The Congregation just paid flowers and other expensive for the PO COBE who died two weeks ago?

by life is to short 23 Replies latest jw experiences

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  life is to short

  I have never in my whole life heard of this being done but at my husband's hall they just asked the congregation to pay about $250.00 to help with the cost of the dinner after the memorial and for flowers.

  I was a JW for over 45 years and I have never heard of this. When my parents died who had been JW's for years I felt lucky fortunate to even be able to use the Kingdom Hall for their memorial. I am just speechless at them giving money. The PO's COBE family has money why would the hall need to help. Has anyone else ever heard of this?

  It is just like another slap in my face for everything I gave to this stupid religion. When we were first married and pioneering and living on $200.00 a month about 20 years ago, my husband was assigned to get the flowers for the assemblies and SAD day. We NEVER got one DIME for any of the expense. It was truly a killer to us. I am so bitter right now it is unreal.

  LITS
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  talesin

  < breathe in,,, breathe out >

  I don't blame you. Let it out and vent !!! (((((LITS)))))

  tal
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  RayPublisher

  That is NOT kosher and very irregular. But anything over $200 they have to "ask" the cong and get a raise of hands, so they got that part right.

  Guess how many times a congregation didn't vote "yay"...
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  InquiryMan

  When I was in, flowers were always given from the congregation to all those who were witnesses that were buried... It was covered from the general funds received every month.
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  Broken Promises

  It's a nice gesture, IMO.
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  Bubblegum Apotheosis

  @LifeisTooShort Kingdom Halls are being asked to take on debt to build Circuit Overseer's Retirement homes! It does not seem right to pay for flowers, I don't recall ever seeing this take place either. Was he part of the "in crowd", who lead a brilliantly exemplary life? The Society is creating more bitterness, by having the elders beg for money for "Traveling Brother's Rest home Kingdom Hall Homes.

  The Traveling Brothers deserve the same retiremment plan they insisted the life-time pioneers brothers and sisters to accept. Why burden the congregation any further, I would rather have helped missonaries who served in a foriegn field, not little princes whose meals, expenses, cars, lodging and cash was assured. Let them return to Bethel, have Bethel use their funds to pay for their own middle managers!

  This topic could be expanded further, how many brothers and sisters have seen the Witnesses show up to "a gathering after the funeral" only to bring their appetite?
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  EmptyInside

  In this area,the congregation does usually send flowers either at the funeral home or at the kingdom hall,if there is just going to be a memorial talk. It's usually one or two arrangements.

  And if there is a dinner afterwards,the Witnesses usually bring the food at everyone's own expense.

  I've never heard of asking for money before though for someone's funeral.
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  carla

  flowers?! you mean like worldly people do? tsk, tsk
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  maccauk11

  They should rename it corporate Kingdom Hall. They have entered the spirit of the world of the great god called money. Look at their invlovment in the stock markets and real estate. While they tell every one else to live simply. What amazes me with churhces i never hear any sermons on where the congregation bring all their good sand share them out.
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  Doubting Bro

  I've seen the local congregation provide flowers before. Seems like a nice gesture and hopefully one that they would do for all publishers and not just elders. It sounds like maybe that's not the case. Collecting money for a meal afterwards does seem a little odd. I've been to many of these (both JW and non-JW) and in most cases where it's at a fellowship hall or a private home, my experience has been that people donate food. I've been to a few in restaurants both those are usually very small, family affairs and the patriarch ends up picking up the check (again just what I've experienced).

  Question on the flowers for the assembly & SAD. Why didn't your husband turn in a receipt for reimbursement? They would have processed the payment and cut him a check. I used to buy stuff for the hall all the time and was account servant and secretary and have seen plenty of even small expenses reimbursed. I had a cutoff in my mind as to what I'd turn in and what I would donate. However, I've seen people turn in receipts for $5!