Sisters running microphones?

by NikL 40 Replies latest jw friends

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  NikL

  So our Sunday meeting was on the 25th (Christmas) and my active JW wife and I were out of town enjoying some family time with relatives.

  Apparently there were many others in our congregation that missed as well. So few were there in fact that sisters ran the mics. (actually it was a sister running one of the two mics) A friend of my wife commented to her about how the brothers just aren't stepping up and it "makes her want to cry
  

  My wife said it's a shame and brothers outta be ashamed of themselves or something like that. I told her to back up a bit. How does she know the brothers are eligible for the privilege of running a mic. I pointed out the child molester in our cong. who is not allowed to do it as an example. She agreed in the end.

  BTW this same sister is also the territory servant (or whatever it's called)
  

  Anyway, I had never heard of that before and was wondering if anyone here had?
  
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  ScenicViewer

  Did the sister handling the microphone have to wear a head covering?

  I am aware of women offering prayer, reading the Watchtower, or even conducting a meeting when qualified males were not present. In these situations head coverings were required.
  
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  NikL

  Good question.

  I wasn't there to see it.
  
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  Spiral

  Way back in the day, when desperate, the congregation would have to let sisters do various "duties/privileges" (gag). I remember as a small child (late 60s, early 70s) sometimes the sisters would have to read at the bookstudy or at the WT study, as no qualified brother was in attendance. The sister who read had to sit in the audience because she couldn't be on the stage with the conductor (again, gag). At the bookstudy we would take turns reading.

  This was humiliating to any brother that was there but was then outed as "not qualified" because he wasn't used, being on private reproof or whatever.

  Meanwhile, at our book study, several would comment how great it was to let the sisters read. Sadly, the usual "qualified" brother had reading difficulties (remember, this was in the day of the Babylon book and several others that took some skill and vocabulary to read properly - not the fluff stuff they produce today). It made the book study drag along (worse than normal). If everyone read, at least it went faster. (BTW, looking back I feel sorry for that brother now because I'd bet you $5 he was dyslexic or something like that and didn't know, he was really embarrassed by his lack of "skill".)

  As for the territory servant sister, I've seen that too, under cover of "assisting" a brother who couldn't keep records well (often the husband).

  I wouldn't be surprised if this starts happening again, as the younger generation is less interested in this kind of religion. I wish I had thought about all this more when I was young!
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  btlc

  If there is no "able bodied" men (physical or spiritual) , sisters could do the job. Here in Europe, a last few years sisters serve at conventions as monitors, contribution-box guards, literature distributors, responsible for info-desk, welcoming visitors at entrance, etc., mostly young and pretty sisters. No one complains :)

  About head covering, if I remember correctly, it is mandatory only if female serve as "teacher", not for doing technical jobs.
  
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  Londo111

  There's a high bar for "brothers" to meet to even qualify for running mikes.

  First, one has to be above a low hour publisher. This is what got me disbarred from carrying the mike.

  Next, if one has looked at soft porn, they are disqualified, or watched a rated R movie, or played a video game deemed to be 'violent'. Or if they have a beard or goatee.

  There are so many ways to lose this 'privilege'.
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  Sail Away

  In my former congregation two other sisters and I were assigned to divide up the territory and make new maps.

  One sister did the job of Accounts Servant until her teenaged daughters went off the rails-- one got pregnant, the other DA'd herself.

  I was assigned to shred old files. Of course, I was instructed not to read them.

  Also, I was the defacto person in charge of food service during our second KH renovation turned rebuild during midweek work. The RBC only came on the weekends, and the pioneer/elder they appointed was incompetent, so he recruited me.

  I was also in charge of trimming bushes, because the same pioneer/elder mauled them with a hedge trimmer. Toward the end of my time as a JW, I enjoyed my gardening chores, because I did them in the mornings while the other sisters went out in service.

  Apparently, the Holy Spirit appoints incompetent brothers to take the lead, while sisters did the job.

  Diane
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  tepidpoultry

  I was just wondering if somehow they could build that hedge

  trimmer incident into an Assembly demo (I hope everybody was OK!)

  :0)
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  blondie

  If no qualified brother, sisters are called on to do many things depending on the demographics of the congregation.

  Mowing the lawn, landscaping

  Territory

  Accounts

  Microphones/sound "

  It is easing up because so many young male jws are not "reaching out" and the elders are too busy to do it all. Or the congregation is just small.

  It was meant to be a training for young brothers, to see who was reliable. I have seen young brothers assigned put on a list, never told, then not show up or be late.
  
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  rebel8

  Wow, this shocks me.
  
  I feel like writing a few Question From Readers:
  
  "Dear brothers, I was recently appointed to the position of Microphone Servant. I understand the importance of this duty and my role as a dumber, weaker vessel.
  
  "Since starting my new responsibilities, I have found myself becoming more confident and decisive, and not in a spiritually subservient way either. It's just...when I walk down that aisle and hand someone the mic, I feel powerful. Jah has chosen me for this task over brothers!
  
  "At first, the changes were subtle. I started wearing pants while cleaning the house and hall instead of full slip, pantyhose, panties underneath the pantyhose, full skirt, low-heeled pumps, and a blouse with 1 extra button fastened for jehoover.
  
  "At the Thursday meeting, I tried to raise my hand when they wanted someone to second a motion to donate all of our money to the World Wide Work.
  
  "This morning, I rolled out of bed and sleepily made my way to the bathroom before having my coffee. A moment later, I realized I was STANDING UP WHILE PEEING.
  
  "What can I do?"