Addresses of Kingdom Halls

Perry

Why are Kingdom Hall addresses listed in the phone book many times a home address of an elder? Has anyone else noticed this? It seems deceptive.

Many KHs don't receive mail at their physical location, no mail box or receptacle. It is sent then to an elder, usually the PO/COBOE?. This could be for security reasons. There is no mailbox at the last KH I attended.

garyneal

This could be for security reasons.

Security for whom? Why not just set up a PO box for someone to go get the mail?

blondie

There are "sensitive" (in the WTS viewpoint) materials sent to the congregations; letters for only the body of elders to see. In some kingdom halls, 2 or more congregations share the same building. Each congregation would have to have a separate locked mailbox. In some cases the publications (kingdom ministries) are already mailed to an elder's home. In my area the mail box is just a box on a post by the side of the road without a lock. They could get a locked box but those boxes are routinely knocked down as a prank. Kingdom halls do attract pranksters.

I understand garyneal that you are not a jw and never have been so these issues may seem especially strange and confusing.

*** km 8/98 p. 8 par. 3 Overseers Taking the Lead—The Presiding Overseer ***The presiding overseer receives congregation mail and promptly passes it along to the secretary for handling. In preparing for elders’ meetings

Perry

Well, there is much cloak and daggery here it seems to me. What other church can you look in the phone book, get the address and end up at a private residence when you go there.

My wife says that the KH'S look like prisons because they have no windows.

It's really weird.

yesidid

Many, many KH's do have windows.

y

blondie

Ditto, many KHs have windows. Just a peruse of Google Images using Kingdom Hall proves that besides the 3 in our area that have windows (the ones most recently built).

blondie

Another thing to think is that the person calling is likely to go to the KH at a time no one is there. We travel and have gone to a KH location with no sign of the meeting times and no answer at the phone listed. We at the time appreciated congregations that listed phone numbers and addresses of private homes. Amazingly, some congregations still meet in private homes in some outlying areas.

garyneal, some congregations might do that. There is no hard and fast "rule." I was a jw for 45 years and never saw any basis to think that there was some conspiracy connected with having the mail go to the PO, which is often the case since he is the one that coordinates the mail anyway as noted in the quote above.

cantleave

I agree with Blondie, no conspiracy simply practicality.

Perry

Hours and Address are usually left on an answering machine for businesses and churches. Churches, clubs, and associations will simply list another number to call if its urgent. I think most Kingdom Halls have phone service. So why the secrecy?

But this is specifically about addresses. A lot are not listed in the phone book. It will have the name of the congregation and then list as it's address the home of the elder. I can't see where it has anything to do with the mail, that can be sent anywhere.

Addresses of Kingdom Halls

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