KM Meeting tonight guilt trip for late comers

by Mattieu 16 Replies latest jw friends

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  Mattieu

  Mrs Mattieu went running out the doors with kids in tow (yes, I helped them get ready) in state of panic because tonight’s KM part is all about showing respect for being taught by Jehovah by being early to the meetings and how latecomers should be put before a judicial committee. OK, made that last bit up.

  I used to hate these parts on being late to the meetings as most would judge the late comers without fully understanding their work/family/health issues.

  I don’t have her KM with me, but it mentioned that being late is something that should not be a regular occurrence and that we should be early to sit down and be ready to be taught by Jehovah.

  Not sure if this article is particular to the Australian KM or being used worldwide, though will try and scan it through tomorrow.

  Mattieu.....
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  TheOldHippie

  Worldwide.

  But not that bad, is it - just stating that people can find seats up front, so that latecomers and those with smaller children can take the seats at the back so as not to disturb too much.
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  Mattieu

  TOH, true, the parts not that bad, the part about saving seats for kiddie families was quite practical though was always ignored when I used to go.

  The k’hall that Mrs Mattieu goes to has “old school” attendants who like to embarrass late comers by seating them to the front. But it’s always articles like these that create a panic on the night to be there on time!

  I will never forget one elders/ms meeting when the p/o more or less read out a roll call from the last months meetings reading out the names of the late comers, they needed gentle shepherding calls.... barf

  Mattieu
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  teel

  My cong had a habit of filling up seats from back to front, so in case you were late (the door being in the back of the room) you were forced to parade down the alley for all to see that you were late. No, that was not a "loving provision" from the elders, in fact many times it was stressed to fill up the front seats first, but who cares about that? These were mostly old folk, who all but had their name engraved on their seat. In fact I once heard a small argument that someone occupied her seat, how can he be so inconsiderate, she always sits there.

  Not that i particulary care now, but this advice you mention in the KM is not bad. Of course there can always be some unforeseen stuff delaying you, but my observation was that most of the people who were late, were regularly late.
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  finallysomepride

  Ah yes! I remember those dayz when for years I was consistantly late, used to wait at home & leave exactly when meeting was starting, lived 5 min away from hall (by car), hated having to sit at front tho, especially with kids. Didn't want to talk to them in the end anywayz. No one ever (elders. MS) approached about it.
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  blondie

  In the over 20 congregations I attended in 45 years in 5 countries, 20 US states, it was the elders, the MS, who were consistently late leaving the one MS who came early to set up the s tage and sound every meeting and run literature/mags. Sometimes the rank and file had to wait until after the meeting to "conduct business." These same "gifts in men" would frequently not even realize they had a talk in the school or service meeting and would wing it, badly. No mention of that though.
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  dutchstef

  So your late? Who cares?
  Armageddon is also late
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  TheOldHippie

  Strange thing, this latecoming. Anyone can have something happening to him/her/them so they come late - but there are people constantly, 99 % of the time coming 10-15 minutes late. And in THOSE instances I never quite have understood the problem, 'cause all they have to do, is to get started 20 minutes earlier. No matter what sort of meeting or gathering it is - arriving constantly late is inpolite towards the rest.
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  chickpea

  it used to get me fuming to hear
  the unmarried gifts in men chide
  families for being late to lap up
  the swill being served....

  try getting to a meeting with
  4 kids, 2 still in diapers and
  a useless husband who thinks
  sitting in the van honking the
  horn actually HELPS get the
  coats and shoes on ...

  ugh... it is like a flashback
  without the drugs
• 

  andy5421

  Here is the US we had the same part from the Question Box: How can everyone help to maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning at congregation meetings?

  refrence : Deuteronomy 31:12

  Congregate the people, the men and the women and the little ones and your alien resident who is within your gates, in order that they may listen and in order that they may learn, as they must fear Jehovah YOUR God and take care to carry out all the words of this law.