From a little bird...
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Notes from Annual Meeting (Oct 3, 2009)
It's a pleasure to share with you some of the highlights from this 125th Anniversary of the Corporation.
Bro. David Splane opens the program at the New Jersey Assembly Hall. The meeting is tied in with Brooklyn, Patterson, Wallkill, and Canada Branch.
The highlight of this year is our new song book. This is the first meeting with the new songs. Don't go home and brag that you were at the first meeting where the songs were sung, BUT, it is the truth!! A chorus of brothers and sisters were on stage to give us all a surprise with singing a few of the new songs. Three songs (#92, 69, 134) were sung during the program and the chorus would sing through them and then the audience. You couldn't tell that the audience was just learning them!!
The Friday talk at our D.C, where our song book was mentioned, said that Jehovah is interested in our worship. Seventy Levites were set aside to sing and 288 others Israelites were learners. All had to sing out of their hearts. When the opening song is sung at our meetings where are we? Do we take our seat? Do we stretch our legs or get some water during the song? We can express in song the depth of our appreciation. Branches have said that not all are singing.
The Governing Body wants to underscore the depth music should have in our worship. The Governing Body was involved in the words and changes that were made. If the Governing Body makes suggestions, we comply! If the Governing Body approved all the words, melodies etc, is it spiritual food? It is our attitude to partake where spiritual food is offered. Learn the words!!
Reports from different lands:
U.S. 7/09 new peak in pubs and again in 8/09 land mark of 1,154,275 pubs. Making a 4% increase over last year. Regular Pioneers 7.1% increase. Hours increased 2,075,895. Bible Studies 657,544 making a 9% increase over last year. Memorial Attendance 2,469,036 over 50,000 more from last year.
Canada: Governing Body approved and installed printing press. They will now print mags for Canada and U.S. They had to raise the roof for part of the press and 150 ft. Floor needed to be reinforced.
Dominican Republic: 1945 no Witnesses, now 31,115 pubs. Nice experience about a regular pioneer sister. She received a notice that there had been a robbery in her place of work. All employees needed to report to the Police Dept. The employer saw her name and said that she didn't need to go, she's one of Jehovah's Witnesses. "How proud I felt", she said "that he trusted me more than he did family member." The thief was discovered and it was the employer's sister in law!
Nigeria: Most populated African country w/14 million pop. More then 250 languages and dialects. This makes witnessing a challenge. Branch is expanding, 750 Bethelites send greetings.
Australia: No one killed during recent tsunami. 2% increase over last year. 64,801 pubs. Increase in Bible Studies has been due to the arrangement to offer them on first visit.
Experience: At the Chinese District Convention the brothers had to travel many miles to attend. The cost for travel was $300.00 per person. One lady was offered to go closer to an English Convention. She went inside her house and came out with $600.00 for her and her husband. When asked why she didn't go closer to the English convention she simply said, "I don't speak English."
Mozambique: 45,000 pubs. They no longer feel like a new born giraffe with wobbling knees. What's helped:
1) 70 Missionaries. Some mention that the bible study is in 3 sessions each week. After that the next session is at the Kingdom Hall. 2) Ministerial Training School 256 have graduated from the 2 month course.
Getting acquainted with the members of the Coorporation. They are under the supervision of 6 committees. Each committee has a member(s) of the Governing Body and helpers in them. Six brothers were interviewed: Adams, Mutchin, Sinclair, Wallen, Malenfont, and Wischuk. Together they have 365 yrs of service. The different committees were explained.
2010 Year's text is taken from 1 Cor. 13: 7, 8. Last part of verse 7 and the first part of verse 8.
"Love endures all things. Love never fails." Love is a basic human need. We owe our existence because of love. Love will exist eternally.
Bro. Herd had the theme ---- Are You Running on Empty? We need a full tank---knowledge. Gas up regularly!! This is possible if we have a 1)regular personal study 2) Family Worship Night 3)Quiet Undisturbed Meditation
Bro. Barr (96 yrs) The Righteous Ones will Shine as Brightly as the Sun
Based on Matt 13. Sower of the wheat and the weeds. Sower is Jesus, the son of man, started to sow in 33 C.E. with the holy spirit being poured out. The sowing DOES NOT mean the preaching and teaching work to bring in the new sons. These ARE sons NOT will become sons!! This process of gathering sons will end. It has its limits. Main point we got was what Bro. Barr repeated twice, "Jesus Christ meant lives of the anointed who were on hand in 1914 would overlap with those whose lives of the anointed see the start of the Great Tribulation."We see the urgency of Jesus' words. The generation will have a definite end, can't be excessive long. Many of the anointed both older ones and younger ones have died BUT not all will die before the Great Tribulation.
Stay tuned for more information that will come out on this subject!!!
Bro. Morris talked about the Elder's school. It has been approved to use the Bossart Hotel starting 12/09. Four Circuit Overseer's are being trained at Patterson to instruct these schools. Another 4 CO'S will arrive at Patterson for 2 months of training and they will replace the original 4 brothers. These bros will return to the field to teach these elder schools in Assembly Halls in local areas. Starting in 2011 the Teaching Committee says that the Branches will hold their own schools!!! YEAH!!! These schools DO NOT replace the Kingdom Ministry School. It is to promote spirituality in the Congs, to revitalize zeal of the elders and to motivate them.
Altogether in 5 locations the attendance was: 13,235!!!