TO SELECTED BODIES OF ELDERS ASSIGNED TO THE COVID-19

by pixel 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  pixel

  December 25, 2020

  TO SELECTED BODIES OF ELDERS ASSIGNED TO THE COVID-19

  Re: Adjustments to Arrangements for Meeting Family Food Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Dear Brothers:

  For several months, publishers have been benefitting from a supplemental food program organized through the Disaster Relief Committee (DRC) arrangement. The primary source of food items has been through a program sponsored by the government. However, primarily to improve the safety of all involved, the branch has directed that this arrangement be suspended at this time. Of course, it will remain as important as ever to ensure that those in need of assistance are cared for. Please note below additional details regarding how food needs of our brothers and sisters will be met at this time.

  As trustworthy men, the elders are in the best position to lovingly consider and anticipate the needs of those in the congregation. The branch has asked that elders carefully review 1 Timothy 5:3-21; Organized, chapter 12, paragraphs 13-15; and Shepherd, chapter 26, paragraphs 7-12. These principles will be of assistance in determining who is in need of assistance and ensuring that food supplies are distributed adequately and equitably. The elders may need to provide guidance on how to conserve food and other supplies and remind publishers to have emergency provisions on hand. (See g95 3/8 pp.6-7; g74 9/22 pp.3-7; g70 9/22 pp.13-16) Good communication with group overseers will be very important, and will possibly allow for an equalizing to occur when needed.—2 Cor 8:14

  Some congregations may have a limited number of individuals in need of assistance, and as a result will be able to arrange for their needs without setting up a pantry. Other congregations may determine that a pantry arrangement will work best for them. In such cases, the attached Frequently Asked Questions for Congregation Use of Pantries During the COVID-19 Pandemic document may prove helpful. Regardless of the means of providing assistance, elders should seek to ensure that the frequency and methods for delivery of food items minimizes exposure. The COVID-19 Safety for Households document should be reviewed regarding receipt and delivery of goods to ensure safety for both volunteers and recipients. It is also recommended that elders investigate what may be available locally through government programs and private resources. In this regard, elders should regularly review the COVID-19 Disaster Assistance documents in the forms section of jw.org.

  Congregation publishers should be aware of the arrangement and be given the opportunity to assist those in need, supporting the arrangement in whatever manner their circumstances allow. (Heb 13:16) As a reminder, the branch has directed that neither congregation nor circuit funds should be used to make relief supply purchases. Additionally, separate congregation or circuit accounts should not be set up to fund purchases.

  In some cases, a congregation’s food needs may exceed what can be arranged locally. In such cases, the Disaster Relief Committee is prepared to assist with providing basic food items. Bodies of elders needing assistance from the DRC in filling unmet food needs will be able to indicate this on the online monthly intake form which will be updated by January 15, 2021. More information regarding the revised intake form and its use will be provided in the near future.

  The coordinator of the body of elders should provide regular updates to the circuit overseer for his information regarding any assistance that is being rendered to care for the needs of the brothers and sisters in the congregation. Please know of our warm affection for you and your loving labors as we share together in the ‘relief ministry.’—2 Cor. 8:4.

  Your brothers,

  COVID-19

  Disaster Relief Committee

  c: Selected circuit overseers

  Selected field representatives
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  nowwhat?

  Translation: we got caught for not following the guidelines the government outlined for distributing food to ALL people. So they are suspending us from the farmers to families food program.
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  road to nowhere

  Note that funding is all local, like always. No money or food from the circuit, congregation, or ( gasp) the branch. My city does regular distributions using a church parking lot and volunteers--to everyone.

  The last I heard of the pantry was they were doing a culling of outdated stuff. I never did see that it had adequate things for a real emergency.
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  Anna Marina

  All of us here have experienced how two-faced Watchtower is. Yes it pretends to be Christian but they are not.

  Genuine charity and sharing is a fundamental Christian value:

  (Acts 2:44) . . .All those who became believers were together in having all things in common,
  

  (Matthew 6:3-4) . . .But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 4 that your gifts of mercy may be in secret; then your Father who is looking on in secret will repay you. . .
  

  That said, I remember an African sister telling me how two-faced a Catholic priest in Africa was. She explained to me that the British would send their clothes off for charity but when they reached her part of Africa they ended up in the hands of a priest who would only give the clothes away in return for an act of prostitution.
  

  I have no detailed facts for this story, therefore I cannot assess how true it is. But I can imagine such senarios taking place (not only with clothes but also with food) in both secular and religious settings where people are being two-faced.
  
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  WTWizard

  I suppose they will demand that all those with supplies donate such to the communal stock, so they can give them out as they see fit (hint: Those that contribute the most will probably not get the most back). It will be those who pious-sneer and do the most for joke-hova that get the most. This is why every individual needs to look out for themselves and family first. Of course, it helps to have a job that pays a decent amount, which is not possible given washtowel rules.

