No use anyone listing the jw congregations in Australia, they don't exist, just ask their lawyers LOL
UK Congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses
by JWB 37 Replies latest jw friends
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JWB
LIST OF UK WTS DOCUMENTATION LINKS
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* Name: WTSB MEMART 2000
* File: wtsb_memart_2000.pdf
* Link: http://www.4shared.com/document/yFUQNpHT/wtsb_memart_2000.html
* Description
Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society of Britain memorandum and articles of association 2000 containing an official definition of "Jehovah's Witnesses" (Section 9.1 of the articles of association)
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* Name: WTSB REPORT 2010
* File: wtsb_report_2010.pdf
* Link: http://www.4shared.com/document/U-Obe92e/wtsb_report_2010.html
* Description
Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society of Britain report of the trustees and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2010
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* Name: IBSA MEMART 2006
* File: ibsa_memart_2006.pdf
* Link: http://www.4shared.com/document/dZTegUxv/ibsa_memart_2006.html
* Description
International Bible Students Association Memorandum and Articles of Association 2006
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* Name: IBSA REPORT 2010
* File: ibsa_report_2010.pdf
* Link: http://www.4shared.com/document/DdAZ7yJc/ibsa_report_2010.html
* Description
International Bible Students Association annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2010
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* Name: TKHT REPORT 2010
* File: tkht_report_2010.pdf
* Link: http://www.4shared.com/document/AJzlvyj5/tkht_report_2010.html
* Description
The Kingdom Hall Trust (UK) annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2010
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* Name: EAJW REPORT 2009
* File: eajw_report_2009.pdf
* Link: http://www.4shared.com/document/lLK6ap1J/eajw_report_2009.html
* Description
The European Association of Jehovah's Christian Witnesses annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2009
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* Name: UK WT DOCUMENTATION 1
* File: ukwt1.zip
* Link: http://www.4shared.com/file/qWYzTan_/ukwt1.html
* Description
All the above listed individual documentation files for UK WT Society corporations/charities in one download file. -
wobble
JWB, many thanks for posting this fascinating data, I see the ongoing programme of stealing ownership of the Kingdom Halls that the local congregation sweated to build and to pay for goes on apace, creeping up towards half are already owned bt the K.H Trust.
I am sure the average window cleaning JW, and even some of the more business like JW's, are not aware of the ramifications of this.
I like the way they have the gall to be quite proud that they are appropriating Title to a K.H worth hundreds of thousands, and they make the congregation pay for the transfer of Title costs !(Conveyance)
Money grabbing bastards.
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llbh
JWB do you understand the significance of the ownership of land held in trust? The trust structure of ownership is to avoid paying taxes primarily, this was a benefit conferred by the political classes for all religious organisations, the wts like nearly all religious groups avails itself of this ruse for this reason, they do not have to go along this route, they choose to.
What is your point in cutting and pasting these rather arid and anodyne legal documents?
Regards
David
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BluesBrother
I wonder why this is considered an acceptable charitable object, for which the British Tax Payer contributes?
"A) TO PUBLICLY MAKE KNOWN THE KINGDOM OF JEHOVAH GOD UNDER CHRIST JESUS. B) TO PROMULGATE THE TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE AND INSTRUCT MEN AND WOMEN IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES AND THE RIGHT LIVING IN CONNECTION THEREWITH. (SEE CLAUSE 3 OF MEMORANDUM FOR FURTHER DETAILS)."
In fact, I mean to include all religions ...why is that something for which the Tax Payer should contribute? In these days of secular multi culturism?
Unless they can point to practical programs of help in the community they should all self finance IMHO (and spoken still as a believer if not practiser of religion)
It was interesting to see so many names still there that I knew, and some young boys that have now grown into the role Thanks for posting...
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JWB
@wobble: I'm so glad this information and the links are appreciated as it has required a great deal of time and patience to get information like this. I have tried to put together a lot of information over many months on my blogsite (jwbaptism.blogspot.com), the sort of information I wish had been available to me a long time ago. I hope that my efforts may be in some way helpful to others.
I think it would be good for me to thank the many people who have spent and continue to spend large parts of their free time in trying to help others see the "truth about the truthTM". If it had not have been for those people, I probably would still be thinking Armageddon was "just around the corner"!
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@llbh: (David) Yes I do realize what you are saying and way money is moved around to avoid taxation. I have also noticed that many congregation charities are exempt from having to make public, via the Charity Commission's (CC) website, the state of their accounts.
