Ozzie's Weekend Poll #137

#1 It wastes "good witnessing time".

Shortly after being appointed to the position of "Magazine-Territory Servant" back in 1964, it was suggested by my predecessor that the territories needed to be better organized, as some were too small for a book study group to service, while others were far too large for individuals to handle, and so were not being properly serviced.

The congegation was located in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada, a city of about 600,000 people. There were about 60 territories within the congregational boundaries. The downtown city core were all businesses, with many buildings 30 and 40 stories tall. Many other blocks contained high rise apartment blocks, with a number of them being 25 and 30 stories tall. Still others were normal housing neighborhoods, including duplexes and four-plexes. Clearly the territories had to be organized based on population sizes and whether business or residential. Some territories would comprise two city blocks, where there was a concentration of apartment blocks. Others would be like 8 or 10 city blocks for normal residential housing.

The first thing in the reorganization of territories was to walk around each of the blocks and count the buildings, and make notes on the types of structures, which would help identify population bases and number of calls within a territory, etc. This served as the basis for establishing the various boundaries for each of the territory assignments.

For next thing stage, I went to City Hall for some maps of the area. I discovered they had large, full-scale maps showing each single block, and even each of the buildings for the business section, and scale-sized lots for the residential. I purchased two of these map sets for about $20, and went home to organize things.

Next, I mounted one of the maps on a 4' X 8' board, and then marked off each of the territories with a bold black highlighter pen. Then I went to the Kingdom Hall, and placed this display behind the counter where magazines and territorial assignments would be handed out to the "publishers". Each territory was marked with a number. This map display made it a lot easier to see at a glance what each territory looked like, and where each was located, so that selections could be made with clear visualization for everyone concerned.

Finally, I took the second map set and marked off the same territories, and then cut them out and mounted them on individual territory cards, and numbered them to match the main map display. These would be handed out to individuals and bookstudy conductors as they came for their territorial assignments. As assignments were given, these would be recorded as to who was responsible, as well as cancelling them upon return, much like a public library does when books are checked out and later returned.

This whole process took about two months to complete, in my spare time, when I was not working, attending meetings, preparing talks, doing field service and all that. One day the Circuit Servant (nowadays called the CO) visited the Congregation, doing his usual audit and review of all aspect of the congregational activities. When he looked at the Magazine Territorial end of things, he had one comment to make: "A lot less time could have been spent organizing the maps and the territories, and your time would have been better spent out in Jehovah's Field Service."

The lesson I learned that day was to never do your best at anything, unless it is for field service. And while I never said a word at the time, after that experience, I never did!

Anyway, that is why I chose your #1 "It wastes good witnessing time." If there were socializing after the meetings, I am sure the CO or DO would, upon visiting the Congregation, put a stop to it all. If you've got time to socialize, then you've obviously got too much time on your hands, which would be time better spent in Jehovah's Service!

Rod P.

20. Other (please detail)

For the same reasons they don't put any play equipment on the KH grounds for the kiddies. Can't have anything that would in any way detract from the the ultra-seriousness of it all.

5. The elders don't want to oversee the 'arrangement'.

Actually, I think it's a combo of a number of things. They don't want to be bothered because it takes time and resources from "more important things".

Our new quick-build KH (which isn't so new anymore) even had a efficiency kitchen put in the overflow room...all hidden behind closet doors. But the only time they used it was when our hall hosted the school for ministerial servants and they had to provide lunch.

I think we had a potluck lunch at the KH in IL once...can't remember why now. It was either something for the CO and his wife and it was his suggestion to have it at the hall or we were doing a massive clean up of the grounds. Hmmm...the memory is going. LOL

It's great to wake up this morning (that's tomorrow for most of you!) and read such great responses. You've really contributed a lot.

You've all seemed to have experienced the "Organisation's" unsocial feel, even down to the design of the Kingdom Halls. On that, may I add that many churches I've attended are very old buildings, even listed as of historical value, and they are distinguished by a lack of facilities. They certainly don't have facilities for supllying the tea and coffee after the services. I can think of two, Narellan and Denham Court that set up a table just outside the church - unless it rains of course! Why, the church I regularly fellowship with puts up a table in the graveyard!!!! It's actually working quite well. There's plenty of vacant space - that's until more of us get buried, that is!!

So, it seems to me, it's not the facility that's lacking at the Kingdom Hall but the will to do it.

Lordy, Ozzie, you've hit the nail on the head with this one. While the official reason given would likely be #1 (waste of field service time,) the real reason would be that it's too much fun. I mean, the hall ain't for socializing and snacking- it's for sitting for two hours listening to the same old re-heated blather from last week, and it's not meant to be fun!

Actually, when I was maybe 17 or 18, I tried to organize a coffee counter in the back. I worked nights, and it was hard for me to stay alert during the Sunday meeting, which was held at the equivalent of 3am to me. A quick cuppa joe would have been great, but the elders said no, it'd be "disruptive", and that next time I should run these ideas by my older brother (as I had no parents around) instead of bugging the elders with them.

9. What a waste of money!

Among other things.