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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JUNE 10, 1986
day of the Feast.
We will also be taping my opening-night message and
final sermon for the Last Great Day during this "break."
I'd like to ask your prayers for God to lead me in these messages, as
well as in the live transmission on the first Holy Day. These messages
need to inspire and encourage God's people around the world to make their
great calling and election sure.
I know that with God's help I can do
that.
I am planning to make the taped message for the Last Great Day on the
subject of understanding the goal before us and letting nothing prevent us
from achieving it. This will leave the main speaker at each site free to
preach on the actual meaning of the day in the morning sermon without
worrying about using all the same scriptures and points that I do.
Last time I wrote you I commented on getting started on an exercise
and balanced diet program to set a right example in that way for your
congregation. I want to add that it would be a good idea for you full
time men to get a physical examination so you can have a better idea of
your condition and what kind of program would be best for you. Mr. Neff
tells me that such a physical is covered under our health-care program for
all U.S. employees and their wives.
Any deductible cost that must be
applied can be reimbursed through ministerial expense. You should request
reimbursement through the Church Administration Department.
Regional
Directors should work out a similar plan in their respective regions.
These exams should include an electrocardiogram, and the results should be
sent to Church Administration with any of yours or the doctor's comments.
International ministers should send the results to their Regional
Directors, who will forward them together to Pasadena. Let's make every
effort to have this completed before the Feast of Tabernacles.
I think
this will help many of you do something you've wanted to anyway, but
probably haven• t found the time or money for.
Now you have the needed
prod.
Have a wonderful day of Pentecost!
I plan to be in Stockton,
California, where I'11 be speaking to the northern California churches.
Be sure your offertories inspire the brethren to understand why they are
giving an offering to God. Show them that God is a giving Gocf"aiid that we
are learning to be like Hirn. God's true servants should look upon giving
an offering as a special occasion--a time for rejoicing as we thank God
for all His generosity toward us.
Giving our offerings is an act of
worship, an opportunity to glorify God with our substance (Proverbs 3:9).
And, of course, God does take notice as we enthusiastically put our hearts
and minds on His Work, and give cheerfully to Him for His purpose. The
offertory time is a time for you to remind the brethren of these things.
Pray about your offertories. Ask God to inspire you to inspire His people
about the real value and significance of a Holy Day offering, both in
terms of doing the Work and in worshiping God. Get excited about it! You
should take the sermonette time for it and make it a special part of the
service--in preparation for the day's messages about the meaning and
purpose of the Holy Day itself.
Some former ministers, no longer with us, used to just get up and say,
"Well, it's time for another Holy Day offering."
Then they'd read