Not sure what is up with the one Sub CO mentioned that appointed a ministerial servant, but the policy letters say no.
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committeechairman
JoinedPosts by committeechairman
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39
New GB video: Why Reduce the Number of Special Full-Time Servants?
by Gorbatchov inwatchtower released at tv.jw.org a new gb video with samuel f. herd, with the theme:.
why reduce the number of special full-time servants?.
it seems there is a reason to release this special message.. http://tv.jw.org/#en/video/vodstudio/pub-jwbrd_201511_4_video.
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committeechairman
[NOTE: After I wrote this post, I thought it deserved a thread of its own. It is now posted here. ]
Kairos,
I'm right with you on the question: WHERE ARE ALL THESE KINGDOM HALLS THAT WERE GOING TO START BEING BUILT? The RBC arrangement was officially announced as an arrangement that was ending in the United States branch territory in a letter on January 24, 2014 (although this letter is no longer listed on jw.org). This means that 23 months have passed since the announcement of the LDC taking over and "acceleration" of Kingdom Hall builds.
What has happened in the meantime with KH construction? The short answer is not much. Many many RBC men that were serving on committees in the United States or as key department overseers have never heard a word from US Branch LDC, this despite applying for and providing paperwork and evidence they are willing to help in any way to assist. They are willing to do this in spite of the fact that they feel they were "fired". One RBC member I spoke with told me that when their RBC met with the branch representatives to officially "dissolve" the RBC, they basically handed over all their records and any remaining open items, heard a few words about their hard work over decades, then the RBC men never really heard anything again. No Kingdom Hall construction is going on in their old region of responsibility.
What does all this mean in practical terms? First and foremost, it means that 2 years have been lost in progress in building Kingdom Halls. An average RBC generally would build 1 or 2 new KHs and remodel 3 or 4 during a year. With roughly 100 RBCs in the US Branch territory, you can see that this means that 200 to 400 new KHs were not built and 300 to 400 KHs were not remodeled. So the work is even further behind with no visible progress to speak of. I understand from speaking to a few brothers in Texas that there are only two or three LDC projects for new build in progress there.
Secondly, think about the vast damage done to thousands of trained and experienced key men, overseers, and former RBC members who now have been idle for two years. Think of the decay in the broader construction volunteer group. Even up to the present, jw.org videos and other publications talk about all the oppportunities available in KH construction. Reports indicate that volunteers send all the applications and speak to all the folks they are supposed to and never hear another word from anyone.
This may explain the letter to all bodies of elders dated 07-08-2015 wherein it was announced that in some cases congregations might be merged or relocated to more fully utilize existing Kingdom Halls. This would at least delay the need for new Kingdom Halls in some of the larger metro areas.
Because so large a pool of volunteers is available but appears to be largely idle and because such a pressing need for Kingdom Halls exists, what could be the reasons for this 2 year delay in building Kingdom Halls? Logically, it could only be that the funds are not available or there has been a huge organizational failure or some combination of both. The organization is taking extraordinary measures to conserve cash. Could this have been a ploy to buy two years worth of cash flow to continue to fund Warwick? At the same time, is it possible the whole LDC organization plan was flawed in that there are so few volunteers are available that meet the criteria of being available full-time to serve anywhere and skilled that LDC was able to make very little progress in moving forward?
Really, only time will tell. As a friend of mine is fond of saying about topics like this: "All the same, wisdom is proved righteous by its works." - Mt. 11:19
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Two Year Delay in Building New KHs - What Is the Real Impact?
by committeechairman inwhere are all these kingdom halls that were going to start being built?
the rbc arrangement was officially announced as an arrangement that was ending in the united states branch territory in a letter on january 24, 2014 (although this letter is no longer listed on jw.org).
this means that 23 months have passed since the announcement of the ldc taking over and "acceleration" of kingdom hall builds.. what has happened in the meantime with kh construction?
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committeechairman
WHERE ARE ALL THESE KINGDOM HALLS THAT WERE GOING TO START BEING BUILT? The RBC arrangement was officially announced as an arrangement that was ending in the United States branch territory in a letter on January 24, 2014 (although this letter is no longer listed on jw.org). This means that 23 months have passed since the announcement of the LDC taking over and "acceleration" of Kingdom Hall builds.
What has happened in the meantime with KH construction? The short answer is not much. Many many RBC men that were serving on committees in the United States or as key department overseers have never heard a word from US Branch LDC, this despite applying for and providing paperwork and evidence they are willing to help in any way to assist. They are willing to do this in spite of the fact that they feel they were "fired". One RBC member I spoke with told me that when their RBC met with the branch representatives to officially "dissolve" the RBC, they basically handed over all their records and any remaining open items, heard a few words about their hard work over decades, then the RBC men never really heard anything again. No Kingdom Hall construction is going on in their old region of responsibility.
What does all this mean in practical terms? First and foremost, it means that 2 years have been lost in progress in building Kingdom Halls. An average RBC generally would build 1 or 2 new KHs and remodel 3 or 4 during a year. With roughly 100 RBCs in the US Branch territory, you can see that this means that 200 to 400 new KHs were not built and 300 to 400 KHs were not remodeled. So the work is even further behind with no visible progress to speak of. I understand from speaking to a few brothers in Texas that there are only two or three LDC projects for new build in progress there.
Secondly, think about the vast damage done to thousands of trained and experienced key men, overseers, and former RBC members who now have been idle for two years. Think of the decay in the broader construction volunteer group. Even up to the present, jw.org videos and other publications talk about all the oppportunities available in KH construction. Reports indicate that volunteers send all the applications and speak to all the folks they are supposed to and never hear another word from anyone.
