by WingCommander 14 Replies latest jw experiences
I thought that was pretty sad for a circuit that used to have 1500 in attendance. Oh wait.....in the late 90's that figure had shrunk down to about 800-900.
That was about the time the circuit I was in was split into three. Might account for "shrinking" attendance.
I've lived here in the Poconos of PA for about 15 years, so I only went to Grantville in the early 90's but I was baptised in 1993 (I think) at Grantville. I try to forget the details - couldn't tell you what color the carpet was - most times I was carting around a 1 and 2 year old at that time. I used to live in NJ and our assemblies were at the Stanley Theatre. That was a beautiful place (the structure - not the stuff that went on there!)
I went to the grantville assembly hall for every assembly from 1990-till I left in 1998. I was baptized there in Dec. 95'. My family would drive down from the poconos twice a year. I remember in probably 1993 I had a small travel bag with my sony walkman, and 15 really good cassettes (Pink Floyd, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, etc.) and for some reason I left the bag underneath my parents car because the door was locked. When I came outside later the car was gone and so was the bag. A few days later I called lost and found and was routed to an elder in some congregation i didn't know. I called him and he looked inside the bag for me to make sure it was mine, I thought I would get a lecture about the music choices but he was cool, and mailed it back to me.
I don't think I miss it.
Wow, I remember that place! Does anyone remember the pond out back where the people who lived next door? (The JW's bought them the place and let them live there for free as long as they were caretakers.) There was a small dock for a boat there, I remember quite a few "make-out" sessions with some girls there during lunch and the sessions actually!!
Back in the 90's I remembered the ugly 1970's orange & black designs that would cause a person to go into seizures. I think right before I was DF'd was the big renovation (mostly in part by the Ruhlman Brothers, since they owned and ran the whole damn thing it seemed.) I was in Circuit 5-C I think after the split into 3 circuits. I was from one of the Hanover congregations (Paradise- of all names haha) and our circuit included Hanover, Westminster, Red Lion, York areas I believe.
The lunches were great, when they were still being served. Anybody remember the 10cent tickets you could purchase? I remember the food stopped when the donations started. And yes, that Shasta soda was complete crap.
If anyone was in my circuit, let me know. I was always the Paramedic working the health room suite. It was great, I would bring in my fire dept. scanner and listen to all the calls instead of having to listen to that garbage. And the good thing about that area was that the speakers never worked, and you had good reasons to screw off. Not to mention you could sit out there and watch some of the girls go back and forth. It was amazing how many people suffered from debilitating "migraines" just to catch an easy nap. Or if you positioned your chair in the proper way, you could watch the women breast feeding when the door would open to the "titty room" which was just down the hall from the health station.
but the Circuit Assemblies have always been 2 days.
Didn't go to that Assembly Hall but I *do* remember 3-day assemblies. I think it was a Friday evening session? Saturday morning, afternoon and evening session. Sunday was 2 sessions and clean-up. As I recall...
-Aude.
