here.
In the month of February our total incoming mail showed a gain of 50%
in comparison to February 1980. Some 65% more booklets, books and
articles were sent out this month compared to February 1980's total.
In February the month-to-date mail income increased 30.1% over February
1980. Our year-to-date mail income is now +15%.
News From New Zealand Mail coming into the office this month was domi
nated by responses to Mr. Armstrong's latest semi-annual letter offering
THE MISSING DIMENSION IN SEX. Over 6200 requests have so far come in for
this book--a 23% response already. A large number of responses from the
Pacific Islands haven't yet reached us, so this looks like it's shaping
up to be one of the most successful letters on record. Responses to Mr.