selling kingdom halls.

by stan livedeath 1 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  stan livedeath

  ive chosen " scandals and coverups" subject area--because it is a scandal.

  back when i was a dub--in the 60's--in Birmingham UK---only a few congregations had their own hall. most rented school halls and other buildings available to the public. to have their own hall--dedicated to jehovah--was a lifetime dream for many.

  to be able to have a hall built--obviously required land..and to get land--and planning permission to build a hall---was expensive--and difficult. it often took years of saving donations--as well as paying rent on the temporary place. then--if land became available an application to the WTS for a loan was often required.
  

  some congregations were able to buy ready built places--sometimes disused chapels--often requiring extensive repairs and renovations.

  then came the quick-builds--needing 100's of man-hours given by volunteers.

  in very recent years the WTS decided to "forgive" the loans / mortgages--but the members of each congregation still had to donate the money they would have paid in loan interest.

  imagine the dismay many brothers must feel when their beloved hall is snatched away from them and sold.

  how many of you have first hand experience of this ?
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  jookbeard

  yes, in my old circuit they done this to the Putney and Kingston KH, both Surrey stockbroker belt towns where land and property are eyewateringly expensive I think they purchased the KH in the late 1970's but had it upgraded sometime in the late 1980's with a "quick build" in the last few years the KH was sold and the congs were liquidated or merged with Richmond cong who are having their KH sold!, thats the main example I know of in my old circuit, congregations having use of a KH solely on its own are in a dead man walking scenario, my old congregation shares with a Tamil cong and another cong so it looks safeish for the time being.