To Those Who Still Go To Meetings, Do You Sense Anything Different?

by minimus 64 Replies latest jw friends

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  AK - Jeff

  Good questions Minimus, as always!

  I have been out for a couple of years now, but it was not long before we left that our circuit went from a three way split in using the Ass hall - An A, B, and C part of the circuit, back to just an A and B. That's pretty significant to me. When the circuit 'split' into two then three parts, the Ass hall was getting pretty full. After the return to just A and B, it didn't seem too full really. Could just be that Ass attendance is down, but likely the whole circuit is down in numbers.

  Jeff
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  minimus

  Thanks Jeff! JH, the older ones are thinking ressurection more than not, I'd imagine. Hey , that can be a very powerful tool! You don't just worry about dying. You worry about being good enough to be allowed to come back with the rest of your family and friends. Powerful message there.
• 

  BluesBrother

  I see it over here too, the figures speak for themselves. Hours are a lot lower than ,say, 20 years ago. Congregations appear smaller, how come families always move out rather than move in? The whole tempo is slower , Elders in teaching positions are regulary away on holidays {I would never have got away with so many absences in my day}.The whole thing just seems to be marking time. Of course I am not involved in the activities , perhaps I have a negative view, but that annual chart tells a story that cannot be disputed.
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  minimus

  Regarding elders going away, we had a WT. "Overseer" that went away MOST of the summer and had a fill in(s) for his duty. In our Hall, out of 8 elders, 3 or 4 regularly went AWOL.
• 

  Shador

  Yea, my hall is mostly older folks. No growth, lackluster comments, teh works.

  I was overjoyed to see the numbers in the '06 Yearbarf. Just about everything down from last year. My stepdad (an MS) said that the CO mentiond this in his meeting with the elders & servants and said that "the society is very concerned". I just bet they are. Less people = less money after all. It seems like the articles about contributing appear every couple of months now in the watchtower. This, combined with the switching of books (even bibles now) to paperback and (I think I heard this) the plans to sell off some buildings in NY make me wonder if the WTS is not already in some financial hoodoo.

  Anyway I am eagerly looking forward to the day when the % increase number in the Grand Totals row is a negative number. I think that will truly be the beginning of the end for the WTS. The sooner the better, I say.