When Elders Take Congregation Funds

zack

When I was still in, and after having read COC, the BOE received a letter from the branch asking for the CO's usual per publisher payment for his

health care/vehicle/ etc..... Usaully there is no great discussion involved, the Service Department sets a quota and the Elders' rubber stamp it. They then form this

into a "resolution" for the general congregation which they present at the Service Meeting. No one has ever voted against one, in my experience.

This time the letter had a paragraph in it that said, and I paraphrase, 'of course, if any congregations wish to contribute more than their publisher responsibility,

this would be welcome.'

This is where the discussion began. I was very surprised that I wasn't the one who brought it up. Apparently the PO, the Service Overseer, and this other Uber Elder had

planned to introduce the idea to contribute more than our allotted share based on the premise that we had the "money in the bank." This apparently wrankled one of the older

elders. First, he said, it was not "our money." It was the publisher's money. Second, he said, the Branch was asking that all this money come out of funds that went

into the congo's box, not the World Wide Work box. Weren't the CO's part of the WWW? Why not come out of those funds?

It was great to hear the conversation that ensued. An apostate in the making really saw things so clearly for one of the first times and over something that was usually

handled so perfunctorily.

I saw how the BOE's really don't have the pubs. interests at heart. They really thought much more of their own wisdom than had respect for the wishes of the pubs. I said as much.

When challenged on this, I explained very simply that each member of the congregation had a choice to make as where their funds go. If they put it in the WWW box, that's where

they by virtue of their contribution had expressed where this money should be spent. If they wanted the congo's funds to be spent on the CO's, then they could place more money into the

WWW fund. But they wanted the congo's funds spent on the congo--- reparing the bathrooms, the parking lot, maintenance, a new lawn mower, etc..... In essence, we were using our

authority to displace the wishes of those who had contrubuted. This to me was patronizing and dishonest.

Anyway, there were only 3 elders who voted against the resolution. When presented to the congregation, of course, an explanation was not given to them about how

their money was being spent and why it wasn't going to where they had intended it to go. It was all in the name of Jehovah, don't you know.

This was one more nail in the WTS coffin for me.

emy the infidel

there were only 3 elders who voted against the resolution

That's good to know, that 3 elders objected to diverting local funds to the www (borg). Likely there were 3 more afraid to say anything.

I agree that when the elders "present" a motion for the congregation, no one says no. Up until a few years ago. The KH needed some work outside. The brothers decided that the cost of the gardener was high so they came up with the brilliant idea of pouring cement over the green areas and having some special material that looks like brick over it for less maintenance cost. I forgot the amount but one sister raised her hand and asked, "Is this our only option? Isn't there a cheaper alternative?" It was all over at that point. Several others did the same. Well they ended up pouring the cement anyways and the sister was basically labeled a Jezebel.

jacethespace

I was never comfortable with circuit overseers getting the money they did and then it being called voluntary donations.We was asked to raise our hands in a vote in our congregation to give the c.o £150 a week, voluntary of course [ mmm 150 x 4= 600 a month].Not bad for voluntary work.I began to think more about this after one week when it was announced " we decided to buy the circuit overseer a new car".The circuit overseer was literally worshipped in our congregation and the last one that we had, personally i hated him.

tere1998

I remember one congregation we were in, the elders wanted to buy the property behind the KH to renovate the house to rent it out for extra $ and to increase the size of the parking lot. That was several years ago and I remember my dad was so angry because the house needed to be torn down it was in such bad shape, and the parking lot did not increase in size by much, maybe 15 spaces or so, I don't remember exactly. However, the point was that the elders had ALREADY PURCHASED THE LAND before they brought it up to the congregation, and then they asked for promisary notes from the publishers saying how much they could contribute PER MONTH for the cost. Of course, the A$$ kissers instantly backed the motion... my parents were so angry with what the elders did in that congregation that they switched to another one... like it was any better, but anyway. My parents should have seen that the problem was not with the congregation but with the religion/cult.

Oh, and they did rent out the house but it was to a poor family who didn't always pay the rent and they were not evicted.

sammielee24

What would happen if the elders were sent a bill from the GB that they couldn't pay?

Usually the letters are demand notes - not requests. You are told to pay xxxx dollars by a specific date generally calculated out by the number of publishers x the rate you are paying for the CO. If the GB or the WTS is itself insured as a corporation - or they own their own insurance - then the money they want funds their own business? So what happens if there just isn't the money to pay the bill? What would the GB do - shut the hall down? Pull the CO from his duties in that congregation? What legal recourse would they have if nobody paid them what they want? I guess the WT would have to rip the money from their millions in the bank or else find a way to biblically end the position. sammieswife.

beginnersmind

These resolutions for money always used to bug me. I have never seen anyone question one or vote against one. I always thought to myself I should put my hand up to object to see what would happen just for the sake of it but of course I never did. I came close once though when the elder made it clear they had already given the money before the resolution. When I say close I mean I muttered under my breath a bit louder than normal.