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PASTOR'S REPORT, May 7, 1979
Page 9
I�TERNATIONAL NEWS
United Kingdom
March 1979 produced the largest monthly mail income for the U.K. and
Eire in almost 2 years, with first account mail income up 32% over
March 1978. On March 31, there were 2,092 members in the U.K. and
attendance now averages 2,430 in 37 churches. This latter figure was
increased from 34 churches in January of this year when, as a result of
the sale of the College, the Bricket Wood church 'expanded' to form four
new congregations. St. Albans now serves as the headquarters church.
A major "first" for the Work in Britain this year is our venture into
Ideal Home Exhibitions and Agricultural Shows. A special Plain Truth
display, complete with a recorded audio-visual presentation, is being
used to make the public more aware of the name and content of the
magazine. The focus of the display is a full-colour brochure, giving
details of who and what lies behind the magazine and offering a six
month trial subscription.
(500,000 of these brochures are being
printed in total). Around 25 exhibition sites will be visited before
the end of October -- 7 in the month of April alone (Southampton,
Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol, Hull and London).
In most cities the exhibitions are being backed by the distribution of
"Plain Truth offer" leaflets to households (10,000 or 20,000, depending
on location)
Caribbean
In spite of the current crisis in the Church, incoming mail is up 21%
over the first quarter of 1978, and our income was up 33% for the same
period.
We are anxiously watching these percentages because some Islands
have increases of more than 100% while others are as low as 3%. What
this means is that the income received is not always in the place where
it is needed.
Because of currency restrictions there is very little
interchange of funds. Below is a breakdown of our six mail receiving
offices, which will illustrate this point.
Barbados, up 8%; Bahamas, up
4%;
Bermuda, up 68%; Jamaica, up 111%;
Trinidad, up 46%; Guyana, up 100%; Puerto Rico, up 3%. The areas from
which we can move funds more or less freely are Bermuda and Puerto Rico.
Latest statistics reveal the following data: PT circulation, 27,638;
added year-to-date, 611. Good News, 1,097; CC active, 1,159; Baptisms
(year-to-date) 18 which means overall membership has increased by 2-4%
curing 1st quarter of 1979.
Newsstand distribution is now accounting for as much as 30% of new
subscribers in some areas. In Puerto Rico, we are distributing 3,500
copies of the Spanish Plain Truth every month. This is a healthy
increase over the 800 copies per month we were distributing a year ago.
The response is very high in Puerto Rico. About 8% of the cards are
returned.
T,he first public Bible lecture (in Spanish) was conducted in Santo
Domingo, Republica Dominicana, on March 25th. Thirty-three persons
attended, and a second study is scheduled for May 12th.
Nineteen
additional persons in other parts of the country were also contacted