Branch Letter
Dear Kingdom Publishers:
After breakfast here at Bethel on June 8 it was a pleasure to hear Brother Knorr’s report about his recent three-week visit to Europe. He encouraged the Bethel Family with the news that all the branches in Europe, except two, reached new publisher peaks in April.
A highlight of his trip was a meeting for more than two days with seventeen European branch servants and other branch overseers who had gathered at Wiesbaden, Germany. Brother Knorr explained to them many details about new organizational arrangements in regard to elders. The meeting also provided opportunity to discuss problems in connection with the expansion of the preaching work.
From Wiesbaden, Brother Knorr went to Rome, where he gave the dedication talk for the newly constructed branch building. These facilities are greatly needed, Italy having reached a new publisher peak of 25,453 in April. He also spoke at a stadium in Rome and 15,700 persons turned out on short notice for the talk.
At Barcelona, in Spain, he spoke at the dedication of the Society’s branch, a six-story remodeled building. So fast is the work moving ahead in Spain that 117 new Kingdom Halls have been opened in the past year. Spain’s April peak was 16,298 publishers, a 25-percent increase over last year! Brother Knorr spoke too at a meeting in the Barcelona bullring, with 13,356 in attendance. It was the biggest meeting of Jehovah’s people ever held in Spain! So delighted were the brothers at being able to meet freely in such a large assembly that after song and after prayer they burst into spontaneous applause.
We have been very busy here at Bethel, presently running a night shift in the bindery. So far this service year we have produced over 22 1⁄2 million books and Bibles, but we have on hand orders for about 14 million more! As this letter is written the time for the first of the district assemblies is close. What a grand opportunity we will have to praise Jehovah heartily in assemblies! Don’t miss any of the program!
Your brothers,
BROOKLYN BRANCH OFFICE