I spent most of my life wondering what would be "special" about the latest upcoming "special" talk, program or announcement. In the end, I was always disappointed. It was never very "special." So it's hard to get worked up about this speculative thread.
Except for the May WT quote cited above, which talks about "adjusments" that "may be necessary" to the field service work and encouragement for the rank and file to "support" these adjustments.
Coupled with the recent court case in which, as someone posted, "the jury was appalled" at the WT's insistence that pedophiles go door to door and resulted in the decision to punish the WTS to the tune of $20+ million.
So, if there is anything to this speculation (and there may not be), I would speculate it has to do with FS arrangements.
I agree with posters who say the WTS will never completely do away with field service, as it's the Society's "brand." However, the 8-day conventions and the "five meetings a week" were also brands and were adjusted or scaled down when they became problematic. The same could happen with FS.
Many WTS could be solved if FS became "a special activity" reserved for those who meet certain rigid qualifications. All others could sign up to serve in other ways: hall cleaning, maintenance, visiting the sick, conducting studies with inactive ones or helping the infirm to prepare for meetings or study assigned material. They'd count their time and turn in "Kingdom Service Reports." The members of the elite corps that "qualify" for the house to house canvassing would be trained to do so in a way that exempts the WTS from liability (perhaps signing a waiver). While they wouldn't count time, they'd be honored with an exalted position in the dub hierarchy.
This would certainly be something the elders would have to "help the publishers with." It would be a major adjustment requiring plenty of maintenance and oversight.
