I went to this congregation from 1969 to 1979. In 1979 it was dissolved and everyone was assigned to two new congregations. I was only 10 yrs old, so nobody told me why. But isnt it ususual for the sunflower name not to be carried over but two new ones to be made. Is anyone familiar with this congregation?
Why was this congregation disolved - Sunflower Cong. of Santa Ana CA
by loosie 14 Replies latest jw experiences
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AudeSapere
Don't know the answer to your question but, in the early 80's, the 'Westlake Village Congregation' became the 'Conejo Hills Congregation'. In hindsight, I wonder if it had to do with property ownership. AFAIK, the property for this hall was donated by a former member.
Loosie - hope you don't mind if I piggyback this inquiry onto yours. I would have almost the same question as you. Why would they change the names?
-Aude.
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loosie
no problem at all. I just can't ask the only person still alive that I know of because she has forgotten everything.
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00DAD
AudeSapere: in the early 80's, the 'Westlake Village Congregation' became the 'Conejo Hills Congregation'.
I think Tim Bivins would know but I doubt he'd ever say.
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cobaltcupcake
Must've been something pretty bad going on there.
My ex-husband was at Bethel in the early 70s. He told me about congregations that were running prostitution rings or engaging in wife swapping that had to be dissolved and the faithful publishers split up among other congregations. Maybe it was something like that and the "sunflower" name had been sullied by the wrongdoing.
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Cagefighter
I grew up in the South and the Cali JW's were always spoken of as suspect. Wife-swapping, Apostasty, KH's that used something other than the WT at Sunday meetings. When we asked about Michael Jackson we were reminded about the Cali brothers. Consquently anyone that moved to California was regarded as suspect as well. I had a good friend and neighbor as kid that moved out there. Never heard from them again.
We pretty much regarded them as break-aways.
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loosie
WOW CF I didn't know that. That really explains the not so warm welcome hubby and I got when we moved to KS from CA. ( our tire got slashed on our car and some other mean things happened)
CA sounds like so much fun I want to move back LOL I didn't know all those things were happening in the congregations......I must have been sheltered.
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AudeSapere
OODAD wrote: I think Tim Bivins would know but I doubt he'd ever say.
I vaguely remember the name but he was not in that congregation in the 80's. Possibly was in the Circuit but not that cong.
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Dagney
Congregation name changes are common, and not for any nefarious reason. They usually change the name to reflect a more current reflection of the area. Many, many times territory boundaries change and the old name has no relationship to the current congregation. In Long Beach we had an old old congregation called "Central." It was renamed to "Shoreline" because it is the actual name of the area it covers. Same congregation. "Signal Hill" became "Hillside."
I know that area in Santa Ana. They completely reorganized the area due to the growth in adjuct cities, Tustin, Irvine etc. The freeway widen where the old hall was and the society made some money on that deal from the State of California. They built a large 2 KH facility with CO quarters in Tustin that covers that whole area now.
I do know of serious problems at that KH, though not that congregation. But they were political in nature and had to do with an old, iron fisted, mean elder that thought the congregation was his, as in the old "congregation servant" days. He was disciplined eventually and went away, (I think).
Edited to add: California's reputation is seriously exagerated in the minds of others that think Hollywood TV is real life. But hey, it gives people something to judge, which is always nice and important to many.
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dreamgolfer
They had Wife Swapping in good ole NC (that is the South) closed KH's there too!
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