How about an Overseer for the Elderly??

by Mulan 12 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Mulan

  I was telling my daughter in law about this ongoing saga, with the elders and my mother. She isn't a JW, and attends a Christian church.

  When I told her about calling the local elder, who is the Presiding Overseer, she asked me why I called that elder. "Is he the one in charge of helping the elderly?" It was an innocent question, but I thought it was a great idea. They should have an elder in charge of that.

  She has told me before of different people, in her church, in charge of different "ministries", like helping the sick, arranging meals for women who have just had a baby, or need help at home. That all sounds so civilized and loving, don't you think? It's like the dubs used to be a long time ago.

  Marilyn (aka Mulan)
  "No one can take advantage of you, without your permission." Ann Landers
  
• 

  SixofNine

  Standard fare at most churches. Which is exactly why JW's don't do it, no matter how obviously "good" it is.
• 

  mouthy

  I think individual JWs did it-( not as a congregation) i remember a bunch of us used to get together-& go & paint a sisters house if it needed it- do housework for them- take them to Dr & etc: We once suggested to an elder writing cards to the sick from the Congregation he said "No to much like babylon."
  One assembly they had a lovely choir with a wonderful singer-(solo)she was really good enough to be famous- but everyone said it was like the Churches--- so it was never seen or heard again-this was in Montreal
• 

  BeautifulGarbage

  It never ceases to amaze me how the WTS tries to be different just for the sake of being different.

  Andee
• 

  Mulan

  Back in the mid 60's, there were 3 congregations meeting in our KH, and the Sunday meeting was at 1:30, 4:30 and 7:30, because "heaven forbid" we would have a morning meeting, like Christendom does. I asked one of the brothers about that, and said that a friend of mine went to church at night.........what about that? He smiled. It was about 2 years later, that a congregation DARED to start morning meetings.

  Marilyn (aka Mulan)
  "No one can take advantage of you, without your permission." Ann Landers
  
• 

  messenger

  The provision has already been made. About six years ago on a CO visit it was suggested that elders assign an elder to look after the elderly in the congregation. He was to check on them when they were sick notify the body when assignments needed to be made to assist those in need. They generally looked for an elder with more free time to be able to see the elderly on a regular basis. This as well as many other programs are only as good as the local BOE chooses to impliment them. Many do not.
• 

  Imbue

  I bet every elder would jump at the chance for that assignment. Overseeing the elderly... hahah Yeah right! Don't you think it would be considered by many of them to be a lesser assigment.

  Crazy is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
• 

  mouthy

  Well when one of the elderly is dying they turn up very quickly to remind them to sign over all to Jehovah!!!!!I know of two who did just that
• 

  TMS

  For a brief period in the 70's, "sacred service" was said to encompass caring for "widows and orphans", older ones, etc. Even the word "minister" was under review and temporarily dropped from meeting and publication titles as the ministry was briefly viewed as more than preaching.

  This liberalized view, along with the '75 fiasco, accompanied an overall drop in field service and so was discarded in favor of the former and now prevailing view that "our ministry" is our public and platform preaching.

  TMS
• 

  Nathan Natas

  >sigh< Dear, dear Mulan; there you go again, using reason and compassion to question the Society. Maybe if the UN suggestted it?

  The key to getting this to happen would be to run some numbers to indicate how the WTS could increase their dollar revenue by way of bequests. A little strong-arming of the aged and impaired is justified if it done for the sake of God's Kingdom in Brooklyn.
  They may just go for it. Compassionate concern need not be unprofitable!