Six Congos Not Merging But Splitting Expenses

by Clam 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Clam

  http://www.syracuse.com/articles/news/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1195466329169760.xml&coll=1

  Jehovah's Witnesses to share city site

  Former Brigadier Hall in Syracuse will serve six county congregations.

  Six Jehovah's Witnesses congregations from around Onondaga County will be housed at a site under construction at the former Brigadier Hall in Syracuse.

  Volunteers are renovating the building at 1860 W. Fayette St., which will be called Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, said John Huckabee, city overseer for Syracuse congregations.

  The building will house three auditoriums that seat 200, and the congregations will rotate services, which they call meetings.

  About 800 members from churches (Kingdom Halls) in Syracuse, Eastwood, Onondaga Hill and LaFayette will meet at the new site. The Syracuse and Eastwood buildings have been sold; the other two are on the market.

  "The building will be for meetings and education and to work in harmony with the Bible," Huckabee said.

  The six congregations will not merge but will share the site and split expenses, said J.R. Brown, a Jehovah's Witnesses spokesman based at the branch office in New York.

  "Our approach in looking after the flock is to keep them small because we do not want to lose the intimate touch a shepherd should have with sheep," he said.

  Huckabee said a group of congregations in Connecticut is following a similar design to share a building.

  "They say it's working out good," he said.

  Last weekend, more than 400 volunteers, Jehovah's Witnesses who traveled from places including Canada and Pennsylvania, replaced the building's roof.
• 

  sweetstuff

  Our approach in looking after the flock is to keep them small because we do not want to lose the intimate touch a shepherd should have with sheep," he said.

  Maybe its just me, but when I read that, pedophile came right to mind.
• 

  kwintestal

  "Our approach in looking after the flock is to keep them small because we do not want to lose the intimate touch a shepherd should have with sheep," he said.

  I threw up a bit in my mouth.

  Kwin
• 

  carla

  Sounds like they are taking a cue from the megachurches that have multiple services, education nearly every night of the week, the only thing missing is some fun activities for the adults and kids.
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  metatron

  I'm skeptical about motives. Take note that they are selling off 4 Kingdom Halls. This may be - yet again - about $$$$$$$.

  metatron
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  Sunspot

  I have been to pretty much every one of those KHs mentioned at one time or another since moving up here in 1974. I cannot imagine all those are being sold to have this happen! I know John Huckabee----he's been a bigwig in "JW stuff" for many years, in quick-builds and in the assembly preparations. He married (what used to be) very close personal friends of mine when they lived in Syracuse.

  I read this to hubby and he said it sounds as though they must be having big money troubles to be selling off the real estate and combing meetings in one building like this. He might just be right! (mentally inserting Outlaw's wonderful snickering figure here)
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  The questions I would have:

  Does this make it less convenient for 3 to 5 of these congregations' members to get to the hall?
  Are they really saving money? In other words, does the sale of other properties cover the expenses
  of remodeling, or is there a new burden to pay for the property?

  As an aside, I think this is a way to pay for a large building, then start combining congregations
  as their membership drops.
• 

  zack

  It's about the money.
• 

  Sunspot

  As an aside, I think this is a way to pay for a large building, then start combining congregations
  as their membership drops

  It's about the money.

  I am hoping that the local JWs will realize this.....and begin to rethink the postion that "Jehovah is blessing them with increase" when the WTS is going in the opposite direction and actually losing members!
• 

  metatron

  Are any of you familiar with Syracuse weather? Subzero temps and lake effect snow higher than your car roof?

  And people are going to travel miles out of their way in dangerous conditions to attend meetings? This is disgusting.

  It's all about shearing the sheep, not serving them. Follow the money and figure it out.

  metatron