Ok, the background. In my spare time I help to compile/edit my local parish magazine (we're talking really small village, totally amateur little magazine). Now, even though it's just a little village mag I always try to make sure that the English is pretty good when it's my turn to edit.
This month, we've just received a (fairly stroppy) complaint about the fact that we include a page of 'Upcoming Events'. The reader in question complained that the word 'upcoming' is an appalling American import that debases the English language and should not appear in our magazine. He also said that it did not appear in any of his dictionaries. He begged that we use 'forthcoming' instead, as befits our role as upholders of the English language.
Now, I agree that 'forthcoming' is probably the more elegant word, but I don't have a particular problem with upcoming, and it appears in my OED without any reference to it being an Americanism.
So, how should I reply to this person? Should I concede his point, or tell him (in the politest possible terms) that we are not the bloody Economist and that he can take a running jump?