Business Territory

by Amazing 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  Kristen

  The "business" territories in our suburban congregation consisted of actually going inside local businesses (stores, offices, manufacturing companies) and giving presentations aimed at leaving magazines in reception areas, employee lunchrooms, etc.

  I remember being about 16 years-old and being forced ("you're taking this ONE!") by a zealous pioneer sister to give a presentation to a receptionist in a nice office building.

  I always found myself in the householder's head (projecting?) when I would give presentations and felt so embarrassed and awkward standing there talking about religion at someone's place of work. I can only imagine how she felt by the look on her face.

  It was bad enough that we bothered them in the privacy of their homes ...

  free to be me
• 

  outnfree

  Kristen's experience is the one that most mirrors my own.

  However, in the late 90's, one no longer did the businesses in one's own territory anymore along with the residences. They were skipped and left for the elders or brothers to do.

  As for street work -- 24-hour grocery store parking lots in the early AM, and malls in inclement weather are big "winners" here!

  outnfree

  When the truth is found to be lies
  and all the joy within you dies ... -- Darby Slick, Somebody to Love
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  alliwannadoislive

  never done business territory work but often did street work here in the uk and enjoyed it more than any other type of 'service' - was great to get to actually speak to people and the real beauty was you could work alone - without having to listen to the pathetic attempts of others in trying to 'sell' magazines ...
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  Belmont

  We were on holiday in Katoomba, NSW 3 years ago and met a jw sitting in the main street beside a table of wt publications. He was a timid sort of fellow and explained that he didn't like going on the work and preferred to sit by the table and wait for people to approach him. Shortly afterwards, his photograph appeared in the wt as a fine example of zeal and fearlessness!

  More recently, a jw in Bristol, UK, who also used this form of witnessing, left his post momentarily. When he came back, his table was stolen and his mags thrown on the ground! Obviously a discerning thief.
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  Utopian Reformist

  I agree with Metatron's analysis. Personally, when I pioneered, I was always more apprehensive about business territory. I dreaded those famous words "get out of here, we're working" or "this is a place of business" or "we're not buying".

  Those words always made me feel self-conscious around innocent bystanders who would witness the entire scene. It didn't happen all the time, and who knows, maybe I was too agressive and caused some of it myself, either way it was not fun.