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PASTOR GENERAL'S
REPORT
TOTHEMINISTRYOFTHE
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
VOL.5, N0.9
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
FROM MINISTERIAL SERVICES
International News
MARCH 4, 1983
Report From Bonn, West Germany In the first month of 1983, members of the
Hamburg and Hannover Churches (in the northern part of Germany) were able
to begin attending services on a weekly basis.
Presently, all other
churches meet every other week due to a lack of sufficient manpower.
Mr. Paul Kieffer, pastor of the Hamburg and Hannover Churches, mentioned
that "the members are excited about additional opportunities for fellow
ship, but even more so, about the opportunity to be able to learn more about
God's Word and His way of life." Mr. Kieffer also conducts a Friday night
Bible study in Berlin every other weekend. He flies to Berlin from Hamburg
on
a
Friday afternoon, conducts Bible study that evening,
stays overnight
in Berlin and then flies to Hamburg on Saturday morning. The Hamburg ser
vice begins at 10:30 a.m. and afterwards Mr. Kieffer drives 90 miles to
Hannover for the 3:00 p.m. service, which completes the three-way circuit.
Mr. Kieffer said that it helps not having a speed limit in Germany.
Monthly youth Bible studies have also been put into effect in Hamburg and
Hannover. This month, a Y.O.U. Bible study was conducted in Hamburg for six
Y.O.U. members and their parents. Mr. Kieffer noted that these studies
will give the youth an opportunity for instruction related to their age
group, and will also allow local men a chance to conduct the youth Bible
studies from time to time.
Requests for 1iterature in January reflected the 80,000 new subscribers
added in 1982. Over 24,000 booklets were sent this month--95% more than in
January, 1982. This figure represents the second highest monthly total of
booklets sent out in the history of God's Work in Germany. Also, a total of
1,839 BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE lessons were sent out--68% more than in
January, 1982. The total mail for January was down 61% over last year, but
only because of the advertising campaign which took place in January, 1982.
In general, we are noticing a big increase in incoming mail and requests for
booklets. Also, the growth in our list has been reflected in the increased
number of donors and co-workers. Twenty-one percent more donors and 15
percent more co-workers have been added since January, 1982.
The growing donor and co-worker lists have definitely been reflected in the
income. Large donations have played a major role as well. For the month of
January, the mail income is 51% more than in January, 1982.
Spanish De t artment News At the end of January the PV subscription list
stood at 14,875, a drop of 10,007 from the end of December. This decrease
reflects a plan to decrease circulation (due to budgetary constraints) to
150,000 by the June, 1983 issue--a drop of nearly 23%. Newsstand distri
bution in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Mexico will be curtailed in 1983.
Although the subscription list is destined to decrease, the total number of
PVs distributed throughout the year should be even higher than the all-time