How did HQ handle the increase of new JWs leading up to 1975?

by Zoos 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Phizzy

  Post '75 the great push for Congregations to get their own K.H began, at least here in the U.K. This eventually morphed in to "Quick Builds" with RBC's.

  Many who owned their own place already could easily split in to two, or even more, Congregations, others, like us, eventually got their own K.H, built by us, before RBC's and quick builds.

  As the growth slowed, so did the pressure, but most Congregations have ended up with their own Hall, if shared. And now, even the K. Halls that were sweated over and paid for by the Congregants belong to the U.K Kingdom Hall Trust, so sad.

  We wuz robbed.
• 

  CaptainSchmideo

  I seem to recall that there was a shortage of space in my locale. At the time, our hall was the Westernmost unit in the city, and a lot of members that lived in outlying suburbs even further west finally created their own congregation. For the first year or so, they actually met in semi-dance hall on the main drag in their town (it was a Country and Western dance hall), until their own hall was built. This was in the late 70's. So, there was a noticable hard to support growth for a little while....
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  Still Totally ADD

  It was not in the cards to build new Kingdom Halls. After all the big A was coming, why do we need to build anything? After 1975 came and went talk started about building new Halls that is were the quick build came from and rest is history. Anyway that's what I remember. Still Totally ADD
• 

  new hope and happiness

  Would i be right in thinking " quick builds" were built on cheap wasteland and 40 years later that land has become desirable new home development land. I mean if so those specuative investments deserve respect.( Buying empty land in a developed area is always good investment)
• 

  neverendingjourney

  Now here we are in 2014 with publisher growth somewhere between 1-3%, and yet there's this UNPRECEDENTED, EPIC NEED to build more shit.

  In my opinion, this is the single most important aspect to keep an eye on. If the Watchtower moves increasingly in the direction of being real estate flippers, it would signal to me that a new type of leadership has emerged.

  From an outsider's perspective, why not convert your labor force from door-to-door literature salesmen to a no-cost construction crew? Makes all the sense in the world. The only obstacle, presumably, is decades of focus on the preaching work as the hallmark of the one true religion. That hallmark, however, is no longer paying the bills.
• 

  new hope and happiness

  Neverendingjourney...i think the bills were being paid, but thats not really what its about...its about GREED and i think a " awake" up call to what people attach there lifes to.

  I hate the word ORGANISATION, it makes the blame blameless...who were the people that deside these policies...( its more than the G.B)
• 

  Vidiot

  Zoos - "This new donation arrangement under the pretense that so many new halls are needed to accommodate the worldwide increase has me wondering..."

  They don't need "so many new halls", and in fact, the letter doesn't actually say that; it simply says the WTS needs money for thousands of "Kingdom Hall projects".

  But the word "projects" couldreally mean anything; landscaping, audio/video system upgrades, renovation/refurbishing, real estate flips, etc...

  The average rank-and-filer will simply assume the letter is talking about new Halls needed to keep up with the so-called worldwide growth.
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  Zoos

  Still Totally ADD: It was not in the cards to build new Kingdom Halls. After all the big A was coming, why do we need to build anything?

  That makes sense. And all the tales of makeshift, leased housing for congregants fits the puzzle.

  Thanks for all the responses.

  Vidiot: They don't need "so many new halls", and in fact, the letter doesn't actually say that; it simply says the WTS needs money for thousands of "Kingdom Hall projects".

  Slick.
• 

  Listener

  The Old Hippie - What were the reasons given for the sale of the two local Kingdom Halls?

  A Kingdom Hall was sold over in the Victoria, Australia just over a year ago. It was about 200 yards from a boat ramp and river and fetched a high amount. They were told they needed to sell because their Hall was not big enough and they could not fit in all the people attending the yearly memorial. The JWs who attended the hall now have to travel an extra 20 minutes each way to share another Kingdom Hall. Although there is no reason to delay buying land and building another hall they have not commenced anything yet.