This may explain the letter to all bodies of elders dated 07-08-2015 wherein it was announced that in some cases congregations might be merged or relocated to more fully utilize existing Kingdom Halls. This would at least delay the need for new Kingdom Halls in some of the larger metro areas.
Because so large a pool of volunteers is available but appears to be largely idle and because such a pressing need for Kingdom Halls exists, what could be the reasons for this 2 year delay in building Kingdom Halls? Logically, it could only be that the funds are not available or there has been a huge organizational failure or some combination of both. The organization is taking extraordinary measures to conserve cash. Could this have been a ploy to buy two years worth of cash flow to continue to fund Warwick? At the same time, is it possible the whole LDC organization plan was flawed in that there are so few volunteers are available that meet the criteria of being available full-time to serve anywhere and skilled that LDC was able to make very little progress in moving forward?
Really, only time will tell. As a friend of mine is fond of saying about topics like this: "All the same, wisdom is proved righteous by its works." - Mt. 11:19
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Am I to understand this right, sales and acquisition of halls and remodeling must now be approved by the "branch" not locally?
by LevelThePlayingField inis this the now correct understanding?
does the borg now take over even the local kingdom halls?!
what the hell?!
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committeechairman
Yes, this is correct. From the letter to all bodies of elders dated 2/23/2015:
5. Kingdom Hall Construction and Renovations: Decisions related to what goes into a Kingdom Hall, where a Kingdom Hall should be built, when it should be remodeled, and what congregations should attend the Kingdom Hall are now made by the branch office.
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No more printing of WT and Awake in my country.. Shit just got real
by cognitivedizzy inguys .
a letter was just read in out kh stating that all printing of wt and awake is ceased for the coming year and we will just place tracts on fs, countries which were cared by our branch will be cared by other countries...along with this they read the new fs form and stuff about reporting links of videos wtf..lol.
i can't tell which country perhaps that will give away a lot, any one with a similar information.
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committeechairman
Just a note here. WTBTS could easily form another kind of legal entity to allow them to operate in India, they just will have to pay taxes on income. Instead of viewing this as a cost of preaching the good news, they folded. Gives some insight into the real motivations IMO.
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Does the W.T have financial problems are are they just rebranding?
by The Rebel init is evident that the w.t has recently re-branded itself, and has become fairly modern in its marketing techniques.
so the organisation is in that respect forward thinking, and the former way of doing things has past.. .
but this rebranding has been done by marketing experts, who maybe realise progress is progress, and that with modernisation many bethelites " even as free volunteers" are possibly no longer required.
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committeechairman
The thing I keep going back to in my head is that for the first time ever, they announced that they have a global deficit situation going on and then not three months later announce a 25% (as it is a playing out it is turning out to be more of an average of 35% as I hear it). This is completely unprecedented and I believe it indicates complete failure is at least possible. The question is: will the governing body lose the majority's confidence. This is a tricky question. I can't help but think of the ending scenes in The Truman Show - one of my favorite movies and a movie that has a lot of parallels to Jehovah's Witnesses and the organization. Personally, I identify strongly with Truman as he has listened to Christof (JW Authority) and is about to step through this door. Many of you are about to, have, or will be soon stepping through the door. However, what's far more interesting, is how a whole group of Jehovah's Witnesses deal with the "show going off the air". What will they do? Most everyone has devoted their whole life to the religion. They will find something else to focus on. Some will need professional help. Families being held together artificially by Witness rules and regulations will fly apart and people will go their own separate ways. And an unnatural organization that never should have become what it is today, will be an entry in Wikipedia and off the air.
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Does a brother have to be appointed an MS to be an account servant?
by 4thgen inas many of you know, my ex-husband was removed as an elder for child abuse.
i was told at the time he would never be reappointed in any capacity.
yet i heard today he was appointed as an account servant.
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committeechairman
Baptized brothers and sisters can handle the accounts for a congregation and perform the quarterly audit. I have actually seen this done. However, if there are sufficient elders and ministerial servants it is preferred to use them, even when their accounting skills are a complete ATROCITY. It twists my brain in knots because sisters would keep all the accounts straight and tied out properly.
Even Jesus appointed account servant was a freaking thief and a frugal grouch about the accounts.
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54
What would you do if the Society Declares Bankruptcy
by Quarterback inspecial pioneers let go.
bethel workers laid off.
construction halts, what's next?
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committeechairman
Just walk away while the implosion occurs in the background. It would be the best day of my life if the organization ceased to function.
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No 'Tight Pants' policy is now official - classed as 'disturbing'
by wizzstick inin short:- tight pants is no longer just a am3 hang up (or is that a hang up on the well hung?
)- brothers who have effeminate body language are flagged up- as are sisters with 'masculine' hair styles or dress- such dress is 'disturbing to the congregation'- the above must heed the (repeated) counsel from the elders...or they get stripped of the right to share on the ministry- however...this will not be revealed (announced) to the congregation.
wow.
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committeechairman
In my mind, what is important here is how the governing body gets further and further away from not "going beyond the things written". Just like with declaring that people who looked at pornography could be disfellowshipped while the Bible says nothing about it, this edict is nowhere in God's word. If you can say that people can be restricted from field service because of the way they dress (which is unprecedented in my opinion - previously we could only do this with mentally ill publishers) and people can be disfellowshipped for what they read or watch, how long will it be before reading and posting to a site like this is a disfellowshipping offense? And so on. Your imagination can take you places with this that I can't.
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Mobile Hotspot - JWFACTS.COM - Assembly & Conventions
by thedepressedsoul inhere is an idea i tested.
works at both assemblies and conventions.
i have noticed at the last convention and at my last assembly that when i opened up my wifi setting, tons of hotspots came up for people tethering their tablets to their smart phones.
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committeechairman
This is an amazing idea. Did anyone guess it was you or try to address it at all?
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