Why so much DEFICIT?

Aintthatcute

When I sit at a CA and the Bro comes out and reads the financial report it is alwasy in the red (DEFICIT). Then I ask myself: "If we own this building, the parking area, and there is no food being served; how in the world can we have a DEFICIT?" Typically, the deficit is in the range of $5000 and $7000. So, I asked an elder that question and he said that they count on a $5 contribution per day for everyone in attendece: i.e,. If you have 10 members in your family and the CA is 3 days then I would owe $150. He went on to tell me that if the CA doesn't get out of the deficit durring the CA, then they will go to the congregations in the circuit who were assigned to those days and get it from them.

It would appear to me that with an average District made up of 20 circuits, and the 1mm or so of attendees across the US. The WBTS is making a "killing!"

Is this an obvious loop-hole in the donation arrangement? Because, if they don't get the monies at the CA's then they get it from the individual halls.

I whish the WBTS would be honest with these things!

ATC

FrightMare

I don't know what the hell you're talking about, it doesn't make any sense. I was accounts servant at one time, and I was fully in charge of every transaction that took place. I know where each dollar was going, and there was never any funny business going on.

In our cong, we had thousands of bucks in the bank. However, if the expenses for that month were greater than the contributions, then it was called a deficit.

Aintthatcute

I'm not saying there is any "funny business" going on at the individual KH. I'm only questioning how a Circuit Assembly starts off with a deficit? When:

1) The JWs own the Circuit Assembly Hall,
2) I'm just telling it the way it was 'splained to me 'bout the donations and how they are prefigured per individual.

Hope this makes more sence?

openminded

Its called fuzzy math. They always show a deficit to make people give more. Its an old trick.

Makena1

Here is what I remember about the "arrangement" when I was in the back room counting the coins after the CA.

The assembly usually is paid for already, but the $5 per attender is for expenses, repairs, future expansion, etc. (more or less depending on what circuit you are in).

Anything contributed over the actual expenses is sent to headquarters as a contribution to the worldwide work. Therefore no big balances ever accumulate in the circuits bank account, and each assembly starts "in the hole" financially.

I think this is correct - but I was just a bean counting elder, never did the actual books.

Peace,
Makena

msil

Why is it that whenever there is a surplus at assemblies(at the end) they send it to the society? Then next assembly they run short and make an announcement and everyone gives to them...

Then they send that surplus to the society again...

I used to get so pissed off that steam would come out of my ears!!

FrightMare

Oh my bad Aint, you're talking about CA, not cong. funds. I have no idea about those.

MacHislopp

Hello Aintthatcute

thnaks for the interesting question.

In mho, the best 2 answers that you have received are:

from Msil: " Why is it that whenever there is a surplus at assemblies(at the end) they send it to the society? Then next assembly they run short and make an announcement and everyone gives to them...

Then they send that surplus to the society again..."

They do by us ...always! Strange and the rare times that there

is money in the CA account, ...they still ask contributions

to help ..other brother and sisters worldwide.

and also - basically the same point - from Openminded

"They always show a deficit to make people give more. Its an old trick. "

I do believe that now things are...much clear for you.

Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp

" One who has an accurate knowledge
of God's Word will have no problem
in refuting false religious ideas".

roybatty

From what I recall, after Saturday’s program was over there would be an elder’s meeting for the elder’s in the circuit. Sitting at the head of the room was the CO and next to him the brother who kept the books and the brother who was acting as chairman. This was a business meeting. The chairman would start the meeting then the CO would share a few words, then turn it back to the chairman. The chairman would go over such things as projects going on at the Assembly Hall, such as repairs and such. Then he’d turn it over to the accounts brother. He would go over the books and almost always we had a surplus. Then the chairman would ask the brothers if we’d like to send some of this money to the Society. There would be an open discussion and then a vote. I recall that the first couple of times that I went to this meeting, it was pretty much automatic that money would be sent to the Society. But the last couple of meeting I attended, there were some objectors but in the end everyone voted to send the Society money. We’d typically send the Society four or five thousand after each Circuit Assembly. Then at the next CA there would be an anouncement that we needed money and the whole process started over again.

Like the song says “money for nothing and your checks for free.”

Pathofthorns

Most donations are given on the last day of any assembly, most right as people are exiting to go home. Therefore, generally speaking, there will be a deficit at any point during the event.

I do find msil's comments interesting. Quite often any surplus is donated to the Society instead of being held in an account for that particular circuit. While this may be scripturally explained as 'one's surplus offsetting another's deficiency', there always seems to be a deficiency.

Even governments give tax breaks when they have a surplus. For once I'd like to see an announcement saying "all expenses for this occasion have been taken care of due to your generous donations over the years. Anything you wish to contribute today will go to... (well it would be nice if it was some legitamate charity but in some people's eyes, there is only one)

Path

Why so much DEFICIT?

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