Assemblies...conventions...special days...

by NikL 36 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  anglise

  Yuck assemblies and conventions.
  I never in 20 years enjoyed one. They were hard work with a young family, expensive and boring.
  Sitting in a football/rugby ground - designed for men in casual clothes - in your new/best clothes and heeled shoes trying to keep warm, dry and awake.
  I remember the last prayer always seemed to go on and on and if you were holding a tired child in your arms standing near the top of terraced seating you felt very unstable, and then everybody clapped afetr the prayer, was it because it was sooo good or because ha had at last finished. I will never know ( I never clapped).

  Then joy of joys at the next SM we could discuss it all.
  I miss them like a hole in the head.
• 

  larc

  Ah, those prayers.

  You know a 10 minute summary of a one hour talk we just heard is not my idea of a good prayer. God doesn't need to hear it and niether do we.
• 

  unanswered

  nik-what a great post, i wish it brought back great memories. i too used to try to get any assignment that would keep me out of my seat. my favorite part was watching the witness kids i knew getting interviewed. everyone thought those kids were sooo wonderful, meanwhile, i was laughing knowing that these kids were not quite the "exemplerary" youths everyone thought them to be.
• 

  Moridin

  I know what you mean about the "exemplary" kids. I remember being interviewed at one assembly and the whole time I was thinking about my "worldly" girlfriend and the drinking party that me and my JW friends were gonna have when we got back. : )
• 

  Latte

  Yeah, exemplary kids, that reminds me of my last big assembly.

  They were interviewing the usual 'perfect' families. One sister, (who I knew) was explaining her situation of being a single mom, whilst managing to prepare for ALL the meetings with her children. It was explained how it was a pleasure for the children, they always answered up and enjoyed the meetings thoroughly.

  This was all well and good, BUT this lovely sister OMITTED to point out that all her three children were actually HOME EDUCATED. The pre-study was all part of the children's HOME EDUCATION !!
  Perhaps she was asked not to mention it, I don't know.

  I thought of all the poor sisters that saw that item, and possibly felt that they could not manage to do all that this sister was doing, because they had to go to work, or just could'nt find the time. It would of put burdens on both parents and children. I felt it was somewhat dishonest to portray such a situation, whilst omitting all the facts.

  Latte

  Edited by - Latte on 7 March 2001 1:50:2
• 

  Simon

  Yes, Prisca...we met at an assembly - it was a nice open air one at Maine Road, not one of the horrible stuffy indoor ones they have now.
  At the assembly that made Liam ill because of the heat Anghard was heavily pregnant with Dylan (had him about a week later). While we had taken Liam out to cool down and so Anghard could get some air too we actually had an attendant tell us that she should move from the chair she was sat on because it was for attendands only! Someone else wanted us to 'go back to our seats'. I found swearing really shut them up instantly
• 

  TR

  Each and every assembly was something I did not look forward to. I always took the kids and all we could look forward to was a pinic at lunch time and time to go home. What a pain in the ass. All three little kids with me and my wife taking it easy(well deserved)at home. Now I know how sisters with "unbelieving" husbands felt.

  I do want to go to one by myself though, for shi*s and giggles. Anyone know what the schedule for eastern Washington State is?

  TR
• 

  unanswered

  moridin-hope you didn't think i was setting myself aside as a "good kid". for me to say that might be blasphemy. :)
• 

  RedhorseWoman

  I always had a love/hate relationship with assemblies. I would try to find one in an area that I thought would be fun to visit. The first week would be devoted to the assembly, and the second would be pure vacation. Of course, it was always a good place to hunt for non-local guys.
• 

  twvsnt

  Latte, I too found some of the expirences relayed on the platform some what fake. This was because they always viewed things in black and white and almost never showed the gray. At the assemblies/conventions they're always portraying a family that is having problems because of wanting to live in excess but never show the family that has problems because of the lack of love in the congregation they're in or lack of love and understanding from the elders. If alot of these friends and elders showed more love and respect then there would be far less problems and strains on the families.