News From Around the World

• Australia Has Record Increase in Good News
• Details for Stirling, Scotland, Feast 2008 Announced
• Australia Holds Good News Bible Lectures

Australia Has Record Increase in Good News

by Ruth Root

The 2006/2007 fiscal year was a record year for media efforts in the United Church of God in Australia. We were able to add 17,536 new Good News subscribers to our mailing list, representing a 168 percent increase over the number of subscribers added the previous year, and a 54 percent increase above our projected maximum number of new subscribers planned for in the year.

The increase was made possible by some very cost-effective advertising, which brought in subscribers for a record-breaking low cost of $3.99 (Australian) per subscriber.

Naturally, this number of new subscribers also meant a significant increase in the workload at the Australian office. The timely employment of a media assistant in June of 2006 and additional part-time help in the mailing department enabled the office employees to cope with the additional, but encouraging, increase in workload.

Every Household Reached

During 2006/2007 some form of print advertising was distributed to every household in Australia and, because over 11,200,000 advertisements were distributed, some households would have received more than one print advertisement offering The Good News magazine and a booklet. We are sowing these advertisements throughout Australia and, with the help of your prayers, God will according to His will, grant the increase by opening the minds of those whom He is calling (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Visits to the Australian Web site also increased by 83.6 percent for the year, with nearly 300,000 people visiting the site in 2006/2007.

Advertising to GN Readers

One of the most important target audiences for advertising and development are those who have already come into contact with the Church. A comprehensive subscriber development plan has therefore been developed.

• Monthly literature offers: For the past year we concentrated on maximizing the impact of our monthly literature offers that are mailed with every magazine and booklet. Some of these ads were rewritten to make them more effective and, beginning in June 2007, we began to test the use of color monthly literature ads.

• Bible Study Course: Another goal for our Good News readers and for those who visit our Web site was to encourage their enrollment in the Bible Study Course. We did this by advertising the course to The Good News subscribers twice a year on the address sheet when it was mailed. For those who visit our Web site, we developed and advertised an interactive Bible Study Course quiz that attracts an average of over 200 visits a week.

• Bible Study Course renewals: In 21 months we have been able to increase the Bible Study Course renewal rate after the third lesson from 19.1 to 26.7 percent. Some of the strategies employed to accomplish this included a test with every lesson of the Bible Study Course that was mailed as a hard copy, referring Web visitors to the interactive test on our Web site and following up those who did not renew after the third lesson with an additional renewal reminder and an offer of sermons on audio CDs. UN

Australian Media Statistics 2006/2007

New Good News Subscribers for 2006/2007 -- 17,536

GN Distribution as of June 30, 2007 -- 35,700

New subscribers, 2006/2007compared to 2005/2006 -- 168%

Web Site Visits (July 2006:13,904; June 2007: 25,523) -- 83.6%

Over 11,200,000 households were reached with print advertisements. (With 6.5 to 7 million mailboxes in Australia, some households would have received more than one ad.)

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Details for Stirling, Scotland, Feast 2008 Announced

The Feast site for Stirling in Scotland 2008 is nearly full. We will start a waiting list for later applicants so if you have not yet visited www.ucg.org.uk/feast2008 and registered, please do so immediately (including those who initially e-mailed their details). You should receive an e-mail confirming that the initial sign-up process for registration was completed successfully.

Before the end of February 2008 you will need to (1) book your accommodation and submit the details, and (2) transfer the recommended registration fee of £20 (US$40) per adult of 18 years old and above. The fee will be used to cover Festival expenses such as the hire of the Albert Halls and other facilities. Those unable to give as much may give less, and those able to give more will make up for them.

After February we will contact those on the waiting list to see if they would like to come, replacing those who did not complete the above two-part process.

Accommodation Options

Services will be held at the Albert Halls, Albert Place, Dumbarton Road, Stirling, FK8 2QL. We have been able to arrange some good discounted prices with the management of a couple of hotels nearby. Bookings should be made directly with these hotels quoting the "United Church of God" conference. .

There is a variety of self-catering apartments, guesthouses, bed-and-breakfasts, hostels or other hotels that may be booked through the local tourism organization "Visit Scotland." Please see its Web site www.visitscotland.com or telephone +44 845 22 55 121. Visit Scotland charges a £3 (US$6) booking fee for all bookings that it makes. Other holiday accommodation Web sites may also be found by searching on the Internet. The Youth Hostel is cheap, has a lovely view and is five minutes from the hall (www.scottishhostels.co.uk).

In Stirling city center, the first two hotels are within walking distance of the Albert Halls. These rates are not available through their Web site booking form.

