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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, N OVEMBER 15, 1985
PAGE 3
The main points we need to stress are these: The difference between
God's Church and this world's churches, individuals in attendance need
to be ready for the meat of God's Word that is preached in church, they
need to prove whether this is God's Church first and they need to be
willing to yield to God before they begin to attend church services.
Obviously some individuals will still be upset. However, as much as
possible we need to avoid giving offense by striving to handle church
attendance questions properly.
Please make it a very high priority to get in contact at least by
telephone with all new individuals sJ! � A§. possible--within two or
three days of having received their letters from us. Don't give the
impression that we don't care by waiting a week or two before calling.
As tenuous as it may seem, this is the fruit of a lot of effort that
has gone before. We don't want to let it fall to the ground when it
reaches us. We want to set a right example of common courtesy and
concern as ministers of Jesus Christ, whether these individuals become
members or not.
Deduction The "double tax deduction" will continue one more year.
U.S. ministers who have owned and occupied their homes prior to January
3, 1983, will be permitted to continue to list the property taxes and
mortgage interest as itemized deductions on their income-tax returns
through the 1986 tax year. This is allowed even though these iterns
were paid with the tax-free housing allowance. The Internal Revenue
Service announced this summer that it would not apply the ruling that
disallows this tax benefit to ministers until · January 1, 1987. How
ever, ministers who have purchased homes after January
1,
1983, are not
eligible for this benefit.
**
'l'O
BE READ IN ALL CHURCHES**
We have tentative plans to hold the Festival in China once again in
1986. We may be permitted to include English-speaking European
Church members in this group, which was limited to North America
the first year. We were able to add an Australian contingent in
1985, which was very successful.
Plans call for the group to assemble in Hong Kong for Atonement.
From there the Festival group will embark on a 16-day tour of China
including nine days in Nanjing for the Feast.
Any baptized member who is physically able to make this extensive
trip from North America, Australia, England and Europe (English
speaking only) should submit names of all interested parties by
December 15 to: Festival Office, 300 West Green Street, Pasadena,
California 91129, U.S.A. Further details will be available early
in 1986.