Is there a standard rite of declaration or anything that could be considered a ritual confirmation giving JWs the title/duty of clergy?
Also, at Memorial is there a standard prayer or invocation that is recited every year?
JW clergy confirmation
by cameo-d 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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passwordprotected
Re. confirmation - the closest is the 2nd of the two baptismal Qs.
Re. the memorial prayer - no, they pray to open the meeting, pray over the bread and wine (separately) and pray at the end. But there's no formal prayer that's followed.
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Scully
The appointment to Ministerial Servant™ or Elder™ positions is almost always preceded by the Circuit Overseer™ visit. Other than a recommendation by the local Body of Elders™ confirming that the candidate meets the Scriptural Requirements™ (ie, they donate enough, they put in a nice fat Field Service Report™, and they know how to kiss Elder™ and CO a$$), there is no formal "ceremony".
The Memorial™ follows a prescribed Talk Outline™ with specific passages to be read and designated song selections before and after, IIRC. The ritual of passing the emblems (the bread and wine) is supposed to mimic the tradition established by Jesus in the Scriptures (bread first, wine second), however I have seen this reversed only once during my 25 years as a JW - not sure if it was intentional or if there was late-arriving matzoh crackers to the event.
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cameo-d
not sure if it was intentional or if there was late-arriving matzoh crackers to the event.
That's funny!
specific passages to be read and designated song selections before and after, IIRC.
Are the same passages read year after year? Same song every year? I don't know what IIRC means.
Re. confirmation - the closest is the 2nd of the two baptismal Qs.
Don't they give you some sort of authorization to consider yourself "clergy"?
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Scully
IIRC = if I recall correctly
The passages in the outline are always the same. They are the ones that recount the Last Supper and betrayal of Jesus in Matthew 26, Mark 14 and Luke 22. The songs are recommended in the outline by the WTS, as being fitting for the occasion/content. ALL WTS prepared talk outlines have song recommendations suited to the content, even the ones for weddings and funerals (where you might think that the couple's/deceased's preferences/favorites might be most appropriate).
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Seeker4
"Is there a standard rite of declaration or anything that could be considered a ritual confirmation giving JWs the title/duty of clergy?"
Technically for a JW, your baptism is your ordination date as a minister. That means that ANY JW should be able to perform all the duties of a priest or minister. In practice, as we know, that isn't so. Just have a sister try to perform a marriage.
S4
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cameo-d
Who tells them they are entitled to being clergy?
I have heard JW refer to the term clergy as status of all baptised JWs.
Do they just assume this?
What is actually said to confir this to them?
Oh....and do JWs ever use "clergy" parking spaces?
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TheOldHippie
Your questions are a bit "not fitting too well", because the phrase clergy is not used, and the elders are not thought of as clergy. Clergy is thought of as something negative, something you find in Christendom ant not in Bible-based Christian belief. Clergy is thought of as a paid, herd-exploiting group, whereas the local elders are considers servants, and - as is true - are unpaid. JW would never use clergy parking spaces, and nothing is said to them as a ritual. When the elders have found out they could be appointed as elders, a recommendation is sent to the branch office. The branch might possess information resulting in their not supporting the recommendation, and so they tell the local elders. Otherwise, they send the recommendation back, date-stamped, and that is the date the person is appointed. Only one thing remains, and that is to tell the person privately that he has been recommended, and he is asked if there is anything he might think of that should prevent the elders from informing the congregation he is appointed. He is given some days, perhaps a week, to consider if he is willing or not, and at the earliest possible service meeting it is read a short notice that brother so-and-so has been sppointed elder in the congregation. Applause. And after the meeting congratulations - apart from the angry guys feeling THEY should have been appointed in stead.
And that is the beginning of a new period in his life, the period from when on he never gets to hear anything about what is going on, because people will now not dare talk to him about things they have heard or seen etc. From then on, he has go ask his wife about congregational news.
;-)
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TheOldHippie
Some typos, and lines 4 and 5 I say that "When the elders have found out they could be appointed as elders ...." Of course I meant that "When the elders have found out that a person could be appointed an elder ...."
(Why the large letters? I did nothing ...................)
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chickpea
the defense in the califoria case
against an alleged child molester
is asking the courts to protect the
activity of the judicial committee
under the clergy-penitent privacy
privilege laws.....seems they want the door to
swing both ways, in that CYA
kinda weasel way....http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_C_trial06.439464c.html