Which, if any of these things announced a while back, do we know for sure actually turned out to be for real?
• Pioneer hour change is legit. Letters are being mailed out soon to all congregations for announcement in early October right before the tract campaign starts.
Elimination of Circuit Overseers
• Implementation date 2011 service year
• Many District Overseer’s and some “Circuit Overseers” are getting along in years and slowing down. There is a need for several more suitable replacements.
• There is a need to prepare additional brothers to serve as “overseers” in case of persecution and isolation.
• Presiding Overseers will be trained for additional responsibilities at Patterson “Elders School”.
• After all Presiding Overseer’s have been trained and before this is implemented there will be a Kingdom Ministry school for all Elder’s.
• Various Presiding Overseers from around each circuit will visit the various congregations in the circuit.
• The visit of the “Overseer” will begin Thursday evening. Another meeting will be held Saturday evening and the public meeting will be on Sunday.
• The “Overseer” will share in service Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with the congregation.
• Additionally the “Overseer” will have a meeting with the local elders and pioneers.
• Congregations will receive three visits per year instead of just two.
• Circuit Overseers can be reassigned as “District Overseers” to fill the need of replacements.
• Other Circuit Overseers may be reassigned as “Special Pioneers” to assist in the field.
• Since there will be ample “Circuit Overseers” to replace the needed “District Overseers” the size of the district will be lowered from about 13-15 circuits to around 10 per district. This will enable the “District Overseer” to spend more time with the circuits.
• There will be more brothers trained to shoulder the responsibility of oversight when persecution breaks out.
• Instead of having one “Circuit Overseer” assigned to 20 congregations various brothers will be familiar with the needs of different congregations, in order to care for these congregations during the above mentioned difficult times.
• If a select few congregations became isolated for one reason or another, brothers who are already familiar with overseeing the needs of entire congregations would already be available to assist.
• If one “Overseer” was persecuted, arrested, etc. there would already be other qualified brothers to take the lead.
Expansion at Patterson
• Will start some time after upcoming Wallkill project is finished.
• Substantial plans have already been filed with Putnam County and Patterson City to obtain needed permits, and the okay has been given to start the project.
• Several additional office and residence buildings are to be built. The plan is to build as high as the government will allow; likely 5 or 6 floor buildings.
• Plan is to have HIS, Treasurer’s Office, Convention Office, and other smaller departments move there first.
• One new office building will be exclusively used by Governing Body, United States Branch Committee, Service, Publishing (Legal), and Writing Departments.
• Teaching Department will be in new building with Audio Video services with largely expanded studio from what they have right now.
Expansion at Wallkill
• Likely will start in 2009.
• After completion plan to have the wood, machine, furniture, etc. shops and electrical, plumbing, and other mechanical training will move to Wallkill.
• Departments that coordinate RBC’s, KH building and other expansion projects will move to Wallkill.
• http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071129/NEWS/711290360
Brooklyn News
• Dumbo project in Brooklyn on Jay St has been scrapped.
• Buildings will continue to be sold. Residents will be moved to the larger buildings.
• Plan for eventually selling all buildings in Brooklyn between 2015 – 2020.