Large numbers of JW congregations are going to be trouble long before they lose their last elder to death or resignation.
Most congregations I know have at least one - and often several - elders who can barely function at all, due to illness, old age
or just plain inability to accomplish anything. The Society seems loathe to remove these men, despite their 'elder in name only'
status. I find it interesting that the Bethel downsizing is being spun to help English congregations that need brothers. More correctly,
they need brothers that can actually perform their 'duties'. In addition, the few brothers left who are competent often end up getting run
into the ground by ceaseless responsibilities that no one else can - or will - handle. The ever witless Service Dept. never understands
that brothers get burned out because other elders make a habit of shirking.
One of the most hilarious things you can witness is a meeting with the Circuit Overseer in which various brothers get into a debate
about which one of them should shoulder real responsibility - which they're all trying to avoid. ( "Brother Lax can certainly do the school....
.... "Why, No I can't - and , in fact, you should do it!").
Other amusements concern trying to maintain a sense of discipline while various brothers are in a shirking mood. The C.O. wants
to 'fire' the Accounts Servant but finds that no one will take the job!
It's going to get interesting....
metatron