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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JANUARY 28, 1983
PAGE 2
2. Does the individual have a job lined up in the new area? If
presently unemployed, has he realistically considered the
job market in the new area?
3. Has the individual fully considered family and soci 9 l
factors?
Experience has shown that many individuals who
move to unfamiliar areas far away from relatives and friends
end up returning to their former areas.
4. Does the individual have the financial resources to make the
move? Is the individual counting on financial help from the
Church when he gets where he is going?
If so, is thisL a
proper expectation? Cost factors such as transportation of
family and household goods, temporary living expenses while
finding a place to live until the first paycheck, first and
last month's rent and deposits for housing and utilities,
the cost of living in the new area, etc. should be
considered.
If an individual is moving, the new pastor should be notified. This is
especially important if the individual may need help with temporary
housing, etc. which is much easier to provide when sufficient advance
notide is given. Also, the former pastor should relate to the new pastor
any information that would help him in dealing with the new individual.
The final decision about whether to move or not rests with the individual,
of course, but the ministry needs to provide wise counsel so as to spare
members and the Church from unnecessary problems.
In the last year a situation occurred in the U.S. that clearly illustrates
the factors mentioned above. The situation involved a member with a large
family. The husband was having trouble finding regular wor�� The local
economy was slow and the prospects for improvement in his employment status
seemed poor. He owned a house but, due to his employment difficulties, had
gotten behind on his mortgage payments, utilities and property taxes.
A relative several thousand miles away in California told him that work was
available in his area. The individual involved, viewing this almost as a
promise of employment, decided to move to Southern California. He didn't
discuss this with his local pastor but only told him he was moving. The
pastor's advice to weigh the advantages and disadvantages was basically
ignored.
Once in California two problems hit this family. First,
to be immediately eligible for welfare assistance, but
down because they owned their house in their former area.
abandoned the property.)
they had expected
they were turned
(They had simply
Second, he couldn't easily obtain a job in California because he had no
particular job skills. He tried to run his own business but found he
couldn't compete in the manual labor market because of the large number of
workers willing to work for less.
After welfare turned them down, the family grew desperate and came to the
Church for assistance. But instead of telling their story straight, they
told their pastor in California that they lost their house in their former