When You Were a Visitor at a KH, Did Anyone Come Up and Say Hi? (page 4)

wha happened?

I've had hot and cold. I've walked into a different cong while traveling, or when I just wanted to get away from the turds in my cong. Either end of the sepctrum. I've seen some halls so somber that people wander in without saying a word. Answer one or twice at the WT then scooch out. Just like Zombies. Other times I could hardly get out without getting love bombed.

Pink sapphire

The welcomes we're always more enthusiastic when you were single!

berrygerry

I always observed the blatant hypocrisy, without putting it together, when pioneering.

My PP would always host lunch, supper, etc. for his students (EASY time).

Last year, a neighbour was coerced into attending a meeting. I was STUNNED at the love-bombing (I wanted to leave and eat lunch - 40 minutes is enough).

I then thought about the last non-family person baptized in our hall (with wife of my old PP), the attention she had received when studying, and the total opposite in the years since her baptism. She must be so confused (only attends 1 or 2 meetings a month now, but she's a breathing statistic - Booyah).

It is pathetically stupid.

Julia Orwell

Yes sometimes and ignored others. Mostly yesexcept for one i went to for the tms and service meeting cuz of schedule conflict, and one where I was well enough known. The tms one: I was introduced to a family and told they would look after me but they ignored me like everyone else. The other: first cong I ever went to but it shared the hall with the one I was currently in and it had different customs. The seats at the back were more ergonomic and put there by my cong for people with back problems so that's where I and a couple sat. In the other cong they used them as df person seats! So when I visited the other cong everyone gave me the shun! Although they recognised me they shunned me the whole meeting as a df one until I made a point of talking to an old friend, then it was like they all exhaled and came over to say hi. I was df for two hours and it was horrible, all because of these chairs!

dozy

I always tried to make a point in my own congregation of greeting and chatting to any visitors and I think generally we were known as a welcoming congregation.

In visiting other KHs it varied. When I was giving public talks , people were usually quite friendly , but then I did know a lot of the brothers ( though I do remember a couple of KHs I used to go to where people were very stand offish. ) On the occasions I went to a KH while on vacation , I often got the feeling that there was a degree of " visitor fatigue " in the KHs that had a lot of visitors , usually in touristy areas and English speaking congregations abroad ( on the Costa Del Sol , for example. ) Some might come up to say hi but often you were left to your own devices.

Overall , I've never felt that the welcome given to a visitor in a KH is any better than in any other similar social or business setting.

blondie

I can remember that the brother introducing the speaker would come up and greet him (perhaps even notice his wife) to coordinate things.

I remember several older elders (70+) who would greet everyone coming in...new and old. Shake hands, greet wives and children. It made for a warmer, livelier congregation.

Greeting visitors but how many single mothers, children, sisters with non-jw husbands, older or disabled jws were greeted.

More importantly did we as jws greet visitors or those needing a little face time.

bruh2012

When I was on my way back in some 11 years ago - I was looking for a hall to begin my way back and the few I visited not one elder or person came up to me. I guess I had that disfellowshipped look or mark on my forehead.

It wasn't until my 3rd (3 strikes and you're out thing) try that an old elder friend reconized me and grab me and said what you doing here- I explained and he said you will go here to this hall and I will look after you. So I stayed.

When You Were a Visitor at a KH, Did Anyone Come Up and Say Hi?