1. Stirling Highland Hotel

This four-star hotel with leisure facilities is within walking distance of the bus and train stations and the Albert Halls; it is located on a sloping street just below Stirling Castle.

Address: Spittal Street, Stirling, FK8 1DU; phone: 01786 272727; fax: 01786 272829; e-mail: stirling@paramount-hotels.co.uk; Web site: www.paramount-hotels.co.uk.

For the period of the Feast, rates are:

• Bed-and-breakfast package, double occupancy, £69.50 per person per night.

• Bed-and-breakfast package, single occupancy, £127 per person per night.

• Dinner, £15 supplement for adults and older children.

• Children under 12 can select from the children's menu with charges as taken.

• No supplement for children added to a room; but there is a £15 supplement for the family rooms as there are only four of them.

2. Golden Lion Hotel

This three-star hotel is also within walking distance of the bus and train stations and the Albert Halls; it is a gentle walk to the Albert Halls and is located close to shops and restaurants in the city center.

Address: 8-10 King Street, Stirling, FK8 1BD; phone: 01786 475351; fax: 01786 472755; e-mail: enquiries@thegoldenlionstirling.com; Web site: www.thegoldenlionstirling.com.

For the period of the Feast, rates are:

• Bed-and-breakfast package, double occupancy, £90 per room per night ( i.e. two people).

• Bed-and-breakfast package, single occupancy, £65 per room per night.

• Dinner £10 supplement for adults and older children.

Please ensure that you check that the hotel is giving you these rates, as at the time of writing we do not have the quotation in writing.

3. Stirling Management Centre

This three-star hotel, part of the University of Stirling, is set amid 300 acres of beautiful parkland and is a short bus journey from Stirling city center.

Address: University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA; phone: 01786 451666; Fax: 01786 449940; e-mail: smc.sales@stir.ac.uk; Web site: www.smc.stir.ac.uk.

For the period of the Feast, rates are:

• Bed-and-breakfast package, double occupancy, £45 per person per night.

• Bed-and-breakfast package, single occupancy £75 per person per night.

• Dinner £22 supplement for adults and older children; bar suppers from £7.

4. The Dunblane Hydro Hotel

This hotel is certainly impressive in its facilities and in its setting. It is about 7 miles from the Albert Halls, and the management is prepared to arrange buses at the times needed for travel to and from services. Alternatively you may use your own transportation, bus, train or taxi.

Address: Perth Road, Dunblane, Perthshire, FK15 0HG; phone: (+44) 1786826643 (when calling, quote "UCG"); e-mail: Reservations@dunblanehydrohotel.com; Web site: www.dunblanehydrohotel.com.

There are 206 bedrooms at £65 per person per night, which includes dinner, bed and breakfast, based on double or twin occupancy (£50 single supplement and a minimum length of stay of five nights).

How Do I Submit My Registration Fee?

The recommended £20 per adult may be sent using credit or debit card at www.charity-choice.co.uk to United Church of God–British Isles. Just click the red "search" button, and enter either the charity number 1079192 or the name "United Church of God." We are looking into providing a PayPal account as another facility.

Additional information about tours will be sent in a few weeks by e-mail to those who have registered. UN

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Australia Holds Good News Bible Lectures

Another successful round of Good News public Bible lectures was held in New Sourth Wales, Australia, thanks to the prayers and team effort of the brethren.

A letter was sent to those who became subscribers to The Good News before 2007. The subject was "Does Humanity Have a Future?" In the address Bruce Dean explained the wonderful, inclusive plan of salvation that God has for all humanity, as symbolized in the Holy Days.

The first meeting was held in Canberra on July 28. We sent out 333 letters and welcomed seven visitors.

The second letter was sent to 840 people. The lecture in Newcastle was held Aug. 4, while the presentation in Gosford was Aug. 12. Ten new people attended the Newcastle lecture (two more attended the follow-up Bible study) and six Good News readers visited us in Gosford.

Upon arrival each visitor received a welcome pack that included the booklets What Is Your Destiny? and God's Holy Day Plan, information about the Church and literature available, the pastor's business card and two handouts.

The one-hour meeting included a short PowerPoint presentation with photographs giving an overview of the Church. It included church life and activities, youth camps, how other congregations around the world are supported and the international scope of the Church.

The plan is to present these lectures in Wollongong and in several other locations in Sydney over the next nine months.

Ambitious Public Bible Seminar Planned for Brisbane

Also on the drawing board are more extensive public Bible seminars with international guest speakers. This is planned for Brisbane around June 2008, and Melbourne is also being considered.

The tentative plan is to advertise the seminar widely to GN and WNP subscribers and to also target the general public. UN

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