Branch Letter
Dear Publishers:
All of you hard workers in the field throughout the United States keep those of us at Bethel very excited. Our excitement is one of joy and we wonder what to expect next. You have produced five new publisher peaks so far this service year, with March hitting 409,413! Our mail is flooded with requests for a share in the vacation pioneer work. We have sent out over 35,000 appointments for April. And the initial printing of April’s special Watchtower and Awake! magazines is over ten million copies in English alone. It certainly should prove to be a marvelous month for witnessing. Of course, we are always anxious to see what that report will be.
There are a few other interesting figures that we saw when checking over things in the office. So far this service year 110 more congregations have been inaugurated in the United States. There are now 69 congregations in Chicago, 96 in Los Angeles, 30 in Miami, and here in New York city we have 209. Everywhere you turn, things are growing fast. Right now we have at least 5,605 congregations in the United States. It is no wonder that we are working day and night at the factory keeping all of you supplied with literature.
Now in just a little while the “Divine Name” Assembly will begin, and this will be a five-day assembly. The Society must have something very important for us, because they have arranged for us to gather together for five days. Be sure to bring all of your family and those with whom you are studying. By all means try to make arrangements for them to get to the convention.
At Watchtower Farm things are moving ahead well. They have just about finished the new printing plant. The people from whom we are buying printing presses failed to send us the presses on time because of strikes and a lack of raw materials. However, we are using the plant right now for a carpenter, electric and plumbing shop and sleeping quarters for those working on the new Bethel home that we have started to construct. So the building is in full use while we are waiting for our presses.
If you are passing by Watchtower Farm, which is near Pine Bush, New York, you will see a lot of activity. You may find it convenient to drive by when going to the Yankee Stadium assembly or homeward.
So, as we said, there is a lot of excitement. It keeps us very happy here. The Bethel Family is delighted with their privileges of service, and we are glad to be doing so much to help our brothers in the United States and throughout the world. Like you, we are looking forward to the assemblies this summer, and some of us will see some of you at the “Divine Name” Assemblies.
May Jehovah’s rich blessing go with you as all of us press on with the work of preaching during these delightful days, using all means to keep “healthy in faith.”
Your brothers,
BROOKLYN BRANCH OFFICE
P.S.: Just received New York city’s Memorial report for 209 congregations. 50,361 attended. Isn’t that something—a 13.5 percent increase! 258 partook.
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Use all means to keep “healthy in faith.”
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Which assembly will you attend?