Report from the Publishing Committee

JEMIMAH

Hi all

The following is part of a report to all Bethel Family Members
and is the reason why the UK Bethel move to Milton Keynes.

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A report from the Publishing Committee on making the best use of contributed funds.

Five years ago because of construction in the United States and throughout the world on K. H. and A. H. and branches the needs were greater than the available funds putting quite a strain on the resources.

The design build committee limited any building projects to only those absolutely necessary. This resulted in saving millions of dollars just the first year.

The operations committee with the help of a new integrated computer system was able to make some significant changes. Formerly there were 6 purchasing departments, 13 receiving departments and 262 inventory locations at Brooklyn, Patterson and Wallkill. Now there is 1 purchasing department, and just 7 service centers handling the receiving and inventories. The inventory has been drastically reduced and millions of dollars have been saved.

New energy efficient boilers located in the Towers residential building are now also supplying all the heat and hot water for not that building only but also the other main buildings on Columbia Heights.

An integrated financial reporting system has enabled them to consolidate funds. These have been used for K.Hs, Branches, etc in other countries such as Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and some of the Pacific Islands. Places that do not have the necessary materials, resources, funds or experience to engage in such projects on their own.

Since November 1999 a new program was instituted for building some 2000 K.H.s in the above areas. Local volunteers who were able to work full time on such projects are being provided with food and lodging. By the end of this past service year 1,750 K. H.s have been completed. In
Rwanda for instance 90 K.H. were built for less than $9,000 each in the 2001 service year. Tanzania built 177 K.H. for less than $10,000 each. And Malawi saw 195 K.H. for $6,000 each. By the end of August 2002 they expect to complete a total of 350 K.H. in that one country alone.

Donations unfortunately have not kept pace, but have decreased even prior to September 11. Now we see severe economic conditions resulting in even less funds avail able for expansion.

The Bethel family of 20,000+ worldwide is being urged to help conserve resources. As an illustration if each of the 20,000 Bethelites turned off a 100-watt bulb for one hour each day, at the end of the year there would be a savings of $25,000.
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Sounds like things are not what they would seem

Cheers

Jem

Mindchild

Hi Jem,

Say I wanted to ask you respectfully if this information is from a genuine source as there was no information on how you got it and copied it here. It is hard to tell sometimes where information on this DB comes from and it would be nice to know that this was the real thing. I didn't see anything here that makes me doubt that nor anything from you personally that gives me reason to question you. So, please don't take my request for information about issues of authenticity personally.

Just a comment though on the contents. Are the dubs really hurting that much for money that they are talking about turning off light bulbs?

If so...Hot Damn...that gives me many interesting ideas!

Skipper

MadApostate

Are the dubs really hurting that much for money that they are talking about turning off light bulbs?

Yeh, sounds like the converting of millions of donated $$$$ into "corporately-owned real property" really has the WTS hurting.

Sounds more like an Investment Banker complaining that the economy has hurt him so bad that he can only afford to build a $20 million dollar home versus his desired $25 million dollar home.

If so...Hot Damn...that gives me many interesting ideas!

I hope such is better thought out than the above evaluation.

HenryP

I don't think the problem is that they are running out of money, but that their responsibility is now global and not only the US. Most of the friends in many lands cannot afford to pay for their own Kingdom Halls, publishing of literature, Assembly Hall rentals, and other expenses. The US, UK, and other branches that have the resources to help are now paying for those buildings and expenses. A little cost cutting and saving of money is always a good idea.

Sometimes I wished my kids would save me some money by turning off the lights for an hour.

metatron

Wait a minute ... they've been global for a number of years
even decades, depending on how you count it.

I believe they are losing cash flow. They nearly panicked when
contributions plunged after the Swaggart case/voluntary contribution
change went into effect. I can testify that a great many
congregations now send in less than half the amount of money
to the Society that they used to. Accounting for inflation,
it looks even worse.

They have canceled building plans, gone to paperbacks, and
dumped subscriptions - which have been offered for OVER a century.

metatron

hippikon

Building a kh FOR $9,000. Well I supose it will stand up till it rains next.

Haereticus

"The Bethel family of 20,000+ worldwide is being urged to help conserve resources. As an illustration if each of the 20,000 Bethelites turned off a 100-watt bulb for one hour each day, at the end of the year there would be a savings of $25,000."

Worldwide this would mean a mean cost of one kWh being 0,0342465 cents (US?), just about half what I pay. I have been misled about the cost of electricity around the world if that calculation is true.

What is the average price for electricity (including possible transfer charge) for example in UK and US?

"Proper preparation & planning prevents piss poor performance." - Awul Dasfilshabeda and Nowaynayda Zheet

Mindchild

Haereticus you have an interesting point but let's do the math and see what the scoop is. I have researched electric power prices in the USA last year for a project I was doing. The going rate for electrical energy is 0.09 cents a KW hour for consumers and about 0.055 cents a KW hour for industrial users. No doubt the WTS would get an industrial rate.

Looking at the math here is what we get:

20,000 x 100 X 1 KW hour= 2000 KW hours per day

2000 KWH x 365= 730,000 KWH per year

730,000 KWH x 0.055 cents= $40,150.00 per year (USD)

There are countries where electrical power is cheaper but also some where it is much more expensive, so I would say that $25,000 per year is a conservative estimate.

Skipper

waiting

howdy metatron,

Wait a minute ... they've been global for a number of years
even decades, depending on how you count it. - met

True, but for some time now, the growth has been in the Third World countries - which are cash poor. The KH's can be built cheaply - and it seems that the First World countries are financing them. For a united, loving, brotherhood, that sounds reasonable.

I believe they are losing cash flow. - met

As you have stated, donations & recruits are down in First World countries - thus the loss of cash flow. The WTBTS is recruiting well in the Third World - but the money's not there.

Catch 22.

waiting

metatron

Yep, they're caught between a rock and a hard place.

Note the appeals they're making for contributions from
poor third world types - kids sending in their lunch money
sort of stuff.

metatron

Report from the Publishing Committee

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