by James Jackson 40 Replies latest jw friends
none of them
want to do the Accounts
When I was an elder no one wanted to be secretary.
Wouldn't it be nice to have been able to give the poor brothers a break. Tear their cheques (checks for my USA cousins), up and tell them to spend the dosh on a nice holiday or a collection of Dr Who toys.
Contributions are considered an indicator of the congregation's overall 'spiritual health' - just as much as average service hours, active commenting during meetings and lively interaction of publishers before and after meetings.
For older ones, it's a lifetime habit to budget money aside for congregational expenses. For the "under 40" crowd, that is a rarer thing - except if a young guy want to get noticed for future appointments (he always writes a check!).
With increased pressure on CO's to tabulate and inspect, a decrease in contributions will cause the elder body real trouble.
In my observation, publishers that are high earners give lump contributions and lower income folks give service time.
James Jackson:
Maybe some of them are not only secretly disgusted by the scandals of such a "clean" religion but are kicking themselves that they ever listened to the bad advice of the religion with its anti-career, anti-education stand.
Maybe some of them got their eyes opened by unnecessary kingdom hall renovation/redecoration that they were expected to pay for, just because the colors in the hall did not go with some elder's complexion.
Maybe they got tired of hearing of how the CO's car insurance and health insurance were paid for with their money, but, yet they were criticized for working full-time.
There must be many worried people who are just barely scraping by and trying to do a game of catch-up by saving every nickel. Do you think these people are putting money in the contribution boxes? I doubt it.
Kool Jo:
I know exactly what you mean and would have told them off.
I remember when I was the accounts servant around 1978 the congregation were not sending any donation to the society apart from the money taken from Literature. In my innocense I suggested that as a cong we should be donating to the org. I think we started sending some from then on lol
The Spiritual condition is good in our congregation according to the Elders. 14% in Reg Pioneer, above the average congregation. However our meeting attendance is hitting at 78%. I tell my wife that the Pioneers have the worse attendance record, but Poineering is more important to our BOE.
My husband did accounts as an MS and elder. When he stepped aside, they arranged for an elder's wife to do the actual work but for her husband to sign and announce it to the congregation. It is not always finding someone who wants to do it, but someone who doesn't screw it up or "borrow" money.
He noted too that it was only a few who donated and one or two big bucks brothers who donated larger amounts (checks---easier for tax purposes). Also I know some jws "vote with their pocketbook/wallet" when they feel they can't leave but don't want to support WTS policies.
JJ,
The accounts is by far one of the most time consuming responsibilities in the cong. Other than the Secretary position, it is also the most thankless. With regard to contributions, my question would be...how are the donations for the WWW? That is really the only thing that matters to the HQ particularly when congregations share the same hall. When contributions for upkeep are down in one hall, there will customarily be the "equalizing" talk given in other halls.
As for contributions from elders, well, why contribute money when you give so much time for free? There has to be an "equalizing" there too.
SOP
I never gave cash when I was in, I thought they have my time, that's worth more than money. My dad however must have given something like $40k in the time he's been a witness - that's not including the handouts to pioneers & COs.
I think meeting attendance is down everywhere.
Repetitive items, poor teachers, q&a where the answers are already written for you, and the two messages of "do more" and "armageddon's real close".
Not hard to see why the flock is tired and the figures are down.
Splash
Secretary was the poison chalice.
