Let the merging begin!!!
TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS IN THE UNITED STATES BRANCH TERRITORY
Re: Fully Utilizing Kingdom Hall Auditoriums
Dear Brothers:
The Local Design/Construction Department broadcast to all elders on January 31, 2015, explained the urgent need for Kingdom Halls throughout the United States and outlined organizational refinements that the Governing Body approved for addressing this need.
Highlights of that broadcast were then provided in the letter dated February 23, 2015, to all bodies of elders in the United States branch territory. We are confident that your heart is fully determined to support these efforts. (2 Ki. 10:15) In this connection, we are pleased to share with you the following comments.
The branch office prepares and maintains a master plan to prioritize the need for Kingdom Halls throughout the branch territory. Congregation meeting attendance is compared with auditorium capacity to ensure that Kingdom Hall auditoriums are fully utilized.
When an auditorium is overcrowded and no additional meeting times can be scheduled, building a new Kingdom Hall may be the most practical solution. On the other hand, the master plan may identify auditoriums that could be better utilized. In such cases, the branch office, with the assistance of the circuit overseer(s) and the bodies of elders, will consider the following questions: Could congregations merge in order to make better use of the auditorium capacity? Could a congregation relocate to an auditorium with sufficient parking and seating? If so, the branch office may decide that a new Kingdom Hall is not needed and direct that a merger take place. Such adjustments will result in conserving donated funds.
In cases in which a congregation desires to relocate to a different auditorium for other reasons, the elders should consult with their circuit overseer who will forward the request to the branch office for review.
Please be assured that the branch office will give careful consideration to the observations provided by the circuit overseer(s) and the bodies of elders before making a final decision. (Prov.15:22) We are confident of your full support of this arrangement. As spiritual men, we all acknowledge that Kingdom resources and places of worship belong to Jehovah God. (Hag. 2:8) In this way, we imitate the cooperative spirit of first-century Christians who “were of one heart and soul, and not even one of them would say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.”—Acts 4:32.
Thank you for your kind cooperation as we unitedly address the need for more places togather together and praise Jehovah. (Ps. 35:18) We send our warm Christian love and best wishes