One congregation was in receipt of a £50,000 legacy in 2007, which obviously took it into the bracket of having to make an accounts report to the CC. The congregation sent a letter of apology to the CC because the accounts for 2007 were 273 days late (received on 30 Oct 2008)! By early 2009, most of it had gone with only a few thousand pounds in the bank. Of course they were then exempt from any accounts report, so I don't know what happened to the money. Maybe they built a Kingdom Hall with it?
As far as cutting and pasting is concerned, the text in question is from my own blogsite, which I can assure you took a lot of time creating from various scanned images. I thought the information and links might be of interest to some folk here. I know that I have wanted an easy way to quickly look up general information about UK congregations, but I have not as yet found anyone else has made an easy-to-access tool. Sometimes I find the only way to get the information I want in the way I want is to organize it myself!
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@BluesBrother: Its good to hear that this thread is of interest to you.
The European Association of Jehovah's Christian Witnesses (TEAOJCW) say on the CC website that they are involved with:
"Providing and promoting spiritual assistance anywhere in the world in particular to
the poor, the homeless, and the sick and to those suffering from the effects of
natural or man-made disasters and in other times of need."
Of course anyone not aquainted with the JW version of giving to the poor, will immediately think nice things about TEAOJCW, probably focusing in on "the poor, the homeless, and the sick", etc. It certainly seems to me that it would help to open a few political doors in Europe. However, look carefully at the wording and you will see that it is the "providing of spiritual assistance" that qualifies as 'charity'. There may well be some material aid given, but based on my past knowledge I suspect the first candidates for such aid will be JWs and not those of the general public in need. Funny, these Bible verses popped into my head:
"For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? And if you greet you brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing?" [Matthew 5:46, 47]
"Jesus looked upon him and felt love for him and said to him: 'One thing is missing about you: Go, sell what things you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come be my follower.' But he grew sad at the saying and went off grieved, for he was holding many possessions." [Mark 10:20-22]
"yes, when they came to know the undeserved kindness that was given me, James and Cephas and John, the ones who seemed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of sharing together, that we should go to the nations, but they to those who are circumcised. Only we should keep the poor in mind. This very thing I have also earnestly endeavored to do." [Galatians 2:9, 10]
Maybe TEAOJCW would have more success in East Europe if they concentrated a little on helping to provide material aid for the general population rather than saying, in effect: You'll be warm and well-fed in the New System (compare James 2:15, 16; although they will probably say that only applies to spiritual brothers and sisters!). -
BroMac
JWB: so THIS is what is happening to UK ownership of KH's. THANKYOU!!! i asked about this here:
JWB:
do you have any information to explain what this actully means in real terms? am i correct in saying that ownership/title/deeds of the KH will be at HQ IBSA trust?
the upkeep and maintenance of the KH building still rests on the shoulders of the local congregation, even though they no longer own the building?
if it is in TRUST, can the congregation ask for the Title/Deeds returned to the local congregation and put back into the TRUST of the local elders?
thankyou again
BroMac
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JWB
@Hi BroMac: I'm glad the information is of interest to you. The deeds may well in the possession of The Kingdom Hall Trust (TKHT) whose address is IBSA House, The Ridgeway, London, NW7 1RN. The reason I say this is because on the UK Charity Commission's (CC) website concerning TKHT (charity number 275946) it says, in part that the charity is:
"Acting as custodian trustee HOLDING TITLE TO FREEHOLD AND LEASEHOLD PROPERTIES acquired as places of worship for congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses in England and Wales."
You will also see, from the report extract above, that they consider "there is no real need for large balances on the charity's accounts at present, as all expenditure relating to the transfer of title to the Trust is the responsibility of local congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses". This suggests to me that the congregations bear the costs of any administrative/legal work that is done in connection with transfers of title to their Kingdom Halls. I also understand that the financial burden for repairs and maintenance, as well as any other incidental costs fall on the shoulders of the congregation itself. Concerning your question about whether or not a congregation could ask for the deed to come back into its possession, I really don't know. Without being privy to what is stated on the legal document of transfer, your guess is as good as mine!
You might be interested in the history of TKHT, so I've taken the time to put together some information on that subject. Probably, like myself up until recently, many JWs will not know that this charity is also a registered company (number 355443) which started life in 1939 under the name 'London Company of Kingdom Witnesses'. The two original shareholders were Albert Darger Schroeder and Jesse Hemery, both giving the address of the former site of the London Bethel at 34 Craven Terrace. Both men gave their occupation as 'Minister of the Gospel'. Each man started off with 2 shares in the company. The signing of the orginal Memorandum of Association was witnessed by John Birrell Robb, residing at 23 Craven Terrace and also a "Minister of the Gospel".
