Those of you still attending meetings are/will be in a position to provide more specifics as to exact wording and tone. My information comes second-hand from one who attended the TMS/SM last night. I was not there and did not personally hear the letter read (and did not wish to press too insistently for details).
A letter was read to the congregation for the sole purpose of specifically announcing the release on videotape of, as reported to me, "the Korah drama." T he exact title wasn't recalled but I assumed this to be the drama just done at the 2002 DCs regarding the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Moses.
Here's what I consider the interesting part: Congregation members are being instructed to be sure to order this video immediately as its subject matter will form the basis of a SM part scheduled---as best my "informant"- J could recall--- for November. A point was made in the letter to advise that the video's introduction would be provided by GB member, Sam Herd.
The uniqueness of this occurrence is such that the loyal JW family member who informed me of it did so precisely because s/he found it so odd. It is not this person's custom to bring up much of anything about a meeting or the organization that might set me on a tear.
What strikes us both:
First off, one entire letter devoted to the single subject of the release of a single video and the need to order it immediately for a fast-approaching program part is unusual in my recollection. (I do realize that SM parts over the last year or so have been devoted to covering specific videos, but most if not all of these were those that have been released over a period of some previous years---and strongly suspected to be still sitting dusty and encased in their original shrink-wraps in JW homes worldwide--- and none received any special advance spotlight or emphasis). Secondly, unusual is the fact that a meeting part is being designed to cover material so soon after its presentation in drama form and seen so recently by most of the friends. This video---with an added special introduction (discussed below)--- has clearly been put on the Society's fasttrack for production, distribution, and viewing. In my mind, however, most significant about the letter is the Society's making such a point of providing advance notice that a GB member would be introducing the video presentation and their going so far as supplying the man's name. This is simply not done in WTS universe and suggests that the introduction contains some sort of "counsel" the WTS wants to be sure every JW receives a neon-marqueed heads-up to "pay more than the usual" attention to. It's hardly a SWAG to imagine the content and tone the intro is likely to have---delivered by a GB member, no less--- for a video drama production devoted to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram---those Israelite rebels who suffered the ultimate penalty for defying Jehovah's holy-spirit-appointed mouthpiece. (Numbers 16:1-35). What, if anything, this may mean, only time will tell, but with news breaking almost weekly regarding the WTS, even the cynic in me is slo-o-owly starting to think that the organization just might be actually suffering the history-making upheaval and loss of which many here are already so convinced. Still hard to imagine that, in my lifetime. AMNESIANEdited by - AMNESIAN on 18 September 2002 16:19:20