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PASTOR GENERAL'S
REPORT
TO THE MINISTRY OF THE
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
VOL.3, N0.33
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
H.W.A. DIARY
by
Robert E. Fahey
AUGUST 14, 1981
On Sunday morning, August 2, we packed up for the trip from Bonn to Paris.
It is always a joy to fly to Paris! The G-II touched down in Les Bourget
Airport outside Paris at 1:50 p.m. Mr. and Mrs. Apartian and Sam Kneller,
pastor of the Paris Church, were there to meet us. The Apartians had been in
France since the previous Thursday preparing for our arrival.
A special service was arranged for 2:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel in the
heart of the city. The FM receivers from Germany used the day before in Bad
Godesberg had been transported through the night to be used by the French
speaking brethren.
We arrived at the hall right on time. About 500 people waited in the hotel's
major ballroom. I was told they represented 17 countries, including the
members from Belgium who had traveled to Paris for the meeting.
Mr. Armstrong started by saying it was the first time he had ever spoken in
Paris. After his opening comments he asked, "Why can men accomplish so many
wonderful things in the technical areas but are so helpless before our human
problems--poverty, illiteracy, strife and war? The new President of France
can't tell you what is wrong. The President of the United States can't tell
you what is wrong. Teachers in Moscow can't tell you. But I can because God
has shown me in His Word what is wrong!"
Just after he got into the message, I noticed that Mr. Armstrong was pushing
his voice somewhat. I knew this can happen when he doesn't get any reverber
ation back from the sound system. After looking into it, I found that the
hotel microphone produced a buzz when the volume was increased. So the vol
ume control had been set very low. Larry Omasta's men who were on hand to
tape the sermon for use on the telecast, found the problem and were able to
shut down the mike from backstage. Their mike already in use was tied into
the hotel system and the volume was increased. Mr. Armstrong eased the pres
sure on his voice. Take note all you hall managers when Mr. Armstrong is
coming to town!
The next day, Monday, we toured the facility we have in Paris. The Church
there has rented upstairs office space that is large enough to hold Sabbath
services in and still have some room left over to have a few offices in which
to handle the mail that comes in from France, as well as other administrative
work.
While there, Mr. Apartian gave Mr. Armstrong and me a review of the French
speaking facet of God's Work. At present La PURE VERITE is sent to 144 dif
ferent countries. Our Church services are conducted in French in 23 loca
tions around the world. Membership stands at 1,150. I will share more of
the details later.