Basic HTML Version
PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, SEPTEMBER 2, 1986
PAGE 7
There is much excitement in Fiji as the brethren there have the
opportunity to be served for the first time by a full-time minister of
God. Mr. Neville Fraser and family arrived in Fiji during July, after
completing a year's study at Ambassador College, Pasadena. The Frasers
will look after the Fijian brethren while their local minister, Ratu Epeli
Kanaimawi, has the opportunity to go through a year's training at
Ambassador. Mr. and Mrs. Kanaimawi departed Fiji in August, along with
their daughter Alisi, who has been accepted as an AC freshman.
As well as taking care of our two church congregations in Fiji and the
other members and prospectives scattered throughout the island group, Mr.
and Mrs. Fraser will look after mail reading and other office functions in
Suva. To help familiarize them with these aspects, Mr. Peter Nathan and
Mr. Rex Morgan traveled to Fiji during the month. Mr. Nathan also visited
the brethren in Tonga, and Mr. Morgan visited Niue and Western Samoa.
(Submitted by Peter Nathan, Regional Director)
From South Africa Recent large donations to God's Church in South Africa
have increased our year-to-date income tremendously. At the end of July,
without the two large contributions, our year-to-date increase in all
accounts was 4.075 percent. With them added, the year-to-date increase is
23.2 percent. We are thankful to God for these added blessings.
Our "Plain Truth" magazine circulation in southern Africa is 226,116, of
which 85,000 are distributed on newsstands. Year to date we have added
24,154 new subscribers and have dropped 125,456 through our ongoing
renewal system.
The "Good News" circulation is 27,433, which is 95.9 percent up over this
time last year.
The "Youth 86" magazine has a circulation of 10,342 and this is 89 percent
more than last year.
Our Correspondence Course students total 8,724. The donors total 2,052,
which is 5 percent up on 1985. Our co-workers total 1,537, higher by 2.5
percent. Encouraging is the fact that in spite of the economic conditions
our new donors and co-workers added this year show increases of 11.7
percent and 13.9 percent respectively.
Our churches now total 17 and are served by 12
field_ assisted by seven local church elders.
1,672 and this is 6 percent more than at the
baptisms this year show an increase of
disfellowshipments are down by 66.7 percent.
full-time ministers in the
The membership total is
same time last year. The
40.7 percent and the
We have much to be thankful for. God has intervened for our brethren hit
by unrest in various townships.
The state of emergency still exists
throughout the country. The unrest has quieted down. Our ministers can
again visit the townships. Just before the state of national emergency
was declared our ministers could not visit some of the members and
prospective members in their homes. This was too dangerous.