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PASTOR GENERAL'S
REPORT
TO THE MINISTRY OF THE
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
VOL.7, N0.18
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
REPORT FROM THE TREASURER'S OFFICE
MAY 3, 1985
At the end of the first third of the year, the income is still lower than
projected.
Thankfully, this continues to be offset by an almost equal
amount that the departments are under budgeted expenses. Although income
has not met our expectations, we have a year-to-date increase of 9% over
last year. A little background might be helpful to show what has happened.
You may recall that last year there was quite a lot of emphasis on being
prepared for the Holy Day offerings, resulting in a very fine increase in
the spring offerings of almost 30% over 1983. This year, we were comparing
our numbers with those larger-than-average increases. And because there
has not been the same emphasis on being prepared in 1985, the total offer
ings were actually less than last year by about 4%. This has lowered our
overall average for the year to the 9% figure.
In view of the lower than expected offerings during the Days of Unleavened
Bread, I hope we all will be better prepared for the Pentecost offering.
Increased income will make possible the hiring of more badly-needed minis
ters to visit new prospective members and to care for the local churches, as
well as increase our ability to spread the good news of God's soon-coming
Kingdom.
--Leroy Neff, Treasurer
FROM MINISTERIAL SERVICES
Wednesday, May 1, Mr. Herbert Armstrong left for another overseas trip.
Please pray for the success of all his activities and for God's protection
and good health for him and his party. We're looking forward to hearing
about the trip in the near future.
This past Sabbath, Mr. Mark McCulley gave a sermonette in the Auditorium PM
congregation on the subject of festival sign-up and preparation. He dis
cussed an interesting and vital point I want to mention to all the ministry.
Mr. McCulley pointed out that preparation for the Feast of Tabernacles is a
lesson in following the government of God.
Festival preparation requires following directions. It requires paying at
tention to details of instruction, and following through on those instruc
tions. We know the Feast of Tabernacles is a foreshadow picturing the won
derful World Tomorrow, to be ruled by the government of God as .administered
by the Kingdom of God. Our preparation for observing the Feast each year is
an opportunity to experience and grow in the cooperation and unity that re
sult from following the governme�t of God.
Each year at festival sites around the world, God's people set a shining ex
ample of cooperation, peace and carefully coordinated organization--made
possible by God's Holy Spirit working in us, inspiring us to be responsive
to His government. People in the local communities often have a hard time
understanding how it is possible for several thousand people to come to-
© 1985 Worldwide Church of God