I don't know whether I should laugh, or run screaming into the night.
Tonights "local needs" was titled "Are You Following 'The Slave' "?
The theme scripture was 1 Peter 2: 21. It was applied that by following Jesus steps closely we would then be able to keep up with 'The Slave'. Now I don't know about others, but if I were to follow one person and that meant to keep up with someone else, it would mean that the person I was following was following the other person. As in following Christ to keep up with 'The Slave' would imply, to me, that Christ follows 'The Slave'.
I guess the GB has been officially elevated to second place in 'the kingdom"?
Four main points were stressed locally.
1. We can't follow 'The Slave' if we are not using technology to show people videos on jw.(b)org in the recruiting work to start "Bible" studies. I'll be hanged if I am going to run out and buy all sorts of electronic gadgets and phones just to keep seven elite JW's in New York happified while I do my token service to keep family off my ass!
2. The congregation took in over 1,200.00 less in June than was spent. You brothers need to keep up your commitments for "voluntary" donations, even IF you had to pay through the nose for the RC, and green handshakes for the CO last month!
3. The congregation has most of what is needed to stream the branch visit...except for the big screen and the projector. But everything else has been bought. The problem is that the nearly 1,000.00 brand new desktop PC that was forced down your throats three months ago with the sales pitch that it was all that was needed is not capable of connecting to the big screen and projector. So now you get to buy a brand new laptop, and anyone who wants the PC can buy it. I am sure it will disappear just like so much other electronic hardware over the last few years that always seems to show up in the home of the elder who pushes for the new gadgets.
4. Are you aware brothers that all our wonderful publications that 'The Slave' has lovongly provided can be downloaded? Keeping up with 'The Slave' is easier if you brothers download all your publications off jw.(b)org. That way 'The Slave' will have more funds for the preaching work.
A final comment was made about the "historic" month of August with the promotion of a web site, and how people have been "conditioned to accept invititations and tracts". I know it will be historic for me, because it will be the very last August in 2014.