International News at a Glance

• German Web Site and Magazine Set New Records
• Ministers Visit With Church of God (Israel) in India
• Canada Reports on First Seven Months of Year
• British Isles Reports Circulation
• President Visits Congregations in Zambia and Malawi
• British Isles Requests Prayers for Response

German Web Site and Magazine Set New Records

In July the number of visitors on the Gute Nachrichten Web site exceeded 13,000 for the first time. The monthly total was 13,007 visitors, 8.6 percent more than July's record total and an increase of 275 percent in comparison to July 2006.

The July-August issue of the Gute Nachrichten magazine was again mailed to a record number of subscribers. The new issue has 4,715 readers in 20 European countries, a 14.5 percent increase over July 2006. This year's circulation goal of 5,000 subscribers by the end of 2007 is now within reach.

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Ministers Visit With Church of God (Israel) in India

Jim Franks (Ministerial Services operation manager) and Dave Baker (senior pastor, Asia) traveled to India and the Philippines June 12 through 22. In India, they visited a group located in the northern state of Mizoram, called the Church of God ( Israel), which has expressed interest in becoming part of United. This group first contacted United in 1998 and since then Mr. Baker has visited them on three occasions prior to this trip.

Since their inception in the early 1970s, the Church of God ( Israel) has come to hold many beliefs in common with United. Since contacting United in 1998, they have been using our literature as the basis for their Sabbath services and teachings.

Mr. Franks reported that desire to become part of United seems to be sincere on the part of their elders and the 250 members, made up of three congregations. Mr. Franks and Mr. Baker discussed with church leaders doctrinal differences between the two groups.

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Canada Reports on First Seven Months of Year

UCG–Canada reports that incoming mail from Jan. 1 to July 31 is running at a record pace. The total mail we received this year is close to what we received in all of calendar year 2005. That year we received an average of about 31 items of mail per day (including Internet and e-mail). This year, we're averaging close to 44 items per day. (We're running slightly ahead of last year's record pace.) Over 48 percent of this year's mail is via the Internet and e-mail.

With all the incoming mail, there is also a lot of outgoing mail. We are still sending out about 7,100 semiannual letters to readers of The Good News magazine. Even while the letters are still being mailed out, we're receiving responses to the letters already sent. In the first seven months of the year, we've distributed an average of 14,865 items per month. Last year's average was 14,360 items per month.

Our subscriber list to The Good News magazine is just over 13,000.

Responses to the Beyond Today television program are approaching the 2,100 mark. Some viewers of the program have now become donors.

Our income for July was short of our budget, but we're still ahead of budget for the fiscal year. The income for August is starting on a strong note.

The preparations for the upcoming advertisement in Reader's Digest are coming along. The recent ad in the U.S. edition of Reader's Digest is drawing better than expected responses. We pray that the same will hold true for Canada.

Edwin van Pelt

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British Isles Reports Circulation

Highlights from the UCG–British Isles circulation report for June, which covers all literature distributed by the Church from Britain, include:

&8226; 3,250 letters and other responses were received.

&8226; 2,230 Good News requests were received; 1,853 of these were in response to the ad in the summer edition of the Consumer Information Brochure.

&8226; 56 Bible Study Course requests were received.

&8226; 2,521 envelopes containing 4,828 other items of literature were mailed out.

As of June 30 there were:

&8226; 6,198 subscribers to The Good News in the British Isles.

&8226; 209 subscribers to United News.

&8226; 381 subscribers to World News and Prophecy.

&8226; 212 subscribers to Vertical Thought.

&8226; 283 students of the Bible Study Course.

A total of 1,767 Bible Study Course students have been sent all 12 lessons; 304 of these have returned all 12 of the test cards provided by the British Isles office.

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President Visits Congregations in Zambia and Malawi

During a 13-day tour in August, President Clyde Kilough visited seven congregations in Zambia and the two congregations in Malawi. Mr. Kilough had a chance to speak to 347 brethren in Zambia, 128 in Malawi, plus another 72 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

A report and photos are planned for the next issue.

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British Isles Requests Prayers for Response

During a 13-day tour in August, President Clyde Kilough visited seven congregations in Zambia and the two congregations in Malawi. Mr. Kilough had a chance to speak to 347 brethren in Zambia, 128 in Malawi, plus another 72 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

A report and photos are planned for the next issue.

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