Has anyone ever turn down being appointed an Elder or MS? (page 2)

ToesUp

My spouse was "encouraged" to reach out to be a MS. He kept his hours, just below the radar (6-7) and the CO wouldn't allow him to be one. Funny, how he intentionally kept those hours low. lol

Anony Mous

I know some people that have explicitly turned it down, before I left, many weren't willing to take up the mantle and just outright refused.

I did accept it to make a point, the meeting that my appointment was announced was the first meeting I intentionally didn't attend.

dropoffyourkeylee

I turned down an offer to be a MS. It was about the only good decision I made when I was 19.

Krispy

A friend turned down being an MS, he was still smoking weed and felt guilty. Another turned down being an elder, didn't want the responsibility.

I turned down the offer to be an Elder a couple of times, not that I did not want the responsibility entirely, I certainly never wanted to be responsible for DFing anyone, but I hated the Politics, the obvious deference shown to Elders, which I saw as undeserved, and it generally being a Club I did not want to be a member of.

I also knew that I would take the pastoral work that Elders SHOULD do seriously, and having an exacting and tiring Job, plus kids to raise, I felt that I would get burn-out in no time.

I am glad I never became one, there is less guilt for me to carry, I have enough for simply being a JW for way too long.

Gorbatchov

G. turned down by moving to an other city and stay under the radar then.

Remember I knew it was my last part at the congregation meeting and never felt better! I walked from the podium to my chair with a big, happy smile.

G.

Ultimate Axiom

The Presiding Overseer of my congregation chaired the process of appointing the very first body of elders in our congregation back in 1972/73. Six were announced, including the PO, but at the very next meeting it was announced that the PO had declined the role and needed a rest after being the PO for about a decade, which must have made him one of the very first people to decline such a role. He then spent several years as a regular dub before getting back into the saddle. I think he went straight up to being an elder without passing MS, and later became a CO. After that I lost track as I lost contact with them all.

Phizzy

You have reminded me, U A, of what happened in our Congregation when the Elder thing was first brought in, only one guy accepted, and he was actually elderly, and one of the Anointed, the other "Servants" all felt they did not qualify ! This guy was a humble, really spiritual man, who cared for all.

When the C.O visited some months later, he persuaded the Servants that they were being too modest and self critical, so the P.O of the time, and a few others accepted. Others accepted in time.

I think, as in many other aspects, our guys were pretty unique in this, which made for a nice atmosphere in the Congregation, which caused many JW's over the years to move in from elsewhere. Nobody had a huge ego, until a young guy in his twenties, an Elder, moved in, he was different, a real by the Society Rule Book man, but constantly was restrained by the others.

Giordano

I turned down numerous positions. This was in the middle 1960's.

After High School I pioneered....... same boring old congregation....... same neighborhoods in field service. So I decided to make a change and pioneer where the need was great.

I went from a large NY City congregation to a rural area in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Within a week I was asked to give my public talk all over the circuit as my new congregation had only one mature ex missionary servant holding everything together.

Since he was the only brother qualified I was urged to continue pioneering, give my weekly public talk until we had 'paid' back those congregations who had sent their speakers to us.

I also became the assistant presiding minister and the Ministry School servant. I filled in other positions as needed.

I courted my future wife....... a 'casual' JW and served for three years...... until enough became enough and we wanted to experience real life. Get some advanced education. Do something with our lives other then knock on doors.

When we moved back to my Mother's home we presented as active JW's and we tried out a couple of Kingdom Halls where I had a fair number of friends.

It was during this time that I was recruited to take on various positions. Ones that I had already served in. I danced around the offers and postponed even joining a congregation.

A year went by while I finished a Trade school and could find a job. We moved out of my JW mother's house and we were free and clear of being a JW. Never took any position in any congregation......never even joined or attended a meeting in any congregation.

We were going to live free and clear.

And we did.

DwainBowman

I turned it down three time over a ten year period of time!! I was appointed as an MS at 18, and I was 27 the first time I was asked to "Serve" as an eldub!!

I received some pretty harsh words each time!

Has anyone ever turn down being appointed an Elder or MS?

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