I remember years ago when I was a little boy aroung 9 years old, our bookstudy conductor was in the hospital and at the last minute one of the elders asked my aunt to be the book study conductor. This was the first time I have seen this happen. My aunt did a very good job and the bookstudy acted as it was not something from outer space. There were no brothers in that bookstudy except myself and my 12 year old older brothers. It was a bookstudy with mostly women and children. The elder was in the hospital for about a month and my aunt conducted the bookstudy for about a month. I remember she asked my 12 year old brother to say the opening and closing prayer and she wore a scarf on her head. Have anybody else had a experience where a sister conducted the bookstudy or other meetings where there was a lack of brothers in the hall.
Sisters conducting meetings where there is a lack of brothers
by booker-t 17 Replies latest jw friends
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ShirleyW
We used to have a sister conduct the book study, this was back in the early 1960's, since I was just a kid I don't remember how long she held that position. I remember the study was held in her house, or her mother's house I should say where she and her other two sisters still lived with their mom .
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gma-tired2
Yes, my sister had her own bookstudy in the early 60's. We just didn't have enough qualified brothers. Sad to say for the last 48 years she is a wife who is browbeaten and can't make decisions for herself.
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bafh
Yep. My grandma conducted the meeting during the yellow Babylon book. Probably the best conductor that bookstudy ever had. She was smart, well read, and logical. Except for the fact of course that she was a JW. ha!
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Quarterback
Yes, I remember as a child an older pioneer sister conducing a cong bookstudy. The Overseer worked evenings and she filled in until some male member was baptised and qualified. Some of the older records at the Branch show sisers names for Account Servant, Literature/Mag servants.
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blondie
The procedures when a sister "moderates" a congregation-sanctioned meeting is a little different. She prays with a proper headcovering. She does not ask auxiliary questions or comments on the answers (adding points or clearing up points). In some cases the other sisters take turn reading the paragraphs or reading the cited scriptures.
*** w57 2/15 p. 123 par. 6 Overseers of the Ministry ***
But what if there are not sufficient dedicated men in a congregation? Can women be appointed to services? Yes, qualified sisters are appointed in such cases and care for the duties outlined. If there are no male appointed overseers, sisters have the responsibility to preside over meetings. In recognition of the theocratic headship of man and realizing that she is temporarily or circumstantially serving in the congregation in place of a man who should fill that position, it is proper for the sister while so serving to wear a head covering.
*** w51 9/1 p. 543 Questions From Readers ***
We view a head-covering necessary under two conditions: (1) when a sister receives an appointment through the congregation or theocratic organization to keep order and conduct congregational meetings, and (2) when she is married and must show submission to the one God has made head of the family, the husband. These two principles enable one to decide for herself the requirement of varying situations.
A few examples may aid in grasping these principles. In a company composed entirely of sisters, the Society appoints sisters to positions ordinarily held by brothers. When such sisters serve from the platform at congregational meetings, they will show recognition of the theocratic headship of the man and that they are serving in the man’s place only because circumstances require it. This recognition they show by wearing a head-covering, such as a hat or scarf or other suitable covering. Any sister conducting or presiding over a part of a congregational meeting should do likewise, whether she is a servant in the company or not.
While sisters presiding at the service meeting or Watchtower study or company book study wear head-coverings, other sisters who merely read the paragraphs in sum-up at such meetings, or who participate in demonstrations, or relate experiences, or answer questions from the audience, do not need to wear such a covering.
Sisters leading in prayer at congregational meetings should have their head covered. The woman’s hair is not sufficient as a covering. If it were, the question would never have been raised.
