How did you feel when they eliminated the Con. Book Study?

by Freeandclear 53 Replies latest jw friends

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  Freeandclear

  Years ago when I was "in" I loved the Book Study. It was my favorite meeting by far. Mainly because it was a small group. We were close knit and had a lot of fun at mine. The family that hosted always had snacks and refreshments after and everyone always stayed an hour or more after and socialized. It was a great time for me, and I honestly did more prep-ing for that meeting than any other.

  I can remember all the hub-bub about how near the end it would be our CBS group that would be so important to us all. That we would be like a small family and help each other, etc.....

  I found it to be the warmest of all the meetings.

  Then out of thin air they just up and vanished it. Gone. No real explanation at all other than to simplify things and to make it easier on us due to the pressures of the world, and to get a family study night started to strengthen the family. Well for me as a single male with no family in the Troof that didn't really do me any favors.

  Just curious here...how did YOU feel when they eliminated this meeting? Happy, sad, relieved, indifferent?

  Thanks.
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  Ucantnome

  i never liked the bookstudy and i eliminated it out of my life as the first meeting not to attend. I preferred to go to the hall for the meeting rather than in a home.
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  freddo

  It was a relief to have another "free" evening where I didn't have to put on a tie and go out for the evening and up until about 2004 when I was still an elder I was always a book study group overseer so that made it even worse.

  Given the choice I would rather have kept a one hour study in someone's home and dropped the midweek meeting at the KH.
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  ToesUp

  We wish they had eliminated the TMS instead. The most boring meeting. The Book study was actually somewhat enjoyable. We had a fun group.

  What shocked us the most was the letter that was read to all congregations. They stated that they did not want to burden the brothers and sisters. We were always taught that this was our "go to" place, in case of emergency. We were told it was as important as any of the other meetings. Now it was a burden? hmmm

  Funny how when the BS was on it was important but then when they decided to eliminate it, it was a burden. How convenient.
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  BeautifulMind

  OMG! Bookstudy was my favorite! When I was in PA we had it at my house, dad was an elder at the time. He's a cool guy so it was real laid back and chill. And last book study of the month we would have a "goodie night" but really it was a full blown dinner lol. And alot of my childhood friends were in my group. Lots of fun. Once I moved to GA book study got better. The brother whose house we went to also had a goodie night. But the interesting thing is after we said "amen" the lights would dim and the food AND cocktails would come out. He would say "the worship is over, now let's relax!" Best conductor ever lol
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  Barrold Bonds

  Honestly, after the 4th time we did the Revelation book and those two fucking books about Isaiah (in which every prophecy in the book has the same exact fulfillment) I was pretty much done with the book study.
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  nowwhat?

  I hated getting dressed up for 1 hr. 90% of the time it was dull. Those 2 Isaiah books omg! It sucked. We might of had a goodie night once a year if that. My congregation has always been dull, uptight and no fun allowed.
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  Beth Sarim

  Yeah, they should have scrapped the TMS. Most labouring and boring meeting of the week(tied with WT), after a long day in the middle of the work week too. With the Book Study, it felt 'homey' often with cake and coffee after. More relaxing atmosphere by far.
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  baker

  As a kid growing up in a Protestant church, they had a similar thing on Wednesday nite and always had a full meal for all who attended. It was a great time to socialize and I'm guessing a lot of people came for the food. So removing the B S. was kind of like taking away one chance for people to socialize, which most JW,s need. (B S.=Book study)
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  Fisherman

  I felt at the time that the book study required a separate day , not to cram everything into one meeting night., but there was no other way because book study had been determined to be to be part of the JW weekly program and because people do not have the time they had 40 years ago to go to 3 separate meetings a week. So the choice was either to cram another lesson into the meeting or go to another meeting on another night. Since it aint a longer meeting wiith BS included and you dont have to go 3 times a week but only two it turns out to be favorable to everyone.