Another hall for sale
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-for-sale/property-29822301.html
The biggest sell off of Kingdom Halls in Britain :Update
by raymond frantz 25 Replies latest watchtower scandals
-
-
AnnOMaly
Has nobody posted the official letter yet?
-
breakfast of champions
Has nobody posted the official letter yet?
Yeah, really?
Our fellow apostates are falling behind the Chariot!
-
Newly Enlightened
Dear brothers, we are writing to provide an update regarding the exciting changes now being made to the way the Kingdom Hall projects are carried out. During November, construction servants will be appointed to work on Kingdom Hall projects in Britain for the first time. These brothers and sisters will either be assigned to a Kingdom Hall construction group building and renovating Kingdom Halls, or as field representatives coordinating property purchase, design and planning. As they will be working at their assignments full-time, projects will be handled at a faster rate than was previously possible in order to meet the need for Kingdom Halls. Approval has been given to form 12 construction groups in Britain and 2 in Ireland This will take place gradually over coming months. When a group is formed and assigned to an area, the local RBC will transfer to them their project workload. Hence RBCs will keep working until a construction group is assigned to their area. The RBCvolunteers will become LDC volunteers, and continue to have a full share in projects. Since July 2014, the cost of all construction and renovation works has been covered by the branch. Although maintenance is paid for using congregation funds, there is no longer any need for funds to be held by congregations for construction, renovation or land purchase. The response from the congregations to this adjustment has been truly amazing. The generous spirit you have shown will undoubtedly result in rich blessings. We are aware that a number of Kingdom Halls are unsuitable and have been in need of improvement or replacement for some years. The new arrangements are being set up with the objective of addressing this need within the next few years. Whether you attend a Kingdom Hall that is suitable or in some way deficient, you can help support the new arrangements in a number of ways. How so? Please note the following important points: First, give consideration to applying to serve as an LDC volunteer. Although Kingdom Hall construction will be overseen by full-time servants, the majority of the work will still be carried out by volunteers. The time scale to catch up with the back log of over 4 hundred Kingdom Hall projects is estimated to be 5 years. May we seek your patient cooperation while this new program is implemented. Maintain the hall you use to the best of your ability, and avoid carrying out any construction work without branch approval. An effort will be made to concentrate on the highest priority needs first. In order to support global expansion, more efficient use needs to be made of Kingdom Halls and assembly halls. For example, now there is only one mid-week congregation meeting during the visit of the circuit overseer, it is possible that Kingdom Halls can be used by 4 congregations. Also, the Branch office has been directed to consider whether meeting places could be consolidated so that under-utilised kingdom halls can be sold. Your willingness to accept such changes is greatly appreciated. The advancement of Jehovah's organisation is clear for us to see. We are enthusiastically looking forward to improving the physical presence of our Kingdom Halls in the same way that our online presence has developed. With Jehovah's rich blessing and your loyal support, rapid progress will be made.
Please be assured of our warm Christian love and best wishes, your brothers, Christian congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. -
Newly Enlightened
We also got another letter from the Madrid Spain Branch that says almost the same thing.
-
happy@last
The letter in my eyes is sugar coated 'we want your money'.
-
raymond frantz
The letter that proves the sell off Kingdom Halls in Britain
you can read the whole letter on the link above and all the highlights
What do they mean :
- “Although maintenance is paid for using congregation funds, there is no longer any need for funds to be held by congregations for construction, renovation or land purchase.” So far many congregations had build a Kingdom Hall construction and refurbishment fund .That was held by the society as a loan .There is no need for that anymore and no pretext .The congregations don’t need these funds anymore .Do you think the Society will return any of these funds back to the congregations ? Don’t hold your breath .The new “Kingdom Hall construction and building” is only a trojan horse and an excuse to syphon all these funds into their accounts.
- “The time scale to catch up with the back log of over 4 hundred Kingdom Hall projects is estimated to be 5 years.” Great way to delay promised refurbishments up to 5 years and at the same time a new way to pressurize congregations to build new Kingdom Halls.
- “now there is only one mid-week congregation meeting during the visit of the circuit overseer, it is possible that Kingdom Halls can be used by 4 congregations.” This is a pretext to prepare congregations for consolidations while their “new” Kingdom Hall is being build .Why the need for 4 congregations to meet in one place if that is not something they plan to use for a long time .
- “the Branch office has been directed to consider whether meeting places could be consolidated so that under-utilised kingdom halls can be sold”. Who decides what is under-utilised kingdom hall ? Very likely these halls will be all the ones sitting on prime land and are easy to sell .This is a lot of loaded language to prepare congregations for consolidations soon.
-
incognito2014
Could be one reason why they stopped the mideweek book study. This leaves the hall open to be shared by 4 congregations more easily.
If I was still in and a hall I worked on and donated to was being sold and the money sent to the society I would be most unhappy.
This was a sign that Christendom was goiung downhill, they had to sell their churches.
They local people are so gullible
-
Hoffnung
this is also terminating the previously applauded quick builds. instead of erecting a hall on one or 2 weekends, it will take longer now. and it offers an extra career opportunity in the org, becoming a full time builder in service of the org.
-
nugget
This forces the hand of congregations that had held onto funds rather than pass them to the organisation earlier in the year. Some may have been close to purchase of land and building and had not handed their funds over. Dress it up how they like it is saying that congregations are no longer able to make these decisions or hold money for purchase and build. Congregations cannot hold funds to modify halls, build extensions or claim larger than average maintenance costs.
It is looking at selling off underutilised, hard to maintain older properties for which congregations may choose to hold larger maintenance budgets. The decision of what falls within this category will be determined at a higher level congregations have no control on how they are designated. More congregations will use halls but all will be expected to donate the same as they did previously and will be expected to send a large proportion of funds to the society. Maintenance costs per congregation will be reduced but since no congregation can hold a surplus the society benefits.
If they determine that 4 congregations using the hall works well it will become the norm. New halls will need to serve four congregations. Small congregations will need to travel further since 1 hall used by a small rural congregation will be deemed under utilised. It is also presenting the idea that if you are not sharing your hall then you are not using it appropriately. If you already share with 2 other congregations then there is no need for you to have a hall of your own.
The land halls are built on is designated for religious buildings but planning changes are possible otherwise there would be no converted churches as there are across the UK.
