Book Study Parties...New Trend ???

by Poztate 36 Replies latest jw friends

  • geevee
    geevee

    When we were going the custom was once a month to have a supper night after the "book" study. When it was at our house it got to be a huge drag. Take us hours to clean up sometimes as people thought they had the run of our whole house. Most seemed to enjoy it and at the last BS [book study] that we were in the sister would almost get offended if you didn't stay. This whole supper thing has been going on for years here.

  • Honesty
    Honesty
    Some Book Studies™ in my congregation have a monthly "goodie night" where people bring little snacks for a little coffee break thingy after the study is over.

    That's the way it was at my last KH. We never talked about 'goodie night' to anyone who wasn't in our 'Book Study'.

  • Poztate
    Poztate
    That's exactly what my mom called it... she said they had a "goodie night" after they finished the "Daniel" book...

    I know they have had "goodie nights" after the BS for many years and it was that way here also.It was only in the last year that all of a sudden there were afternoon parties (saturday mainly) where you went for the afternoon and stayed for supper. If it was only my wife's BS group I would think nothing of it but it seems like ALL the BS groups in our town do this now. It must just be local I guess since nobody else has run across it much.

  • purplesofa
    purplesofa

    Actually, I think the society wants people in the BS groups to get closer. they are really pushing it, I was told by my overseer that it comes from the FDS and Jehovah wants us to do it for some reason......Why? we don't have to know right now!!! The book study overseer has become someone that is more into the lives of ones in his book study group. Whats sad is, if you don't like you BS overseer or feel that you don't fit in with the group, you almost become an outsider once again in the congregation. As the people in your assigned group are the ones that are to look after you. I don't know if this is another of those unspoken rules, but it is just what I have observed.

    The BS group I am assigned to has "goodie" night quite often. It seems to be a time when people feel it is OK to socialize. Like everything else scheduled, it always seems at a horrible time.

    I went to book studies much more regularly when going to the KH, but that is not where I was assigned to and was encouraged to go to my assigned study. So now I have not been in over a year.

    purps

  • anewme
    anewme

    Book Study parties? Sounds great to me! They should keep it up. Poor things.
    But Im sure somebody is going to complain to the C.O. and there will be a stop to it.
    We used to do it and those were the fun times in the JW I remember. We used to get the kids to do re-enactments of the flood or get them to recite poems or dance. We even videotaped a skit and then showed it on a big screen! We were closer that way to the ones assigned to our book study which always changed.
    I often loved being a hostess. I still have all my serving plates and dishes......I guess I may never use like that again unless I join Amway. *sigh*

  • blondie
    blondie

    I was in several congregations that would never organize social gatherings at the congregation level...too large...but book study groups could organize social events such as picnics, barbecues at someone's home, outings to the park, baseball games. Since the groups would be between 15 and 25 people it was considered manageable. Usually the conductor was held "responsible" for everyone's actions.

    That is pretty much the unwritten rule around here. No "congregation" picnics but it is allowable at the book study level.

    Blondie

  • orangefatcat
    orangefatcat

    In several congregations I was in over the years, we also have gatherings for the book study group. One sister that had the study in her home had also what she called "goodie night". The last congregation I was in we had a yearly congregation picnic either August or Labour Day weekend. We brought enough for our own family and they would have a few bbqs for those who wished to bbq something. We had swimming, tennis, card games, horse shoes and activites for the children, like trying to carry an egg on a spoon in your mouth with out it dropping. Or trying to fill a pail with water with out droping the water from a large ladel. We did have alot of fun, I would just enjoy sitting underneath a huge tree and slump into my chair for the day . I don't ever recall any problems.

    In Montreal we had our book study in the KH and we lived upstairs so that evening we would come up to our home and have coffee and treats. Other times I would invite about six couples on a Saturday night for a feast and music and talking. My evening parties were all the rage in the congregation. I must admitt because we lived in such and ethnic territory we had many witnesses from different cultures and we did like to share food with other families. I think that was one of the best cong. I was in. I enjoyed the people there very much. In those early years of the 1970's witnesses were different then they are today. Today witnesses are completely are in a different Time Warp.

    Orangefatcat

  • heathen
    heathen

    yah , just what those fat basturds need , a goody night . LOL I remember being invited over on a new years eve for a BBQ one time . I remember also going to a few congregation picnics a long time ago .

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    Gee, that seems sooooo '70s. Our cong dropped those way back in the early '80s.

  • blondie
    blondie

    It depended on the "courage" of the elder body or the influence of the individuals. In this area they made the concession of dropping back to book study social events. There are some that still have a "congregation" picnic but it is hosted by an individual elder who is willing to risk the backwash. Not all elders are "obedient."

    Blondie

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit