by vitty 23 Replies latest jw friends
Did you ever go out on the service christmas day. I always refused to, I mean even sinners deserved a day off from us calling.LOL Seriously I was too embarressed to. My husband got "forced" one year and said never again.
The ones who did, said they had a great time and most people were responsive, drunk more like.
So tell me your own experiences now that you can tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
I went out in field service many times Christmas day. The people were very tolerent of my intrusion into their holiday. Of course I live in the south and most people are friendly here.
I can remember going door to door in NY City while at an assembly and the people were quite different there. They would close the door in your face when they realized you were a JW.
Ken P.
When I was a MS from the beginning of that arrangement until I was an elder from 1986 to 1991, it seemed that I was always on the schedule to take the lead in the fs on holidays. I felt like it was a conspiracy against me since I didn't fit in with the servant click of our cong. Other "don't fit in bros. had the same problem. The PO we had from about 1985 and I hear he is still the PO insisted that fs be done 7 days a week from the KH. He believed that if someone led....others would follow. (kind of like the blind leading the blind). Once I got enough smarts, I always figured a way out of leading on these days.
To me.....it was bad enough antagonizing people on ordinary days......but to bother them on THEIR holidays was taboo to me.
There were a few times that when I was on the hot seat as an elder and took heat from the Holy Trinity of the cong. (the PO, secretary and fs overseer) I said.........."you want me to step down"? When I said this......the tongues of the Trinity stumbled all over the place. Then in 1991......I finally said......."I step down" and gave them my written resignation. It took more years for me to finally get "real smart" and leave altogether.
HappyDad
My husband got "forced" one year and said never again.
I got coaxed (not quite coerced, but close) into it once and managed to avoid it forever after. It was a shameful experience, except for the one guy who invited us in and disappeared into his kitchen for a spell before coming back out with hot cider (no discernible booze in it) and a plate of cookies. We sat on the couch and chatted while his son, 8 or 9, played on the floor in front of the tree with his new toys. He told us he was getting ready to take the boy to his ex-wife's house so he could spend the rest of the day there. The boy hadn't left yet, but the dad was already lonely. I felt so sorry for him. So of course I offered him comfort and hope from the scriptures and he was gracious enough to let me.
Oh I hated it growing up. Never went as an adult. The people at the door actually were much nicer that day than any other.
December 25, 1984 was the last day I went out on Christmas day. I was so behind in my time; I thought I would get in about 5 hours....
The first woman jumped all over me (I was by myself because of uneven numbers). I just let her have her say and then agreed with her. She was so flabbergasted that she invited me in for eggnog and cookies. When I met up with the rest, I had them take me back to the KH and I went home, nevermore.
(PS I already never went on on New Year's Day after a guy with a hangover added considerably to my vocabulary)
Hey, 20 year anniversary coming up.
Love, Blondie
At least they don't hand out tracts to people as they leave church like they did in Russell's time.
Happy anniversary, Blondie.
The Bethel Brother's never took a day for us local ones.We were left with the Holiday's to work the field.I was used often to take the lead on these days. I always shared the birth of Jesus at the door with the Bible in hand at x mas time.
I did my compulsory one hour of return visits then went back home.Later at the next meeting I would collect the not at homes from the others who went door to door.It was usually a very small group on Holidays.
Blueblades
i never did.. my parents always thought it would be bad manners to bug people on their holiday. (have i mentioned i have great parents?)
I think going out in field service is just bad manners! JW's should at least have some respect for the fact that it is a special day to some people in the World and they don't want to be disturbed. The last thing on their mind is wanting to be converted to another religion or any religion at all for that matter. It ridiculous and rude! Give your head a shake JW"S. COME ON PEOPLE!!!!!!!!
