Every time a Circuit and Presiding Overseer visited our congregation,the Elders always wanted a show
of hands from the congregation to see if we would pay for their car expenses and travel.Sometimes the
congregation would pay for airline tickets.It was always approved.
Presiding Overseers are the elder in the congregation in charge of things, so they do not get paid
for visits to congregations. Perhaps you meant District Overseers, who are in charge of several
Circuit Overseers, or Bethel Speakers, who fly in at your congregation's request and expenses.
Anyway, as for the CO, the congregation could decide not to pay his expenses, the organization
would apparently send him again, anyway. Just imagine that next visit. "You guys voted not to
pay my expenses, I had to foot the bill myself. I don't know what I did to tick you off, but wait
until 'Mother' gets my report on your activity this time."
You see the game they play. You "decide" to support the CO financially. He's the one who reports
your activity to the Borg, adds recommendations to his report, visits you again and again for a few
years. Of course the elders will kiss up to him. I can imagine some congregations have not paid the
expenses in the past, but they were sorry they chose that course. I can imagine some rank and file
voting against the expense, and the elders having a talk about hospitality and obedience to the slave,
then having another vote. Even one dissenting hand in these situations causes turmoil during the vote.
