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PASTOR GENERAL'S
REPORT
TO THE MINISTRY OF THE
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
VOL. 6, NO. 5
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
FROM MINISTERIAL SERVICES
International News
FEBRUARY 3, 19 8 4
Year-end Caribbean Report December was a very busy and exciting month for
God's Church in the Caribbean and proved to be a fitting end to an active
year. The Caribbean ministers met in St. Philip, Barbados from December
12th to 15th for an annual ministerial conference. Regional Director Mr.
Stan Bass gave instructive lectures on Church and office-related subjects.
Many commented on the value of being able to gather together for
instruction, answering of questions and encouragement through general
discussion. The valuable exchanges about office procedures and festival
administration should make the collective efforts more streamlined in 1984.
The conference concluded with good-natured "debate" on where and how soon
the next one should be.
God blessed His Church in the Caribbean region with excellent growth in so
many areas of its activities.
1983 was a banner year for radio and
television. Overall, five television and two radio stations were added to
the coverage.
Records show that approximately 10% of new literature
requests are media-generated at present, although improved recordkeeping
may show a higher figure than this for 1984. A new media monitoring system
was established last August, which has already reaped some good fruits by
supplying the media agent in Miami, through whom we work, with broadcast
irregularities, and hence passing onto the station managers the awareness
of and concern for God's program.
1983 was a busy year for the mail processing staff. Total incoming mail was
up 27% with just over 100,000 pieces processed. This represented increases
of 56% for white mail, 24% for regular mail and 18% for donation mail.
Close to 230,000 iterns were mailed out from the various Caribbean sub
offices (excluding items mailed to the Caribbean by the International Mail
and Postal Centers in Pasadena).
Despite a very healthy 23% increase in Caribbean income for 1983, the area
still has the money movement problems reported before. Further efforts are
underway to make headway on some of the long-term debts logged in Pasadena
because of the difficulties in transferring monies out of the Caribbean.
It is hoped that the income in the region will be blessed by God to cover
the increased subscription lists and renewed media contracts.
The Caribbean Churches grew by 11.6% during 1983, reflecting the 97 new
members baptized during the year. A total of 956 members were attending
services at the end of December. New readers added in 1983 totaled 22,980,
up 46.8%. Co-workers increased by 457 (15.4%) and donors by 1,130 (23.2%).
Annual Summary From the Philippines
Despite the political and economic
crises in the Philippines during 1983, it was a good year for God's Church.
Financially, the year was remarkably good with cumulative income up 33% for
first account, 23% for second account and 5.6% for the third account. The
increase was 30% overall.