Letter to All Bodies of Elders in the USA, 1996-08-15: Adjustment in the way congregations report their field service activity
25 COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11201-2483, U.S.A. PHONE (718) 625-3600
August 15,1996
TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS IN THE UNITED STATES
Dear Brothers:
We are pleased to inform you that an adjustment is being made in the way congregations report their field service activity to the Society. Enclosed is a sample of the revised Congregation Report (S-1) form that will enable your congregation's report to be scanned and tabulated electronically. The revised form is being sent to your congregation with the annual forms shipment. After you receive the new S-1 report forms, the old ones should be destroyed. The congregation secretary should begin using the new form when reporting September 1996 field service activity.
The general format of the Congregation Report has not been changed, but we request that you carefully study the adjusted form. Below are points that the congregation secretary should keep in mind to ensure that the form is properly filled out each month. Remember that the Congregation Report form is to be scanned electronically.
Neatly and legibly PRINT all information with a medium point, black-ink felt-tipped pen or a black-ink roller-ball pen. Please DO NOT use a ballpoint pen.
Make sure the numbers do not touch the edge of the guide boxes, as illustrated at the top of the form. Begin printing in the box that is the farthest to the left in each section, not in the box that is farthest to the right.
DO NOT TYPE information to fill out the form.
Do not put any marks on the square register boxes at the corners of the form or on the identifier box in the lower right-hand corner of the form. Do not put marks anywhere on the form except where specific information is requested.
Please do not put a slash or a dash through a zero, a seven, or any other number. Do not use a dash in place of a zero.
If no figures are to be entered, leave the box blank; do not put a dash or anything else in it.
If you make a mistake,you may use white correction fluid to cover the error.
Do not mark the back of the form.
Double-check the figures entered to ensure that complete and accurate information is being supplied. Errors will result in difficulties and delays for the Society.
Do not try to reproduce or photocopy the form to be sent to the Society nor should you fill it in with an ink-jet or laser printer.
Be aware of how many report forms you have on hand. If you anticipate running out before the end of the service year, you may request additional forms on your next Literature Request Form (S-14), and a supply will be sent to you.
If you need to communicate additional information to the Society for any reason, please provide a separate letter.
As you will note, information regarding regular pioneer reassignments and name changes is no longer listed on the back of the Congregation Report form. Instead, a new Regular Pioneer Changes (S-204) form is being provided for this purpose. Ample quantities of this form will also be included in the annual forms shipment. It will be necessary to send this form to the Society only when you actually have adjustments.
When filling out the Regular Pioneer Changes form, please supply the pioneer's identification number if possible. If the pioneer has transferred to your congregation from a different country and does not have an identification number, please provide in a separate letter as much information as possible about the pioneer and the former congregation and country. This may require your writing to the regular pioneer's former congregation and country before notifying the Society that the pioneer has moved into your congregation.
As with any notification of name changes, please provide complete information regarding married and maiden names and former congregations.
We hope that using the revised Congregation Report (S-1) form and the new Regular Pioneer Changes (S-204) form will simplify the congregation secretary's work and result in a considerable saving of time for the Society. Your close cooperation and adherence to the above guidelines will be very much appreciated.
We take this opportunity to send you our warm love and Christian greetings.
Your brothers,
Walthower B. D. J. Society OF NEW YORK, INC.