by Bonnie_Clyde 27 Replies latest jw friends
I predict that the overall US attendance will be down this year.
First of all, it was a Monday night. Most record setting Memorials are usually on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Early and mid week years, the attendance isn't so great.
Second of all, here in the States, this Monday, April 2nd was the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. I'm sure that kept a lot of "interested" people and relatives from attending this year. They had to stay home and watch Florida beat Ohio State.
Our congregation attendance for the Memorial was 25% down from last year.
The interesting thing was that it was VERY noticable.
Many of the friends mentioned it with others after the meeting. Why? Why? Why? One brother even said to me that it could be because of "Jehovah's disapproval" and "that someone may be committing a hidden sin".
Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother NOT Exerting Vigorously)
I had a prior work-related engagement I had to attend to that I absolutely made no effort in rescheduling. I just couldn't muster up the interest in going this year, even knowing that it would've made my wife happy.
There were empty seats at our hall too. I was surprised at that.
I thought I'd be able to breeze through the evening. After all, I knew what to expect. But we arrived early and I overheard a couple sisters,
"There are so many meetings, but we have to attend them all."
"It is because we are so close to the end. The things they tell me at the store, I tell you. It is not safe out there these days..."
My eyes crossed and I pulled out my PDA.
Even worse, I saw two girls from my Sunday School class, little Grace and her sister. It looks like dad was either visiting or attending the Kingdom Hall. I ran over to introduce myself, he brightened, "Do you attend here, now?" I must have clouded over, "No my husband does." He looked a little confused. Those two little girls, bright, animated. I want them back in my Sunday School class.
A lot of the elders came over to introduce themselves, shake my hand. One brother told me he hoped to see me again, I responded, "Next spring" He thought that was very funny, "Why not April 15?" You know, the earth-shattering life-saving message. The one they gave last year.
My Cong broke 200 for the first time in a decade.
Attendance was down because last year's memorial was the last one before the big A, remember?
We had low attendance DESPITE a Bethel speaker AND being the earliest scheduled memorial at our KH. I remember not only 5-6 years ago that the earliest memorial would pack out our hall. The men would have to stand because of lack of seats, and one years we had to turn people away because of being in such egregious violation of the fire codes.
This year, there were empty seats.
Justitia
One of the brothers did not attend last night because one of his sons hurt his foot the day before, the foot was swollen, and he couldn't get a shoe on. I don't remember that ever being an "excuse" for missing the Memorial. I wonder if he really wanted to watch basketball.
