UCG Canada Update

UPDATED August 8, 2008 --

(July 19th report)

Greetings,

It’s been some time since the last office update and a number of things have transpired in the meantime.

We’re noticing a bit of a slowdown in the amount of mail coming in but that gives us a chance to catch up on some of the many projects the staff are working on. Below is a brief update on a number of areas of the church in Canada.

GOOD NEWS SUBSCRIBERS
We currently have exactly 16,500 subscribers to The Good News magazine on file. That is an increase of 3,875 (30.9%) over one year ago. Most of the increase is attributable to the two ads in Reader’s Digest, as well as Beyond Today and the internet. It should be noted that this is a net increase, taking into account those who have not renewed their subscriptions or have not responded to any of the three renewal letters that were sent over a six-month period.

INCOMING MAIL
Our daily incoming mail from all sources is currently 14.9% higher than last year, averaging 68.7 items per day. That compares to 59.8 items per day last year and it is more than double what it was in 2005. If current trends continue, we will receive more than 25,000 items this year, considerably more than the record of 21,816 items received last year.

The internet continues to be a popular source of incoming mail. This year, about 39% of our incoming mail is via the internet. The vast majority of mail from the internet are subscription and literature requests from new contacts as well as those already on file. Requests received via the internet are about 12.2% higher than last year on a daily basis, averaging more than one per hour.

An interesting item of incoming mail is actually a returned item that came back to us last week. It was mailed from Etobicoke (Toronto) to Richmond Hill, Ontario on January 13. The year was 2006. The letter took 2 ½ years to get back to us.

OUTGOING MAIL
With all the mail coming in, there’s also a lot of mail going out. In the first six months of this year, the average amount of outgoing mail stood at 21,355 items per month, or 704 items per day. That is considerably higher than last year’s monthly average of 17,105 items.

The most popular booklets this year are: Making Life Work (1,800 copies distributed), The Book of Revelation Unveiled (1,476 copies), and Are we Living in the Time of the End? (1,422 copies). Running a distant fourth at 890 copies is The Middle East in Bible Prophecy. Rounding out the top 5 at 606 copies is Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Observe?

Also in the outgoing mail category: the 2nd quarter donation statements and donation envelopes (as applicable) were mailed this week.

SABBATH AND HOLY DAY ATTENDANCE
Sabbath service attendance across Canada is 4.1% higher than it was last year. Holy Day attendance is up 1.7% over last year with new records set for Passover and the Last Day of Unleavened Bread.

INCOME AND HOLY DAY OFFERINGS
Income for the first three months of the new fiscal year is about 3.5% ahead of budget. Holy Day offerings, on the other hand, are slightly below budget for the year. Overall, our total income is 0.1% ahead of budget for the year.

READER’S DIGEST RESPONSES
We continue to receive responses from both of the recent ads in Reader’s Digest. Responses from the November 2007 ad currently stand at 4,012 while the most recent ad in the May 2008 issue has drawn 1,612 responses to date. These two ads have drawn more responses than any other ad we have done in any publication in the past.

Of note, last week we had a response from our first ad in Alive magazine.

BEYOND TODAY
We recently surpassed the 4,000 mark for total number of responses from Beyond Today. We have now had 4,044 responses since the program began airing in Canada in May 2006. Although the number of responses has dropped a little over the past few weeks, we are still averaging 36.1 responses per week. Sixty-five percent of the responses are from people not already on file. Two-thirds of the responses are by phone. The other 1/3 of the responses are via the internet. More than 2,200 new subscribers to The Good News magazine have been added since the beginning of this effort in Canada.

SUMMARY
There continue to be many positive signs of growth in Canada. The growth tends to slow down a little during the summer months but there is still growth. We look forward to seeing more results from our efforts in the coming months. In the meantime we’re able to catch up on some of the many projects that we’re working on. If the current trends continue we will finish the year setting a number of new records.

On behalf of the office staff, I wish everyone an enriching Sabbath,

Edwin van Pelt

UPDATED June 26, 2008

Hello Everyone:

With this weekend a nearly a full one half of this calendar year has elapsed. We wonder how it is possible for time to pass so quickly. No wonder the Scriptures says that even a thousand years is but as yesterday once it is past!

Our Reader’s Digest response cards continue to arrive at the church’s mail box. So far we have received 4,009 responses from the November 2007 ad which offered a subscription to the GN magazine and featured the Middle East in Bible Prophecy booklet. To date we have received 1,585 responses from the May 2008 ad. The latter offered a subscription to the GN magazine as well but featured the Making Life Work booklet. It is instructive to observe the significant difference in the response rate. In the latter case we are approaching the industry norm of one quarter of one percent. If the former case we received nearly twice the industry response rate and additional cards and requests from the internet continue to dribble in. As in all cases, although we have to do our part in planning and preparation, it is God’s blessing which makes the difference.

