Elder Arrangement

by vienne 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  vienne

  Hi everyone, (including the person who down votes all of my posts)

  As some of you know, I'm working toward my master's degree. Comments from those associated when the Elder Arrangement was introduced would help me with a research paper.

  What was the reaction among adherents? Were there hard feeling? Were people relieved to have the new arrangement? Comment on internal 'politics' - that is did some put themselves 'forward'? Were there hard feelings when some were not appointed? What role did Circuit Overseers play in your congregation? Were some appointed who obviously should not have been, only to be deleted within not many years?

  Any comments will be helpful.

  Best regards,

  Annie
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  Rivergang

  When the coming elder arrangement was first announced, which was about 12 months before it was implemented, there was considerable speculation as to its consequences.

  Many wondered if it would result in the similar sort of upheaval that followed the WTS’s 1938 move to henceforth directly appoint the congregation’s “Overseer” (prior to that, these had been chosen by election). That, in its time, caused some congregations to completely break away. In fact, in one city at least, those that separated themselves from WTS control outnumbered those who remained.

  It was speculated whether the coming elder arrangement would result in similar such division.
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  I remember it being announced, or at least described, in a convention talk. One brother was taking notes and was really enthused, almost fist pumping, while hearing about it. I think that the prominence hungry types really welcomed it. Our congregation overseer was rather old at the time, and I think he was kind of relieved.
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  AudeSapere

  Which elder arrangement are your referring to?

  Prior to 1972 or 1973 there was a 'Congregation Servant' (I think). It was just one man overseeing everything in a congregation.

  In 1972 or 1973 an arrangement was created for each cong to have a 'body of elders' rotate thru 5 different roles in congregation oversight (Presiding Overseer, Service Overseer, Secretary, Theocratic School Overseer and Literature Overseer).

  The most recent change that I know of involved appointment of a CoBE (Coordinator of the Body of Elders) but that happened LONG after I left the org and I do not know how or why that works.

  I do know that shortly after the CoBE arrangement, there seemed to be a deletion of elders who had served for a very, very long time. But I do not know if/how the CoBE thing specifically had anything to do with the deletions and purges.
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  waton

  was "serving " in leader capacity since 1959. one funny reaction after the rotating elder arrangement happened in 1974, when it was my turn to take on the "presiding" role. (among those in our cong were associateds to future branch and GB material) {not me}. anyway, on the last BOE meeting before the start of the 1975 service year I mentioned that little me, as of Sept.1 would spend the last year in this system by resuming my pioneer carriere.

  well, one or two chins dropped. They did not like the idea that I would keep tap on all the goings on by being in constant contact with the pleb. The very capable professional leaders hated every moment of the years of their subservient role.

  In 1975 the congregation discovered that I am a natural in languages ( I served in the "foreign language field", in a 3rd, quickly learned learned tongue. Needless to say that no better skills in the HH ministry could stem the decline in membership decline after 1975 paradise fizzle.

  I think that wt i missed then a golden opportunity to come closer to embody the Ideals taught by Jesus.
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  road to nowhere

  I remember the strutters. " I am an elder" they told me to not worry about becoming one because armageddon would come before the next years apppintments. It didn't and I didn't.

  There were 2 of them that had the hots for my wife. Theirs were frumpy, mine was a beauty. She knows it too.
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  waton

  road to now where, so true, if you have an attractive, slim, good wife, in wt land your family is in peril. My better half was propositioned more than once when in bethel for "kingdom courses" some thought is for intercourses I guess.

  Wt following David their example here, going after bathing beauties while the husband is "serving" on duty.

  A shameful outfit, really.
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  Smiles

  @V

  In your master's thesis, or whatever work it may be, please do not continually refer to it as the "elder arrangement"... that is cultlike terminology from a PIMI perspective.

  All schemes that WT fabricates are pitched as "the arrangement"... "Jehovah's arrangement"...

  From an external/secular perspective, there are more comprehensive descriptions for the "elder arrangement", one of which is: CLERGY

  others might be:

  elder rank

  elder echelon

  elder schema

  et al...

  
  
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  waton

  Elders rotating in a different way

  rtn: re elders hitting on their underlings. Imagine a publisher married to a younger stunning oriental and demure beauty.

  Elders constantly trying to assign themselves to have her work in their "field service" car group, the husband in another, scheduling her alone to go "on calls" with them; Choosing kh seats so they can gawk for 2 hours at a time at the "best view" in the room. elders allowing this to go on too. At every meeting squeezing into the front door the moment the object of their frustrated fantasies tries to enter. . true stories in 2 out of 3 congregations.

  Peter in his letters prophesied, warned against these conditions, adulterous eyes, hidden rocks,

  wt appointees fulfilling bible prophecies. following David's lead.
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  Aude, I stand corrected. The term was ‘congregation servant’ , not ‘ overseer’, prior to the ‘70s change’. I think at one time ‘40’s or before, it was ‘company servant’.