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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JUNE 10, 1986
enjoyable and memorable event for God's people. I know it has been and as
we do our part it will continue to be.
I recently heard Mr. Tkach mention the Holy Day offerings and the approach
we ministers take in the offertory message.
Do we approach this
responsibility realizing it is sacred to God? Do we personally have the
understanding and faith to really rejoTcea.t the opportunity to give a
special offering to God? Do we convey to the brethren, by our example, the
excitement and gratitude they ought to have as they give according to
their individual ability? As Mr. Tkach put it, "These messages should not
be promotional, but they should be inspirational."
There are many
scriptural examples that can be usea to liven up the offering time and
help the brethren put their hearts into their giving without doing a sales
job on them.
We need to help them enjoy the act of giving because 1.t
reflects the mind of God and His character":"" -i'remTnd them that their
offering is an expression of their faith that God, as a loving Father, has
done and continues to do what He has promised!
FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Please note that the Feast site
in
Hengelhoef,
Belgium, has reached capacity and
is
closed to
further transfer requests as of June 2 •
.Additional New Hires Since the previous list was announced, we have hired
two more assistant pastors.
They are: Steve Andrews, Garden Grove�
California, and Paul Smith,
Big
Sandy, Texas.
Incidently, Mr. Smith's situation is unique, as he had previously served
in the work full-time for 25 years. We're glad to be able to add both of
these men to the full-time ministry.
Recent Ordinations Recently ordained as local church elders were Eugene
Nouhan on April 24 of the Flint, Michigan, congregation and Dr. Hadden
Pace on April 30 of the Pasadena, California, congregation. The following
men were ordained on April 24 to the rank of preaching elder: Christopher
Beam of the Greenville, South Carolina, congregation and Henry Sturcke of
the Union, New Jersey, congregation.
International News
From Germany
During the month of April, I continued the circuit of
visiting all the churches in the German-speaking area, which enabled me to
reach virtually all the members. My wife and I visited the churches in
Darmstadt, Hannover, Ronnenberg (a suburb of Hannover) and Stuttgart and
the churches
in
Basel and Zurich, Switzerland.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread was inspiring.
The average attendance for
each Holy Day was approximately 830.
Attendance for both Holy Days
combined was up 6.2 percent over that of last year. The offering for both
Holy Days combined was up 1.5 percent over last year.