*** w64 4/1 pp. 208-210 pars. 12-17 Her Head Covering and Congregational Activities ***
To illustrate: A sister who conducts the congregation Watchtower study or, as has already been mentioned, a congregation book study, should wear a head covering while doing so, as should a sister who offers prayer at such meetings, and they would do so even though being seated at the time. In most cases where a sister presides at a meeting with her head covered the number in attendance is quite small, and it would normally not be necessary for her to stand while conducting. Even at the Watchtower study the attendance may not be more than what is usually to be found at a congregation book study, so those attending can be grouped around in a similar way to that of such a study, and the conductor, while facing the audience, can remain seated in almost all instances. The sister reading the paragraphs can do so from her seat, and, as the one reading, she does not need to have her head covered. The Watchtower is doing the teaching. Even if, due to a larger attendance and with no qualified brother available, the sister had to stand to read in order for all to hear, she would not necessarily have to wear a head covering since she is not teaching or presiding at the meeting. She is not giving a talk, only reading a summary from The Watchtower. However, here again the sister may prefer to wear a head covering as being suitable for the occasion, and so this would be according to her conscience in the matter. If a sister is wearing a head covering as her normal practice she certainly does not have to remove it at any time while carrying on true worship.
13 What should be the procedure at the service meeting and theocratic ministry school in the absence of dedicated male members? The sister presiding at these meetings would do so while wearing a head covering. In presenting material it should be kept in mind that teaching in the congregation is an assignment for male members, and so anything in the nature of presenting material to the congregation in discourse form by a sister should be avoided. Where the Kingdom Ministry calls for the consideration of some item in the form of a discourse, for example, a talk based on material in The Watchtower, the article in the magazine, or portions thereof, can be read by one of the sisters from her seat in the audience. The time available would determine what portions of the article can be handled, and the specific paragraphs can be assigned in advance so that the matter is not left to the discretion of the sister reading the material.
14 The same method should be followed when presenting the material for the instruction talk and other talks usually assigned to brothers in the ministry school. The material can be read from the assigned publications by sisters from their seats in the audience, and in such cases no head covering is necessary. In this way the congregation, though composed entirely of sisters, will not miss any of the information being presented in other congregations.
15 Where a sister is assigned to conduct a question-and-answer review, and this is always beneficial for audience participation, she would perform this assignment with her head covered, since it is in the nature of presiding, even though she may conduct the review from a seated position.
16 As to the sister acting as school servant, how can she counsel the students without actually teaching in the congregation? She will certainly want to avoid giving any impression of acting as a critic or instructor. But she can still help the other sisters by offering suggestions, quoting directly from the Society’s publications, thus letting the Society’s publications do the teaching. She can also mark the counsel slip, and she can always give further help privately to the students who request this assistance.
17 But what if a man begins to associate, dedicates himself and enrolls in the school? Until he qualifies to handle the duties of the school servant, the sister may have to continue to care for this assignment for some time. But she will not counsel the brother when he gives a talk, nor for that matter should she mark his counsel slip. However, in order for this new brother to get some help to improve his speaking ability, it would be well for him to have a speaking assignment during the visit of the circuit servant, and then the circuit servant can give him counsel and mark his counsel slip. Of course, this new brother may wish to get some additional help between such visits, and he may approach the sister who is the school servant for some suggestions, perhaps in regard to some specific difficulty. She can certainly help him locate helpful points in the Society’s publications and possibly assist him in understanding the principles of speaking discussed there, but without giving him direct counsel.
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inbetween
kinda sick isn`t it ?
It still amazes me, how some sisters, who are well educated and have a well respected job, are treated like people of second class in the kingdom hall, and they let it happen....
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OneEyedJoe
A sister once conducted the meeting for service because there were no brothers available. I was about 6 at the time. The only head covering that could be found was a mickey mouse hat (the one with the ears). We all rejoiced that Jehovah would provide a suitable head covering in order to preserve the dignity of the meeting.
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AnnOMaly
I sometimes used to conduct the meetings for field service, say the prayer, and assign territory when it was all sisters. They'd 'volunteer' me because they didn't want to do it LOL. I hated wearing a handkerchief or one of the sister's unwashed scarves on my head - felt like an idiot. On occasion I'd read the paragraphs at the book study too.
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designs
you should have brought a Burqa.