As of July 1st No more reimbursements directly to CO's etc. from congregations.

by cattails 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  sir82

  There's not going to be any more secret contributions to the CO's or so

  it seems to say. What do you think? No more green handshakes?

  I'm befuddled by the concept of "secret contributions". What exactly do you mean? In the past CO expenses were paid by local congregations - now that is changing. That's all - I don't see anything "secret" there.

  Keep in mind a few things:

  1) This new arangement is in effect for Spain only - it affects no other country.

  2) This was done, as the letter explains, so the Spain branch can comply with the new Spanish law requiring Social Security taxes to be paid for all "income" to its full-time volunteers. By having all compensation funnelled thru the branch, they will know how much SS tax to pay.

  3) This has nothing to do with "green handshakes", which are gifts made by individuals to individuals, and have nothing to do with the branch nor the congregations.

  The letter is just a yawner, really. It describes a small change in procedure prompted by a new law in one European country.
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  BroGone

  I'm not sure exactly which reimbursements they have in mind. Unless I've remembered incorrectly , but after the CO leaves as part of the accounts report the accounts servant announces that the CO's personal expenses were submitted to the congregation for payment (usually less than $100). These expenses were for any number of things that may have come up during his visit (stationary, stamps, 'used to be' congregation-related phone calls, car washes ). Some CO's were more creative with finding things to bill the congregation for than others.
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  passwordprotected

  Secret handshakes take the form of people within a congregation giving the CO and his wife a card, letter, envelop etc, with cash in it.
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  BluesBrother

  Welcome to the board, BroGone !

  Not wishing to change the subject
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  blondie

  Did I read correctly that congregations no longer use resolutions to pay the CO's expenses?
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  thepackage

  When i was a young servent doing the accounts i questioned a CO about his "invoice" once and the PO ripped me a new one. Soon after i was told to add a couple couple of hundred buck to the CO bill for "incidentals"
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  zarco

  It seems that the new approach in Spain is so that the Branch can charge tax back to the congregations. In other words, CO has $100 expense, the obligation to the CO is $100 plus a tax (let's say $10), so the Branch sends $100 to the CO, $10 to the local tax authority and then bills the congregation for $110. The local publishers bear the burden as it does with most things now days. Circuit Leasing and insurance tax levy on the publishers being examples.....

  Can't really expect the WTBS to cover these costs can you? (joke)
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  sir82

  Did I read correctly that congregations no longer use resolutions to pay the CO's expenses?

  That is correct - no need to ask for the congregation's "permission" any more. The money is paid out of th econgregation account without any explanation or reasons given to the congregation.

  By the way, the accounts report is no longer read to the congregation either. Since the Service Meeting was shortened, they only post it on the information board. If you forget to look, you have no idea how the congregation is doing financially (until the next "local needs" part on how God loves a cheerful giver).
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  Farkel

  :In other words, CO has $100 expense, the obligation to the CO is $100 plus a tax (let's say $10), so the Branch sends $100 to the CO, $10 to the local tax authority and then bills the congregation for $110. The local publishers bear the burden as it does with most things now days. Circuit Leasing and insurance tax levy on the publishers being examples.....

  So let me see if I've got this straight.

  1) Just about everyone hates the COs visit, since the purpose of his visit is beat up the elders, who in turn, beat up the pubs. when the CO leaves.

  2) The CO mooches off the publishers while he is here, like mooching free meals for he and spouse

  3) The CO visit screws up everyone's week: extra service days, extra meeting, longer meetings and more bullshit to deal with.

  4) When the CO is gone everyone is glad, including the elders (once they wipe the blood off their faces and heal from the wounds.)

  5) For all of this grief, the congregation is now handed a BILL for the CO's "services?"

  Makes perfect sense to George Orwell.

  Farkel
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  blondie

  they only post it on the information board

  I was in 2 congregations where the PO did not have it posted on the information board. I wondering what they are doing now. Can a congregation member ask to see the report?