Responses from the internet are coming in an encouraging pace. Thus far this year we received over 27 each day. Responses from Beyond Today are also being received from across the country as viewers watch the program on the Christian Channel and Vision TV. We’ve received close to 4,000 responses in a little over 2 years of being on the air in Canada.

Last Friday afternoon the National Office received a shipment of United News and World News & Prophecy publications from the Home Office. The staff diligently processed these new publications and had them ready to go out the door to Canada Post by Monday afternoon. You should be receiving your envelope fairly soon if you haven’t received it already. Vertical Thought also arrived and will be mailed early next week. All three publications have fine articles well worth reading and reflecting upon.

Here are some letter excerpts.

Anthony Wasilkoff

“I am overwhelmed at the free information I can receive to learn more and have my in-home Bible Study days. These magazines & booklets really help my study course to learn about our Lord Jesus Christ. I am always looking forward to my next booklet or magazine. Enclosed are the following order cards for 10 requests.” C.P. London, ON

“I just wanted to say thank you for all the books and the Good News magazine you have sent me. My Lord blessed me with a Tax Return I never expected so I am sending a donation to you because I have learned so much and now I have a hunger that food just can’t fill me up. Forgive me but I have checked off a lot of books including the Bible Course. I have told a lot of my friends about your magazine and a good sister in the Lord wants me to put her name in so she can start receiving the blessings I have been getting. I will put her name and address at the end of my letter.” Windsor, ON

“I have just received (and read) the May-June edition of The Good News and it is surely an edition to be prized and read again. Three booklets are mentioned that I would very much like to have: The Ten Commandments, Does God Exist and Creation or Evolution. I look forward to studying these booklets.” W.H. Truro, NS

“I want to thank you for the book on the Ten Commandments. It’s really helping me to get closer to God and to understand His law. I don’t take for granted my Lord Jesus Christ so I want to show my love to my ‘daddy’ by observing His law, with the help of Jesus and the Holy Spirit I am hanging in there. Thanks be to God who makes it possible for me and who I trust. Thank you for helping me get closer to my Father and Lord, Jesus without forgetting the Holy Spirit.” L.G. Gatineau, QC

“I prayerfully hope things are well for you and your families. I since sincerely appreciate the opportunity you have given me to re-subscribe for the Good News magazine. Without it would be like losing a family member. We all know our Lord works in mysterious ways and I’m sure your magazine plays a major role in helping Him accomplish His business here on earth. Please accept my humble gift to help support our good works through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” D.L. Mission, BC

Responses from new readers and viewers who are in the first stages of ‘first love’ positively affects us all. It reminds us of our own experiences when we were first called and came to the knowledge of the truth.

Please continue to pray for God’s guidance, direction and blessing upon his Work here in Canada and all around the world. Also do remember to pray for brethren undergoing tests and trials at this time. There are many fellow believers who need to know that they haven’t been forgotten, that many are praying for them and that those prayers are being heard and are making a difference.

In Christian Service.

Anthony Wasilkoff

UPDATED May 23, 2008

Hello Everyone:

The General Conference of Elders and related meetings were successfully conducted in Cincinnati over the last weekend. On the Sabbath of May 17, President Clyde Kilough gave a sermon about spiritual maturity which was heard by an estimated 5,400 members. There were 196 elders and 146 elders’ wives registered for the conference (including ten from Canada) who heard the message in person. There were 90 congregations on phone hookups and also 401 video Web connections, 53 English audio connections and nine Spanish connections. Thereafter the Council of Elders convened for meetings on Wednesday and Thursday. You will read more about the GCE and COE meetings in the next issue of the United News.

The Canadian National Council will be convening for its next round of regularly scheduled meetings in Winnipeg next weekend. It has been quite a while since the National Council or any of its members last visited the Winnipeg congregation. The Council meetings will be preceded by all-day meetings of the Media Team and Ministerial Service Team. You will read a report on how the meetings will have gone from chairman Rainer Salomaa in about two week’s time.

The March-April issue of United News Canada described the Toronto visit of Richard Pinelli to conduct a Leadership Workshop on February 16 & 17. The occasion was very successful. We wish to conduct a similar event for Western Canada in Calgary and on June 21 & 22. The objective is to teach and upgrade a representative number of individuals from each of the church areas so as to develop further in leadership roles. Because of limited space, fewer people were invited to attend than we actually wanted to extend invitations to.

