Branch Letter

Dear Fellow Publishers:

An interesting report was recently given by Brother Knorr at the Bethel table. He returned on November 29 from visiting fourteen branches in Europe and the Middle East. His first stop was Israel, where he spent seven days checking into details of the Holy Land tour that many brothers from various countries would like to make. During his visit he spoke to a total of 312 persons. Next he stopped at Cyprus, spoke there to 600, visited four Kingdom Halls, and talked over matters regarding a Greek-language assembly for Nicosia in 1973. In Greece he found the brothers keenly anticipating the visit of brothers from other lands.

He found Italy’s new branch office functioning well, and some new machinery for printing was purchased during his visit. In Finland printing facilities are being enlarged by building a new factory, and France just completed a fine, new two-story printery and shipping department in Louviers, sixty-five miles outside of Paris.

Germany is planning for two large conventions in 1973: One in Düsseldorf, where the program will be in both English and German; the other will be in Munich, where provisions will also be made for the Greek brothers to assemble. In Denmark a fine stadium has been obtained for a big gathering of the Norwegian and Danish brothers. Our brothers from Sweden will be going to Finland, and already some 12,000 Swedish brothers have booked passage to attend the Helsinki assembly. A large French assembly will be held in France. Utrecht is the location of the international assembly in the Netherlands, and Belgium will have four large conventions​—in Portuguese, Spanish, French and Flemish. The brothers in Britain are excited about their two conventions, in London and Edinburgh; and in Dublin, Ireland, a very fine hall has been booked for their planned assembly.

In the fourteen countries visited, there was an increase of 9,909 publishers over the same month of last year. They had an excellent increase in subscriptions, obtaining 54,814 new ones​—19,627 over last year’s total. The baptism figures thus far in these fourteen countries have held up well. They are just a little behind last year’s total at this point.

It was a fine trip, and Brother Knorr had the opportunity to check the various branches, as well as working on convention matters. The enthusiasm of the brothers runs high for the international conventions of 1973. The brothers in Europe send warm love and greetings to those in other parts of the earth.

We are all working together, accepting appointed elders as shepherds of God’s flock.

Your brothers,

BROOKLYN BRANCH OFFICE

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Accepting appointed elders as shepherds of God’s flock.