I am commenting on the document about sheparding the incarerated. " Regular communication with the incarerated will help them feel connected with the congregation"...."prefer.... in-person visits and sheparding...." Here is what this reminded me of: I once had a Dr. I liked but it was hard to get an appointment with him because he ended up with a contract to treat at the Fed. prison. The inmates ended up getting the better DR. I think the guideline shows that bad behavior gets rewarded! I was in the local congregation for 10years...you had to beg to get a matter looked into. NO "shepard" called to see how you were doing ( you would get a call or text if your time wasn't turned in timely ) My spouse died and 3 years later when mentioning it to the "shepards", they didn't know I had been married. I think the only reason I got the sheparding call to start with was some of the friends were complaining about what I was posting on FB ( articles from viralogists, doctors, biologists, etc. ) In a way, during the "lock down", all were "incarerated"...I didn't know of anyone getting special attention. During that time, I bet if I dared to sort it out,I couldn't come up with a dozen names of those from the congregation that communicated with me.
As to the training for the elders required by Illinois...Yeah, that is a set-up to throw them under the bus...been in the works awhile everywhere IMO...I think that because when the CO does the appointing of Elders and MS, it is to take responsibility away from the powers that be ( so much for being appointed by Holy Spirit )