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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JUNE 14, 1985
PAGE 3
result of this decision. In the past, they have lacked faith to
step out and trust God for their livelihoods. It seems that may
be now God in His mercy is going to make it easier for them to
obey Him--at least for the time being. I think over the next few
months we will see an increase in the number of baptism requests
coming into our address in India.
I knew you would want to join us in thanking God for mercifully
lifting a great burden off His Church in India.
International News
From Mr. Peter Nathan During April the New Zealand office received 7,257
items of mail, an increase of 70% on the amount received in April 1984.
Mail for the year-to-date is now running at the same level as last year.
However, the last two months have shown a very pleasing trend in donation
mail, which was up by 10.6% in March and 18.6% in April. Mail income for
April was up by an exciting 26.3%, bringing the year-to-date increase to
7.3%.
In February, we began a series of advertisements of Mr. Armstrong's radio
broadcast in THE NEW ZEALAND LISTENER. These ads have really borne fruit!
March and April have both broken all previous records for radio broadcast
responses!
In April a new electronic PABX telephone system was installed in the of
fice. The new push button phone system provides us with several useful new
facilities, which helps with handling telephone responses to "The WORLD
TOMORROW" broadcast.
The brethren enjoyed a very profitable Feast of Unleavened Bread, and gave
very generous Holy Day offerings. Although these offerings didn't surpass
the record offerings specially requested by Mr. Armstrong last year, they
were up by 45% on the 1983 Unleavened Bread offerings.
Our March direct mail promotion of The PLAIN TRUTH to 9,410 TIME magazine
subscribers has now attracted 610 responses, a 6.5% return. We're gearing
up for a heavy workload in May, when 40,000 semiannual letters will be
posted out.
From Mr. Bram de Bree April has resulted in a 21.3% increase in income,
bringing the year-to-date income for the Dutch language area to 1.4%. We
received 6,222 pieces of mail, an 18.9% increase.
We sent out 16,485
pieces, a 24.2% increase over the same month last year.
Our spring advertising campaign in the Dutch language edition of READER'S
DIGEST and the Belgian Automobile Association magazine has now been com
pleted. A total of 6,095 new subscribers were added to the list of De ECHTE
WAARHEID, bringing the total list to 52,400.
In March and April this year we were able for the first time to offer the
Dutch language edition of the GOOD NEWS to all subscribers of De ECHTE WAAR
HEID who have renewed twice or more. Over 10,000 letters were sent out
offering a one-year subscription. The response was overwhelming, with more
than 50% reacting positively.
This means that our present subscription
list of 854 will rise to almost 6,000!