Well I've been 'irregular' for a long time (not DFd or DAd..........yet) but I have family and friends still in so I still keep up with all the bits and bobs of JW life.
One of my friends asked me to join their small group to encourage me - it was nice of her but I said I was working that evening (just my excuse).
She apologised a little later and said that the group couldn't go ahead after all.
The elders were worried that the group would encourage wrong/independent thinking.
Good grief - all 'thinking' must come from the Society - you are not allowed to think for yourself. They're probably afraid that eventually someone in the small group might stumble upon scriptures that have been totally misused/misrepresented/misquoted by the Society!
S