PHILIPPINES - "December 15, 2017 letter Re: 2017 Service Year Report" - with local numbers and highlights

[The Librarian]

The previously posted WT letter of December 15, 2017 "Re: 2017 Service Year Report" was for the US congregations.

The second (and third) paragraphs of the letter are being re-written to feature highlights in the local field to the congregations that it is addressed to...

Hence below is what I understand to be the version of the above letter that is being sent and read out (in the first week of January 2018) to congregations in the Philippines.

I believe that the Philippines is traditionally one of the WT's Star Performers in terms of growth 

I have bolded the key text in the letter:

December 15, 2017, TO ALL CONGREGATIONS Re: 2017 Service Year Report

Dear Brothers:

We are pleased to share encouraging highlights from the 2017 service year report. The peak number of publishers was 8,457,107. Jehovah’s people spent a total of 2,046,000,202 hours in the ministry, a 3.1 percent increase from last year. We are especially encouraged to see a 7.4 percent increase in the number baptized, with a total of 284,212! This is evidence that we take seriously our commission to “make disciples.” (Matt. 28:19) We were delighted to see that the average number of regular pioneers was 1,225,279. This was an 8.6 percent increase! The worldwide Memorial attendance figure was 20,175,477. Significant features of the service year report will soon be available on jw.org and in JW Library, Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY, and Watchtower Library. These figures provide compelling evidence of Jehovah’s blessing on our work.—Isa. 60:22.

Here too in the Philippines, we saw indications of Jehovah’s blessing on the activity in the field. The peak number of publishers was 210,914. The increase of publishers over last year’s average was 3 percent. And the publishers were truly busy in the field, as evidenced by the 52,443,544 hours spent in preaching and teaching. This was a 4.6 percent increase over last year. More and more enrolled in the regular pioneer work. We were happy to see a peak of 45,264 sharing in this work during the year. The Memorial attendance figure was 575,813. It was also good to see 10,781 baptized in the 2017 service year. No doubt having two regional conventions in one year was a factor in having such a large number. Nevertheless, it makes us happy to see so many personally making the decision to join the ranks of Jehovah’s worshippers.

Be assured that Jehovah values your faithful service and that he will continue to give you the necessary strength to “fully accomplish your ministry” in the coming year!—2 Tim. 4:5; Isa. 40:31.

Your brothers, 

WTBTS of the Philippines, INC.

. 

For comparision with previous years:

Year	Population	Peak.Pubs	Ratio	Av.Pubs	%Increase	Baptized
2015	100,621,100	201,761	499	199,551	5	10,146
2016	100,981,437	209,131	483	202,431	1	8,900
2017		210,914			3	10,781

. 

Year	Av.AuxPios	Av.Pios	Congs	Hours	Studies	Memorial.Att
2015	12,440	38,813	3,246	49,798,859	268,598	576,542
2016	9,801	41,182	3,315	50,130,621	269,655	584,685
2017		45,264		52,443,544		575,813

. 

• A 3% increase would indicate that Average Publisher is expected to be between 207,492 and 209,515 (ie between 2.5% to 3.5% as the yearbooks only used whole numbers for the %'s)

• The Regular Pioneer figure is a Peak - though I would expect the Average Regular Pioneers during the year to be fairly even, with no real spiked peaks.