The presentations will utilize the outlines from previous Leadership Workshops conducted at the Home Office. They will be tailored to the local congregational needs and circumstances. Since relatively few have been able to attend the Labor Day weekend Leadership Workshop in Cincinnati, we have decided to bring the weekend to Canada so that more people can attend more readily and with less time lost and less financial encumbrance. In time the presentations will be made available to all of our local congregations via DVD.

Our current ad in the Reader’s Digest continues to pull in responses from across the country. The booklet “Making Life Work” is featured along with a subscription to the Good News magazine. When the mail was picked up at Canada Post last Thursday morning, amongst the envelopes and cards were three more responses from the November RD ad. This now places the total number for that ad at over 4,000 – which is nearly one half of one percent; twice the industry norm for an ad of this type! We pray that our Heavenly Father will similarly bless the current RD advertisement.

Here are a few responses from our subscribers.

Is it possible for you wonderful folks to get a full hour on the TV, rather than just a half hour? Your ministry is so comforting, uplifting & just plain fantastic! If it wasn't for you, Tomorrow's World & Bill Gaither Hour, I really don't think that the TV is any good! The News is frightening as is the Newspapers! If at all within your means, one hour of you're information, wisdom & knowledge would be absolutely fantastic! God Bless you all! JG Vancouver Island

To the United church of God: Thank you for sending me your booklets. My wife and I would be grateful to continue receiving the Good News. Please accept the enclosed cheque as a contribution. Crystal Falls, Ontario

I am very grateful to God for your dedication on spreading the gospel to those who need it. I believe that the Lord will greatly increase your blessings for your hard work and dedication. Your publications have been a blessing in helping me understand the word of God better and ask to receive more of your publications. NC Brampton, Ontario

I enjoy your teachings. I watch your program every Sunday on Vision Channel and sometimes at 2:00 a.m. You people are a gift from God. Keep it up saving souls to Christ is our motto on earth. I share your booklets with a mission for the homeless. I enjoy your Good News very much. Winnipeg, Manitoba

The Feast of Pentecost is just two short weeks away from this Sunday. In keeping the annual holy days we increasingly anticipate the fruition of God’s great plan for mankind. It is most uplifting and heartening to see more and more new people being drawn to the wondrous truth of God as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. Your support for and commitment to the Work of God continues to be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely in Christ’s service,

Anthony Wasilkoff

UPDATED May 8, 2008

Hello Everyone; (from April 26, 2008 report)

A lot has happened over the past month. We are now nearing the end of the first month of our new fiscal year. Income is running ahead of budget for the month of April, a good start to the new year.

We recently requested 15,755 copies of the May-June issue of The Good News for Canadian subscribers. Compared to April 1, 2007 that is a net increase of 4,063 subscribers. (We added many more subscribers during that time period, but because of our ongoing renewal program, we did have a number of cancellations and others who did not respond to the three renewal letters that were mailed).

Incoming mail is running more than 10% higher than last year. We’re averaging 68 items per day compared to 60 per day in 2007. Internet and email requests are averaging 29 per day this year compared to nearly 24 per day last year. We’ve already had more internet and email requests this year than we did in all of 2004.

Outgoing mail is averaging 20,905 items per month. That compares to 17,105 items per month in 2007, an increase of 3,800 items per month. We’ve already distributed over 1,000 copies of two booklets this year primarily due to the responses to the Semi-Annual Letter sent in February. The booklets are “Are We Living in the Time of the End?” and “The Book of Revelation Unveiled”.

Last week marked the 100th “Beyond Today” program aired in Canada. We are averaging 36.8 responses per week. Two-thirds of the responses are from new people. We’ve added almost 2,500 new people to our database as a result of the TV program since May, 2006.

Two more responses came in this week from the ad in the November 2007 issue of “Reader’s Digest”. That brings the total to 3,991 responses and the response rate is 0.459%.

In the meantime, we received 138 responses to the new ad in the May issue of “Reader’s Digest”. The first 8 cards arrived in Tuesday’s mail and another 105 cards came in Thursday. The cards have come from Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. 22 responses have come from the ad on our website. Three responses came by phone.

We’re almost 1/3 of the way through the calendar year and it’s shaping up to be another eventful year.

On behalf of the office staff, I would like to wish everyone a fulfilling Sabbath and Last Day of Unleavened Bread.

With best regards,

Edwin van Pelt