Actually, Jesse Hemery was also an original shareholder, along with three other men, who signed the International Bible Students Association (IBSA) Memorandum and Articles of Association on 29 June 1914. And who should also be there as one of the shareholders? Yes, 'Judge' Rutherford, holding three of the twelve shares equally distributed among the four! It is interesting that while the other three men wrote on the document that they were each a 'Minister of the Gospel', Rutherford found it necessary to refer to himself as 'American Counsellor'. Anyway, each man wrote his address as 34 Craven Terrace. Noteworthy is the fact that the parent legal body of the IBSA was the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. [See page 96 of the 1973 Yearbook of JWs]
Jesse Hemery, a railway signalman from Manchester, had been appointed by Charles Taze Russell to start work as a pilgrim (like a circuit overseer) on 3 January 1899. Not long after that, on 1 November 1901, he was appointed as the WTS' branch overseer for the British Isles. [See pages 91-93 of the same book] Albert Schroeder, at the age of twenty-six, was appointed by Rutherford to be the British branch overseer late in 1937. He made some major organizational changes which saw the one congregation in London divided into nine 'units' meeting in seven Kingdom Halls. The whole of Britain was also divided into thirty 'zones'. [See page 114 of the same book] Of course this upheaval was a consequence of the June 1 and 15 issues of the Watchtower, with their two-part article 'Organization'. Although London congregation was divided it still formed one 'Company'. Similar restructuring gave birth to the Greater New York company, the Chicago company, and the Los Angeles company among others in the US. So, the formation of the legal entity 'London Company of Kingdom Witnesses' appears to be a consequence of a drive to put the WTS firmly in control. [See paragraph 4 on page 725 of the 1 December 1951 Watchtower]
On 23 February 1994 two special resolutions were passed by the London Company of Kingdom Witnesses, the second of which changed the name to THE KINGDOM HALL TRUST. The resolutions were proposed by Ronald Drage and seconded by Sidney Smith and approved by Thomas Cruse. The only persons present, according to the document, were the three men just named.
Already, on 1 June 1993, new Articles of Association had been adopted by special resolution, in which stated that [MEMBERS (Article 4, first paragraph)]:
"The Board shall have an absolute discretion as to the admission of any person to membership of the Company and shall not be bound to give any reason for their decision. Except for persons admitted as members prior to the adoption of these Articles who shall continue as members unless and until ceasing to be a member pursuant to Article 5 or 6. a person shall be admitted as a member who has signed a written consent to become a member and whose admission as a member has been approved by a resolution of the Board."
[INDEMNITY (Article 35)]
"The members of the Board and other officers for the time being of the Company and the trustees (if any) for the time being acting in relation to any affairs of the Company and every one of them and each and all of their heirs, executors and administrators shall be indemnified and secured harmless out of the assets of the Company from and against all actions, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses which they or any of their heirs, executors and administrators shall or may incur or sustain by or by reason of any act done, concurred in or omitted in or about the execution of their duties in their respective offices or trusts except such (if any) as they shall incur or sustain by or through their own wilful neglect or default respectively and none of them shall be answerable for the acts, receipts, neglects or defaults of the other or others of them or for joining in any receipt for the sake of conformity or for any bankers or other persons with whom any moneys or effects belonging to the Company shall or may be lodged or deposited for safe custody upon which any moneys of or belonging to the Company shall be placed out or invested or for any other loss, misfortune or damage which may happen in the execution of their respective offices or trusts or in relation thereto except the same shall happen by or through their own wilful neglect or default respectively."
JWB -
JWB
I need to make an important correction here:
"It is interesting that while the other three men wrote on the document that they were each a 'Minister of the Gospel', Rutherford found it necessary to refer to himself as 'American Counsellor'."
This should read:
"It is interesting that while two of the men (Hemery and Shearn) wrote on the document that they were each a 'Minister of the Gospel', Crawford wrote that he was an accountant and Rutherford found it necessary to refer to himself as 'American Counsellor'."
Shearn and Crawford were managers working on behalf of the Society in Britain when Paul Johnson came from America claiming to be a "Special Representative of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society". He tried to have them removed from office in 1917. [See the 1973 Yearbook, starting on page 101] -
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Not UK, English.