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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, APRIL 19, 1985
Since several new local church elders have been ordained during the past
year, I thought it would be good to mention again the decision Mr. Armstrong
made a number of years ago regarding their paying of third tithe. Mr. Arm
strong decided, as reported by Mr. Rod Meredith in the March 7, 1972 MINIS
TERIAL BULLETIN, that local church elders are not required to pay third
tithe. I might also add, since some have asked, that if an elder wishes to
continue paying third tithe, he is certainly free to do so. But it is not
required, and he should not feel guilty or bad in any way if he does not.
As stated in the aforementioned MINISTERIAL BULLETIN, "•••a number of these
men definitely give enough of themselves in using their cars, homes, time
and energies in visiting, anointing and serving God's people that they more
than make up for what this would amount to anyway."
Mr. Armstrong often mentions that he prays daily for all of us in the minis
try. Let's each remember him in the same way.
Recent Ordinations
The first day of Unleavened Bread was an especially joyful Holy Day for
several men.
Raised to pastor rank was Mr. Maurice Yurkiw, of the
Saskatoon, Canada congregation. Messrs. Paul Shumway, serving the Olympia,
Washington congregation, and Douglas Winnail, who serves the Providence,
Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts congregations, were both raised to
preaching elder. Ordained as local church elders were th� following men:
Messrs. George Bell, Jr., Hammond, Indiana; Steve Burns, Midland, Texas;
John Coco, Chicago (West), Illinois; Gregory Griswold, Hammond, Indiana;
David Hatmaker, Hammond, Indiana; John Isola, Pennsauken, New Jersey; Mel
vin Spangler, Denver (West), Colorado; and John Turner, St. Joseph, Mis
souri.
International News
From Mr. Stan Bass The year 1985 has gotten off to a rather fast start for
God's Church in the Caribbean. Ad responses for January were up 42% over
January 1984, while in February, responses were 61% above February 1984.
This trend continued through March.
In most other categories the same upward trend is seen. White mail year-to
date is up 21%. Donation mail year-to-date is up 25%. However, regular
mail is down 19%.
For the past year and a half, the office here in San Juan has been taking
calls in response to the telecast. The operation has been enhanced by mak
ing use of the new phone system, which controls three lines. Though the
number of calls has not been overwhelming, 174 responses from "The WORLD
TOMORROW" program on WSVI (St. Croix) and WSJU (Puerto Rico) have been pro
cessed so far this year. Across the region, we have received more than
2,100 responses year-to-date from nine television stations.
Mr. Armstrong has given us approval to make certain cutbacks in our news
stand program, which had grown quite large in relation to our PLAIN TRUTH
subscriber list. This will represent notable savings in our publishing
bill. We will still continue the newsstand program in the Bahamas, Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands.
There has been a marked increase in the number of letters requiring a per
sonal response. The year-to-date total is 206, for an average monthly re-