RUMOUR - Regarding future memorials

by Listener 35 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  steve2

  idea that has been floated is that the Society stop publishing the number of partakers. As the numbers increase , it is becoming really embarrassing
  

  Yes, I agree. They risk unduly drawing attention to the issue if they stop it - but, upon balance, there is potentially going to be greater fallout if they continue to publish partaker numbers - especially as the number of partakers continues to increase. For example, there was a 20% increase from 2015 to 2016 from around 15,000 to over 18,000 partakers - not the sort of increase that JW organization is interested in!
  
• 

  blondie

  Has the 2016 yearbook been released yet? That usually has the number of partakers, no longer in a WT study article.

  Or is it called the 2017 yearbook with the 2016 statistics?
  
• 

  blondie

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5152424341798912/2017-yearbook-released

  (How quickly Ii forget, I posted on that link)

  Overall the numbers are better than last year (1.8% growth compared to 1.5% last year -- as I predicted ) with an increase in all major figures including 1300 more congregations (I assume this is not physical kingdom halls?). But

  But but but: Memorial partakers grew by almost 3000 to 18000 and a (slight) DECREASE in average publishers in the US. Western Europe to appears to be very flat.

  Just copy-pasting the overall figures:

  From 2016:

  Branches of Jehovah’s Witnesses: 89

  Number of Lands Reporting: 240

  Total Congregations: 119,485

  Worldwide Memorial Attendance: 20,085,142

  Memorial Partakers Worldwide: 18,013

  Peak of Publishers in Kingdom Service: 8,340,847

  Average Publishers Preaching Each Month: 8,132,358

  Percentage of Increase Over 2015: 1.8

  Total Number Baptized: 264,535

  Average Auxiliary Pioneer Publishers Each Month: 459,393

  Average Pioneer Publishers Each Month: 1,157,017

  Total Hours Spent in Field: 1,983,763,754

  Average Bible Studies Each Month: 10,115,264

  From 2015:

  Branches of Jehovah’s Witnesses: 89

  Number of Lands Reporting: 240

  Total Congregations: 118,016

  Worldwide Memorial Attendance: 19,862,783

  Memorial Partakers Worldwide: 15,177

  Peak of Publishers in Kingdom Service: 8,220,105

  Average Publishers Preaching Each Month: 7,987,279

  Percentage of Increase Over 2014: 1.5

  Total Number Baptized: 260,273

  Average Auxiliary Pioneer Publishers Each Month: 443,504

  Average Pioneer Publishers Each Month: 1,135,210

  Total Hours Spent in Field: 1,933,473,727

  Average Home Bible Studies Each Month: 9,708,968
  
• 

  steve2

  The 2017 Yearbook has been out since (I think) early January of this year. It contains the worldwide service report - including number of partakers - for the 2016 "service year".
  
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  OUTLAW

  there are plans that 'the other sheep' will be told not to attend any future memorials.

  It`s never going to happen..

  Memorial is the biggest WBT$/JW celebration of the year..

  .....
  

  You`re Invited To..

  The Greatest WBT$ Show On Earth!

  Watch "JW Freaks"(according to the WBT$)Drink Wine and Eat Crackers!!
  

  
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  I try I try I try to guess what they might do. They love control-based activity like field-recruiting and 5 meetings a week. But one thing that overrides control is money. They ditched the book study quite easily.

  So, the cost of the Memorial is all on the local congregations. All that figuring out how to fit so many people into one Kingdom Hall or rented facility on the same night is not their problem......unless.....they plan to cram even more people into less Kingdom Halls.

  So, here's my wild speculations on how and why this could be true. Emphasis on "wild."
  
  1. They are actually calculating a loss of money on all those invitations. Sure, more inactive and family of JW's come to the Memorial than any other meeting. Sure, the JW's drag their "Bible studies" to the event. But do they stuff the donation box???

  2. They have too many fake anointed and will stop counting. They will have regional Memorials where only the elders will know about it and will be instructed to only tell JW's in good standing who claim to be of the anointed where they are held. I mean- a genuine "anointed" must be a JW in good standing, right??? They can easily make a Watchtower magazine study for everyone else that week. This way, no need for cramming any extra meetings into a single hall on a single night.

  3. It could become a special live internet thing where elders are instructed to help the old ancient elderly "anointed" ones to see it and have some wine and crackers. Others are welcome to watch at home and remember to put money in the box next Sunday.

  I don't really believe this would happen. They currently still say the Memorial is "the most sacred event." But hey, I really believed Donald Trump would never win his election.