congregations disbanded

Fleshybirdfodder

Not sure if it is the correct terminology, but I've heard of a few instances where the society had to step in and completely "delete" a congregation because of issues with incompetent elders and out of control publishers. I've never heard specifics. Does this actually happen?

daniel-p

Yes, it happens. I have seen congregations absorbed by other congegations for a variety of reasons. One instance was where an entire elder and servant body was basically currupt except for one ministerial servant. Everyone was deleted except for the one MS, and all the publishers were sent to other congregations. Another time a rural congregation had steadily declined in atendance for 20 years and had only 10 or so attending with the same couple of elders doing everything until it was dissolved.

ashitaka

Yes it does. Not too much, though. I've seen several, mostly because of mutual crimes between elders, or some huge problem that got press. One of them was just because the two congs in the same hall lost most of both of their brothers and sister. In my 20 years in, I offically know of 3. Elders like to say that it was apostates who got involved, or just a bunch of bad people, but lots of this type of stuff happens regularly across the nation, as far as I know from the people I've met from here.

sinamongurl

wow....never even heard of these....continually learning new stuff

uninformed

I believe that Bonham, Texas was one of such congregations.

What I heard is that the BOE were the majority of the trustees, and they not only left the Society, but they took the KH with them.

the Society then went into the territory and did a QB, for around 10 or so Publishers.

Makes you wonder now who the faithful ones really were.

u

thecarpenter

Well in the tri-state area MY, NJ and CN, many congregations have merged because the friends stop going to the meetings and the attendance keeps dropping. One brother in NY said to me that something like 20 congregations have merged in the last 3 years. So one of the congos is dissolved when that happens.

blondie

Elders not following through on their duties; warned many times by CO to shape up or be replaced; elders thought he would not replace all of them; they were wrong

Elders lied about DF involving person who was well-respected by CO; turned out they had manufactured the evidence........you can lie to God and the rank and file but don't lie to the CO/WTS and get caught.

Elders/congregation did not like something the CO did; all signed a petition and sent to WTS; WTS removed elders and disbanded congregation

Elders were all involved in a child pornography ring, found out by law enforcement, arrested, tried, and convicted; elders from another state were reassigned.

Congregation riddled with "spiritistic" practicing JWs....(that was a big surprise). Only one elder left, disbanded.

Congregations can be disbanded for several reasons, mostly lack of interest, lack of members, and everyone is reassigned.

Fleshybirdfodder

Blondie:

"spiritistic"?!?! Please do tell!

FBF

blondie

Just that the card (tarot) parties were more than euchre parties...no satan parties...hey, reading your horoscope is considered spiritistic. This congregation was in a community that was into spiritualism (a religion). I guess too much rubbed off or they didn't leave it behind them.

http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/Spiritsm.html

Blondie

Forscher

Somebody told the story online of a congregation in Michigan. The elders started to publically disagree with the Governig Body's directions. As soon as the GB found out somebody showed up at the Kingdom Hall one morning and padlocked the doors. All the members were scattered among the other congregations in the area and the elders were disfellowshipped. It was a number of years before any congregation was allowed to use that hall.
The man who put that story online runs another forum. Sorry, though, I don't have it book marked on this broweser as I haven't been to that forum in years. That is the only such story I've heard about.
Forscher

congregations disbanded

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