"We have long-term and short-term plans. The long-term plan includes the free distribution of the magazine to all homes in the parish, and to those outside which have a connection with St. James’s. This may not be realised for some years, but we now take a step towards it by making the magazine free to all who are already receiving it, and to all interested in the church who make known their desire to have it - of course, up to the limit of copies printed. In May we intend to increase this number so as to be able to supply more people, but to enable us to estimate bow many extra copies we need we should like to have new names sent in as soon as possible. All members of the Pledged Giving Scheme not now receiving the magazine will automatically be added to distributors’ lists as quickly as can be arranged.

We hope that those who paid in advance for 1961, and were therefore entitled to two 1962 issues (as only ten appeared last year), will not mind having paid for two that are now free! But anyone who may have paid in advance for 1962 before the new policy was made known should ask for the return of his subscription, unless he would like it regarded as a special donation.

Then there are those who receive the magazine by post. Some of these regularly send donations in excess of the cost of the magazine and postage, and we are very grateful to them. Some have already done so for this year, and we hope that they will allow their contributions to stand. But in future, as of obligation, we shall expect our postal subscribers to send us only the amount necessary to cover the cost of envelopes and stamps - say 3/- at present rates.

These forward steps are possible because of the financial success of the magazine in the past, helped by the loyal support of our advertisers, which has enabled funds to accumulate, and the entirely new financial prospect opening up before us as a result of the Christian Stewardship Campaign last November.

Other problems connected with the magazine are also being tackled. This should be the last one which I have to produce largely or entirely single-handed. From now on I hope to have an editorial board working with me on the preparation of each issue. Then we hope to be able to work out with the printers a schedule by which, within reason, we shall be able to ensure their receiving the copy on a definite date, and they will be in a position to guarantee us a firm date for publication. When this scheme is in full working order, it will mean that no magazine will come out late, and that no issue will ever have to be missed out.

The distribution side of the magazine has also been failing and is now being overhauled, We are very grateful to the few distributors we have, but their numbers are in¬deed too few to cover the present ground efficiently let alone deal with any expansion. Some have so many magazines to deliver that there is great delay in getting them out, people are inadvertently missed, and there is no time for calling to collect subscriptions—so, in fact, a good many parishioners have already been receiving the magazine free of charge for a year and more! The abolition of the money-side should in itself help greatly to speed up delivery, but we also badly need more distributors and should be glad to hear of volunteers."

Source: The Spire Magazine - 1962 February

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