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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JANUARY 22, 1982
PAGE 3
Factors to Consider When Moving One's Family
From time to time we have noticed that some field ministers live in what
appear to be inappropriate locations. We recently did a survey and found
that about 15% of the U.S. ministry live an average of 15 miles away from
the area where the bulk of the members they serve reside. This doesn't
include men who live between two churches in a circuit. Nor those with
rural route addresses since the location of their homes could not be
determined from their addresses.
We realize that housing costs are often cheaper the further out one goes;
however, what may be a very good deal for you may be obtained at substantial
expense to the Church and the membership.
On the surface an extra 15 miles may not seem too great a distance; however,
if a man lives 15 miles further than necessary from the bulk of his members,
the additional cost to the Church for providing a fleet vehicle would be
slightly under $2,000 per year if he has to drive that extra distance back
and forth just once a day. If a man lives so far out that he has to get an
extended dialing service, it could add an additional $1,200 a year to his
ministerial expense. For the 40 or 50 men who currently live this far out,
the potential added costs to the Church are over $120,000 per year.
Very little has been said about this subject in the past, so it seems appro
priate to discuss it briefly at this time. We realize many factors go into
the decision on where to locate--housing costs, school systems, crime
rates, personal preferences, housing availability, etc. Along with these
factors we feel that serious consideration should be given to the effect
your location will have on your ability to serve the members, as well as the
effect on costs to the Church.
A minister living further out could keep costs down by visiting less often
and requiring the members to call him at their expense. However, both of
these approaches would tend to cast doubt on the minister's willingness and
sincerity in serving the members. This is, of course, something we all want
to avoid.
The purpose of this discussion isn't to get anyone to move from his present
location since the cost of doing this could be excessive. Nor do we feel
that everyone who has chosen to live further out has automatically made a
poor decision since circumstances may not have allowed any other choice to
be made. However, in the future whenever you are transferred or must move
due to the termination of a lease, etc., we want everyone to fully consider
how his location will affect his ability to serve the members and control
costs for the Church. These factors definitely need to be weighed in along
with all the others.
International News
Canadian Year-end Report 1981 was a year of steady growth for God's work in
Canada. The year opened with Mr. Armstrong's full-page advertisements be
ing placed in the TORONTO GLOBE & MAIL and other national newspapers.
Results were encouraging, but not high. However, the point of the ads was
to get a message across and in this respect it was successful.