assemblies; how times have changed

by Evidently Apostate 40 Replies latest jw friends

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  Aussie Oz

  ah the 70s!

  huge conventions with massive catering tents... one would volunteer for 'food service' and be away from the program all day!

  the food was pretty good, the conventions exciting (as they could be)

  I haven't been to one for about 12 years i think, but i remember it getting to the point where it was bring your own lunch.

  I think the Corporation realized most went for the food and social side and tried to take that away and replace it with 'spiritual food'. Now i imagine it's just bored bums on hard seats, mentally asleep all day...?

  oz
• 

  CuriousButterfly

  That was when we could drink Shasta soda and those bean burritos would not sit well with the older ones. ;)
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  Alfred

  In a District Assembly back in the mid-80s, I was working the hamburger conveyor (placing the meat patty inside the bun). I had a good rhythm going when, all of the sudden, the round side (top of the bun) stopped coming down the belt and the brother on the other couldn't hear me over all the noise... But being the resourceful guy that I am, I regained my composure and simply doubled up on the flat side of the bun. About 50 hamburgers later, the elder in charge of the food service walked over to my conveyor and jumped all over me for using "common sense" rather than following the official "theocratic instructions" on hamburger preparation lovingly provided of the Society. I thought: "wow, how ridiculous... millions of kids are dying of hunger in Africa every year and this elder is irritated over how I put together 50 hamburgers". I was going to explain myself after the elder got done scolding me but I realized it really wasn't worth it... I simply abandoned my post and walked out.
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  moshe

  I remember fresh made from scratch, hot tacos and burritos in the early 70's, meals were all on trays- real hot food- 3 meals a day, because you came early in the morning and stayed until evening - at least 5 days-

  The bad- outside stadiums- so hot that it sickened the frail elderly and little babies- yes, some JWs who were so worried about missing that new light, that the new mother came with her one week old baby. At a Chicago convention they reported in the news that one of these babies died as a result of the extreme heat from the outside concention. That still bothers me to this day and somehow I feel some measure of collective guilt, but I know the WT leaders don't- they never apologize for anything.
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  Room 215

  Over here, they did a really good job with baked chicken! Could never get it so "falling-off-the-bone" tender at home!
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  jookbeard

  a mate of mine related a similar story Alfred during the construction of The Hays Bridge Ass'embly hall, my mate was an excellent carpenter,apprentice served and a proper tradesmen who was proud of his work, he had been working on a big load of partitioning him and another couple of carpenters,it appeared the part of their area was falling behind schedule and all of a sudden a group of young kids arrived in hard hats,bags of nails and hammers to assist the proper carpenters, they made such a "balls up" of the skilled work the real carpenters had been doing he simply picked up all of his tools walked away from the site and never returned.
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  jookbeard

  they certainly have changed though, I enjoyed the pre ass'embly work with my dad as a kid (he was a plumber) and the food laid on was of excellent quality, and the food for the masses was good as well, donuts/ice cream/ proper Jamaican food for the large West Indian brethren, proper menus as well, and bacon butties for the early arrivers like we were, the coffee was always rank though,stewed to hell. The CA hall at Dorking was wonderful when we were kids our cong organized the catering and we had a lovely Jamaican sister on her own making the Caribbean food, the funny thing was that the KFC over the road was always packed out with the West Indian brothers , maybe her Jerk Chicken,rice and peas was not so good!
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  Heartofaboy

  At the large assemblies like Twickenham or Wembley I recall many years ago hospitalised JW's being brought to the stadium on stretcher trolleys complete with medical professional so as not to miss a resolution or special talk being given by a GB big wig.

  Aaaaah those were the days....
• 

  mouthy

  I have pictures of me selling dougnuts, at *8 days assemblies.
  I had to stay in a tent ,( I took my bible study with me & her baby)Couldnt afford a room
  I put the cots next to the tent,we had a downpour! what do you think happened?
  Yep all got wet !diapers, etc.cost me a bomb replacing all her babes stuff.
  Funny thing > she never did become a JW I wonder why
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  d

  WOW .I thought going to the assemblies as a child in the 90's was bad.By then food service was gone.