If you had more than one KH in your town, were you assigned to one or another by the elders? We had two congregations, T.C. and M.C. To keep the attendance even, we were handed a list of names assigned to attend one or the other when we grew too large and split. There was a lot of pleading and asking to switch, usually to no avail. You were to go where instructed, even if your best friends or relatives went to the other congo now. Some quietly just showed up at the other meetings, leading to squabbling and running to the elders: "The Joneses were at our meeting but they're supposed to go to the other congo now! How come they got to switch and the Smith's didn't?" It got so, you would be approached about going to the "right meetings" and treated cooly if you didn't heed the counsel. They would let you know you were not supposed to be there, only exception being if you let the elders know you needed a favor because of your work or special circumstances. Would Jesus have turned away his followers like that, or gladly welcomed all who wished to hear his message?
Haulin to the "right" Hall
by Virgogirl 7 Replies latest jw experiences
-
-
blondie
I would see them split up grandparents from grandchildren; parents from grown children.
But in the end it was only the elders' and families, MS and families, and regular pioneers that they had much control over, threatening to remove them if they did not cooperate. Then they let the rest go where they wanted.
***
km 3/76 p. 8 Question Box• Is it permissible to live in the territory of one congregation but attend meetings elsewhere?
Generally speaking, it is best to attend the meetings of the congregation holding the territory where you live. In most cases this proves to be in the best spiritual interests of the family, since it ordinarily makes it convenient to attend meetings, share in field service in territory close by and take advantage of help provided by the elders.
It is recognized, however, that individual circumstances vary. Such factors as one’s secular work schedule, having an unbelieving mate or transportation problems may lead someone to conclude that it would be more advantageous spiritually to attend another congregation. Each family head bears responsibility for his own household. After considering all the factors involved, he will have to decide what is best. He may want to discuss matters with the elders to get the benefit of their advice before he makes a decision. Perhaps they know of overlooked advantages that would result to the family in attending the congregation holding the territory where they live, or possible disadvantages that may be encountered in transferring to a neighboring congregation. Often it is easier for the congregation holding the territory to render loving assistance. And the home of the family might be used as a book study location within the congregation holding the territory. But in the final analysis, the elders will want to encourage the family head to decide in a way that will ensure the best spiritual benefits to his family. There is no reason to be critical of his decision when made.
In metropolitan areas, there is often a large number of congregations located in a concentrated area. There may be a number of reasons why the elders may decide that the interests of the work would be advanced by a transfer of publishers. For example, there may be territory adjustments in connection with the formation of a new congregation, or to give additional territory to a congregation covering its assignment frequently, or to strengthen a congregation having few publishers or mature brothers to take the lead. The elders in each congregation can outline what seems to be advisable and request that each family affected consider it. In many instances, there likely will be no problems in making the suggested adjustment. Again, each family head will have to weigh all the factors and decide if such a transfer should be made. The same would be true of elders, ministerial servants or pioneers who are asked if they can transfer elsewhere to assist a congregation needing help. (See "Question Box" in February 1973 Kingdom Ministry.)
-
Virgogirl
Blondie, you are awesome! So, that was their rationale... funny though, how many of these factors were brushed aside in just plain favoritism and special treatment! You could just wink and say you had special reasons to switch Halls, or even to evade the watchful eyes of the behavior police, and flipflop back and forth! "Oh, I must have turned in my time to the other Hall, nervous laugh. Yes! I was at the Sunday talk, but I went to the West congregation."
-
rebel8
After graduating high school and being appointed pioneer (though I never put in nearly enough time), I had to move across town on a long term temporary basis to stay with a relative in need. I stayed there for a year. I was not allowed to call it "moving" or "living there". My mother and the elders absolutely insisted I not use those words; I was to say I was staying overnight there and that's it. I got into trouble when I forwarded my mail there. Wierdos! "I said, okay, I sleep there, all my clothes and belongings are there, I get my mail there too. Isn't that called living there?"
I live in the snowbelt and it was a hardship to work or do field service all day (or both), go "home", and then drive back across town again (a 65 mile round trip) to go to the night meetings. I actually fell asleep at the wheel twice. There was a KH less than 5 miles away from me. I started to blow off the evening meetings because I said it was not possible to keep up that schedule. I also could not afford the gas and often it was unsafe (night during the winter here is dangerous driving). The elders got on my case about it and I insisted the only way I could go to the night meetings was if I was allowed to go to the close congregation. I also said one of my FS days needed to be at the close congregation too. They made a federal case about the whole thing but agreed to "let" me go to the closer cong. under the condition I go in FS weekly with them and attend the Sunday meeting at their KH. I quickly found how much I dreaded going to my old KH and how much nicer it was to go to the new one.
It actually would have been a much better thing for them to encourage me to transfer fully to the new KH. The closer KH was much nicer, not so controlling, and it got me away from all the terrible issues going on in my old cong. I might have stuck around the JWs longer (not forever though) if the elders wouldn't have exerted so much pressure for me to return to their KH. Once I returned home, that was the end of it for my life as a JW. Having that fresh perspective, it was so obvious to me that these were not God's people and I didn't want to spend one more minute with them.
-
Nate Merit
I was assigned a hall to attend based on my location. I was under the impression that was a universal practice. I tried to attend a different Hall when I was18 but was told in no uncertain terms to go back to my assigned Hall.
Nate -
Scully
We used to see a lot of "congregation hopping"... it was a popular activity, especially if you were a young person looking to hook up with someone for dating purposes. If you couched it in terms of "visiting" rather than having a genuine preference for the congregation over the one you were assigned to, nobody gave you grief. After all, if they tried to tell you not to "visit" other Friends™, and they did it, it would be kind of hypocritical, right?
BTW, one of my friends at work tells me that her family was attending a nearby Lutheran church to help her elderly mother. The pastor told them that they should be attending the church in their own neighbourhood. It was the last time they went to either church. I guess JWs aren't the only ones who obsess about attending assigned congregations in your Territory™.
-
BluesBrother
I think that for at least half of my many years inside, we attended the "Wrong" congo. Attitudes varied from one to the other. At one I was appointed as a M/s and then an elder for some years. At another we were hauled into the back room to face the Service Committee and were told that "The elders have decided that we should return and support our own congo." It took a lot of negotiation to get them to let us stay but they made it clear we were not welcome and we moved on
Mostly , it seems tolerated around here, provided the one congo does not get overcrowded
-
LDH
Yep pretty common.
Also as teens we loved to visit nearby congregations. Waterloo, Geneva, Syracuse, Baldwinsville, Fairmount, Eastwood. This caused the elders a great deal of consternation. How stupid.