who puts together the bookstudy groups?

by BlackSwan of Memphis 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  cyberdyne systems 101

  I can remember the bad reactions people would have by looking at a newly posted book study list and seeing who they were being put with! Talk about love amongst the brothers lol.

  I can also remember when my eldest daughter was born, my mother a single parent (in the 'truth') got shipped away to a non local to her group. She reasonably requested to stay with the local one where I was still at, after all this was her first grandchild too. But no it caused a big stink cause the elder bigwigs couldnt agree on it!! The reality is it would start a tidal wave and one they didnt want to face. In the end one elder told her to go where she wanted and to not feel intimidated by the bully boy tactics.
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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  I don't remember a lot of people in the hall getting upset. I do remember that at one point after I had my daughter, going to a bs at the home I was assigned to because, the couple was often sick or tired and wouldn't come downstairs, so there were many times that I would either stay home if I thought my little one was going to be grumpy or in the summer I spent the majority of the meeting outside in their backyard. That was actually nice, but it could also be depressing.

  Then when I had my second, my husband was willing to come and help me with both kids, as long as we could go to the kingdom hall one. That was ok. Then the hall went through a renovation and we got shipped to a home and I missed most of the bookstudies. Then when we went back, the kingdom hall had changed it's layout so that the bookstudy began to be held in the second school. The entire atmosphere had changed. It made it more difficult for parents and the few df'ed ones who were trying.

  Another mother with young children had been assigned to a home and she talked to her conductor to be switched to the kh, and I guess they wouldn't accomodate her so she just dealt with it.

  Goodie night NOW that was a awesome, and I agree with RR when there are older people, mmm yum.

  meagan
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  AuldSoul

  stillajwexelder: The Service Overseer puts the Book Study Groups together supported by the Service Committee - the SO is given a lot of latitude. The body of elders is then merely informed - this is in writing somewhere and I will; get a URL to you when I get time

  That is the correct answer. The PO can intervene in specific cases (read as "special circumstances that he might be aware of"), but the SO creates the Book Study Groups and the elders find out as an announcement. I believe it was even in a KM not too long ago...1999 or 2000, if memory serves.

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
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  AuldSoul

  *** km 9/98 p. 3 Overseers Taking the Lead—The Service Overseer ***4 As a member of the Congregation Service Committee, the service overseer proposes any needed adjustments in the Congregation Book Study groups. When he visits your group, be sure to be in attendance and to share with him in field service.

  One year off.

  AuldSoul
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  BluesBrother

  Auld Soul,, I would not like to have to work under such an arrangement. What POWER the S.O. has!
  Before I quit, the practise was for 2 or 3 elders to work out a plan, then present it to the body, and we would pull it apart. The horsetrading and deal offs would ensue, with somebody getting Sister Answerup in exchange for Br. Readswell.. The irregular and the oddities would be shared around as best they could.
  In practice their were often reasons why the plan would not work. Somebody always gives somebody else a lift and they need to be together, old sister cannot manage the stairs to someone's house - things like that.
  
  PS nothing to do with the Holy Spirit
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  schne_belly

  When still in:

  We would go to whatever bs (bookstudy) we wanted. After a while, people would just assume that you were assigned there.
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  blondie

  The service overseer sets up the list and he may ask for input from the other elders. I have seen the SO set up a list without any input or little and he had people who gave rides to people in separate book studies from the people they gave rides, he scheduled older JWs that couldn't handle stairs to book studies in the basement, he scheduled sisters in the same book study that hadn't talked to each other for 20 years, he scheduled a family known for thieving children to a private home, he scheduled a book study with people 70% of whom hardly put in 2 hours a month and rarely attended the book study, get the drift.

  Then once the list was posted in one congregation and except for the conductors and their assistants, and the family who lived in the home, no one went to the one they were assigned to.

  I knew one family made up of grandparents, grown son and family, grown daughter and family that would not be split up. That made 12 people that had to be assigned as a block.

  Currently it seems very hard to find JWs who want the book study in their home if the meeting for frield service is held there. So the book study during the week is in the home but the group meets at the KH for field service.

  The sheep are not very obediently or willing for the "privilege" of having the book study in their home. Also many JWs do not have a house big enough for a group...probably because their not making big bucks due to the limited education.

  Blondie
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  tijkmo

  You are all wrong - the Service Overseer puts the Book Study Groups together supported by the Service Committee - the SO is given a lot of latitude. The body of elders is then merely informed - this is in writing somewhere and I will; get a URL to you when I get time

  stilla is right about this.. a couple of years ago the s.o was given this authority because as he visited the groups on a regular basis..(hmmm!) then he would best know when and where to make changes... this severely irked the other elders..esp the service comittee..who would often make such a song and dance about the s.o changes that he would give up and tell them just to do it themselves... tijkmo...of the i know i was that soldier class
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  rebel8

  Although most of the time it is regional, all living close by

  I was told it was done by home address, the map being divided according to how many families could fit in a particular book study location. The boundaries of each section were shared with the cong and no one was allowed to go to a different study.

  The reason for this procedure was said to be that we must bond with the ppl in our own neighborhoods so we can help each other out when the Great Tribulation comes. They said it will come suddenly and we won't have gas, so we'll have to walk to each other's houses, share food, and take turns hiding at different houses.

  Everyone was jealous of the study group that got to be near the sista who knew all about wild edible plants. They all wanted to live near her in case they all had to flee suburbia and survive in the wilderness. (She had this knowledge by reading a book about it, but it didn't occur to anyone to buy or read a book about it themselves.)
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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  Everyone was jealous of the study group that got to be near the sista who knew all about wild edible plants. They all wanted to live near her in case they all had to flee suburbia and survive in the wilderness. (She had this knowledge by reading a book about it, but it didn't occur to anyone to buy or read a book about it themselves.)

  That wouldn't be such a bad idea.

  Although I'd want to by the sister who had a good supply of doritos and pepsi.

  Stress can get me to craving junk food

  and what would be more stressful than being with jws every waking moment in the wilderness?

  meagan