  And, to add to the list, BATTERIES! I expect the results of the election to be a big mess--Biden ultimately getting placed in. The patriots will try fighting back, only to be vanquished and full communism imposed. This will be quite messy, and I am expecting frequent and long-lasting blackouts to happen as a result of this war. (Worse than a storm--at least with a storm, you don't have people shooting back at you while you are trying to restore power and Internet.) Get DVDs or downloaded videos, since you are way more likely to lose your Internet for a long time or for good than electricity. Make sure you have a decent stash of working flashlights--there is no worse time than Jan 10 to find out your flashlights are duds, and all the stores are sold out of them and have limits of one total package of batteries per customer (if you can get them at all).

  In addition to batteries, you might wish to get games you don't need Internet to play. Those old Nintendo DS cartridges may give you some entertainment if you have electricity but no Internet or you can secure a good stash of batteries for them. Board games and cards are also nice, as are good books. (I mean paper books, not digital books that require Internet access to read, let alone electricity). If your walls are boring paint, some nice posters of your favorite theme will be nice if you order them before Jan 9 (again, the worst time to try is after the lights go out and there is no Internet). And, candles throw off quite a bit of heat along with light, but can be messy and start fires if you are not careful and don't know what you are doing with them.

  If you do that, you will not be relying on any congregation of jokehovian witlesses when the power and/or Internet go off and stay off. Do not give any of your stash to the congregation, since everyone should be looking out for themselves and families, not the whole congregation.
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  Atlantis

  pixel:

  Thank you, very much appreciated. Keep them coming my friend!

  Atlantis!
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  mynameislame

  review 1 Timothy 5:3-21

  What a horrible application of that scripture.
  

  It applies only to widows with several catches.

  Only over 60, no other family, must be a sycophant, and god forbid you became a widow twice.
  

  So pretty much find a reason not to help.
  

  And not sure if it's just me but that chapter seems to be saying the Elders should be getting paid
  
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  FedUpJW

  However, primarily to improve the safety of all involved, the branch has directed that this arrangement be suspended at this time.

  Bulls--t!! As commented above, they got their teats caught in a wringer trying to make money off this arrangement of the government.

  As trustworthy men, the elders are in the best position to lovingly consider and anticipate the needs of those in the congregation.

  Yeah, I. Don't. Think. So! How can they be when they routinely ignore those in the congregation that are not members of their chosen clique?

  Good communication with group overseers will be very important, and will possibly allow for an equalizing to occur when needed.

  In other words, those who worked hard and had some savings, those who set aside some provisions for an emergency will be guilted into coughing up money or their own stock of provisions to give to those who most likely were either too lazy, or too stupid to lay aside anything for a rainy day.

  It is also recommended that elders investigate what may be available locally through government programs and private resources.

  Reminds me of, "Go in peace. Keep warm and well fed."

  As a reminder, the branch has directed that neither congregation nor circuit funds should be used to make relief supply purchases.

  Well, they sure cannot send back a few precious $$$$$ to help the people who make up their congregations and have been foolishly sending money to WT for many years. How could they afford expensive booze, expensive watches, expensive pinky rings etc. at Warwick if they did that?

  The coordinator of the body of elders should provide regular updates to the circuit overseer for his information regarding any assistance that is being rendered to care for the needs of the brothers and sisters in the congregation.

  But better be sure not one word is leaked out about all the ones who may now need some help that are being lovingly ignored or ridiculed like my parents were before they died! Gotta keep that positive spin going and bragging on jay double u dot org.
  

  Please know of our warm affection for you and your loving labors as we share together in the ‘relief ministry.’

  I think I just threw up in the back of my throat! Damned lying hypocrites. The only thing they have affection for is the $$$$ from the members of the congregations, the bragging rights they claim for their so-called assistance, and just a bit more control over their flock as they insist that they give till it hurts with no explanation of where the dollars really go!
  
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  Atlantis

  Yes, who could forget this letter.

  
  

  Scroll down.

  
  

  https://thecounter.org/churches-usda-covid-19-food-boxes-boundaries-church-and-state/
  

  
  

  
  

  Atlantis!
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  LongHairGal

  FEDUPJW:

  I am sorry that your parents were ignored and ridiculed!! What you say is probably true:..those who worked hard or had savings or set aside provisions, etc. would be guilted into giving to those as you say who were ‘too lazy or stupid’ to do so.

  What I’m getting the sense of is they are trying to get people to be co-dependent.

  I hate being right, but I predicted things would be bad in congregations because of decades of being told they shouldn’t have careers or plan for Retirement. This is against all common sense!! The JWs in congregations who never planned were in trouble long before Covid!..Adding to that the bethelites who got kicked out in recent years plus troubled types recruited to fill empty seats in halls - not a good scenario.

  Naturally, anybody there NOW who even has a job, looks halfway decent, seems to have their act together or isn’t downright nuts - is going to be targeted like they were an ATM machine! ..I’m so glad I got out years ago because this is what I would be faced with. Yes..the retired me who was criticized and shunned way back when for having a full time job!