Basic HTML Version
PAGE 16
PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, DECEMBER 30, 1986
.
Year
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
-
Combined
Percentage Increase
Response
Over Previous Year
8,297
10.948
16;536
24,632
47,769
71,249
---
32%
51%
49%
94%
49%
On the lighter side, more than 1,800 people wished us a Merry Christmas
after ordering the literature. Some habits die hard.
Update
on
Fall Semiannual As of December 21, we received 434,705 replies
to the latest semiannual letter, which was mailed
to
3,377,316 people on
our mailing list. This represents a 12.9 percent response. The only
other letter which produced this many replies
was
Mr.
Armstrong's
last semiannual in 1985, which brought in 596,000 requests
for
his new
book "Mystery
of
the Ages."
Considering that the literature offer in the current letter is a
brochure, "Why Does God
Allow
Suffering?", rather than a book, the
response to this semiannual is exceptional, especially
from
donors and
co-workers.
We expect another
30,000
replies to come in before the normal 60-day
tabulation period
( for
semiannual letters) is completed.
Three
Decades of Faithfulness In addition to the "Plain Truth" magazine
and the "World Tomorrow" telecast, another powerful witness of God's way
of life has been the positive example of long-time Church members.
According to our records, more than 750 brethren have been active members
of God's Church for
30
years or more. Each one probably has touched
hundreds, if not thousands of lives. They have been pillars in their
local churches and communities, serving
God's
Work for more than three
decades
.
Interestingly, five members have been in God's Church for more than 50
years.
l4enhrship
Pa cke t s
It has been some time since we reported on the
membership packets which are sent out to newly baptized members. We
thought you would like to know how the-program is doing.
As of November 24, 1986, we have sent out 2,848 of these packets. The
packet contains: 1)
a
personal letter from
Mr.
Tkach welcoming new
members to
God's
family,
2)
a copy of "God's Sacred Calendar,"
3 )
the
articles 'Should You Try to Convert Others?" and
4 )
the television
brochure "The Authority of the Bible.' In addition, we offer 15 pieces
of literature that are .of special interest to the newly converted. The
seven most requested
of
these publications have been:
0
"What Is Worldliness?"
0
"You Can Conquer Your Fearsl"
0
'The Plain Truth About Fasting"