Assemby Halls for Profit?

by Jim Dee 12 Replies latest jw friends

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  Jim Dee

  I've just come back from the weekend snooze (know to others as the circuit assembly Hall in Bristol).

  The local congregations paid a fortune for the assembly hall to be built. It was a major build with purchase of land and construction costing a fortune - and paid for by voluntary donations. However our PO has informed me that the circuit was charged £4,300 for the weekend assembly! For what?

  Given that the Circuit assembly is used 30 times a year, that is £130,000 per annum income - for a building that was paid for by the district, constructed AND maintained by volunteers - and owned as an asset by the society. Also any additional work gets charged to the brothers. There is no rate, rent or water charges (religious building).Insurance and maintenance cannot cost more that £25k per annum MAX

  Whats going on, who is profiting?

  I also heard that the society got a grant to "retro fit" the assembly hall in manchester back to its "art deco" look. What happened to the money? How has the grant benefited the local community?

  Jim
• 

  TheOldHippie

  There is no free flow of cash coming from a never-ending unknown source, so the district paid, yes, but had to loan from the branch office, so the 4.300£ week-end costs add up to the annual pay-back to the Society.
• 

  waiting

  We used to go to Salisbury, NC Assembly Hall. Beautiful building and landscaped acres. A Congregation used the back portion. To my knowledge, an assembly was held there at least 45 weeks a year.

  Withing 5 years, the Assembly Hall was paid for - no more pay-back to WTBTS. Volunteers do the upkeep - and the gardens with ponds is beautiful.

  But it still cost each Assembly group thousands of dollars per weekend. I can imagine there are taxes, insurance, electric, misc. hardparts to buy for repair.

  But there's still many thousands flowing each month.

  waiting
• 

  mike047

  Waiting, I have been there...Nice building and grounds. Many from my area were in on the build and still maintain it.
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  Room 215

  Hi Jim,
  On this side of the pond, it's much the same: I was recently at a circuit assembly in Buckingham, Pennsylvania, and it was announced with a straight face that the cost of the two-day weekend was $9,151.00 (!?!).
  What about the admonishment to ``keep one's eye simple'' and resist the temptation to succumb to the encumberment of onerous debt, simply for the sake of satisfying ``the desire of the eyes'' by the purchase and maintenance of a palatial home?
  I guess it's okay to commit oneself to a mountian of debt when the building in question is an Assembly Hall or Kingdom Hall, and not a private residence.
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  Dan B

  "I can imagine there are taxes, insurance, electric, misc. hardparts to buy for repair."

  Aren't religious institutions exempt from taxes?
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  mikepence

  Hey Room,

  I grew up meeting at the Buckingham Assembly Hall in the years before the Doylestown, PA congregation had their own building. I spent many an hour there, and many a weekend volunteering there helping out with the grounds, etc. later on.

  XJW User Submitted News & Views at http://xjwnews.com
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  waiting

  Howdy Dan B,

  "I can imagine there are taxes, insurance, electric, misc. hardparts to buy for repair."

  Aren't religious institutions exempt from taxes?

  You are correct - I make the mistake of thinking of the WTBTS as a printing company instead of a religious organization. Go figure.

  So, the beautiful buildings are tax free - and a whole lot more profitable than any tax-paying corporation. I remember when jw's would be sooooo indignant about other religions using their people and governments to make money.

  "Can the fruit fall far from the tree?"

  Guess not.

  waiting
• 

  mommy

  I asked my mom this question a few weeks ago. Her reply was that the money then gets transfered to other countries that can't afford halls, so they can have a nice place to worship too. Funny they request the USA, UK, Canada and other countries to pay back. Are we to believe that the people in Africa get it free of charge? Not likely. Of course she is still taking that spoon and sucking it down, so I don't expect a clear answer from her.

  I wondered about the taxes, and which ones they were required to pay. Anyone know which ones they are?
  wendy

  Blind faith can justify anything.~Richard Dawkins
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  Moxy

  Her reply was that the money then gets transfered to other countries that can't afford halls, so they can have a nice place to worship too.

  i think thats even worse if it were true. if the idea is to spread the wealth, then shouldnt they say that plainly so that everyone has the opportunity to express a giving attitude for these less fortunate brothers. Do they have so little confidence in the generosity of the well off brothers that they have to 'charge' them a set dollar amount per publisher to ostensibly cover nonexistent assembly hall expenses?
  mox