DJS, the mega churches often have special group ministries for gender, age, interest and other groups as well as small family group fellowships. They have activities and educational opportunities that are voluntary. They have volunteer brigades directed towards food or missions abroad or teaching children, helping homeless or abused. Doesn't matter how big a group of JWs you get-that ain't happening.
New letter, re: Fully Utilizing Kingdom Hall Auditoriums
by suavojr 113 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
thedepressedsoul
I said this would happen 6 months ago! I had reliable inside knowledge. I mention the word "full" multiple times. That's exactly what the letter states.
-
done4good
I have been saying since the communication came about the book study being eliminated in 2008, that this is where it was leading to. They would never eliminate a meeting without an economic purpose for doing so. All other types of reasons were given for that move, (i.e. eliminate smaller groups for greater control; lawsuits; and of course the Society's excuse of "gas prices"), but it is always about money in the end.
Fewer weekly meetings = fewer halls needed since they can cram more congregations into those halls. This is just the next major phase. It is all being done to address long-term sustainability.
Cash flow is not the likely issue, even though the GB cited that in a broadcast in May. They would never admit to a cash flow problem if they actually had one.
d4g
-
Vidiot
@ sparrowdown...
The "FFF"... damn, I wish I'd thought of that.
-
done4good
Oh, and the terms, "auditorium", and "Master Plan", are not accidents...
Really, this is good news. Cash flow problems or not, this is about decline, and preparing for more of it.
d4g
-
hildebrando
¡Merging of congregations arrive to Sudamérica, in particular to Argentina and Uruguay! However, it arrived to Germany 10 years ago. Germany: A Case Study:
-
sir82
When the LDC rolled out their dog-n-pony show in early 2015, they said the desired density of Kingdom Hall use was 3 congregations per hall.
I just heard within the past month or so that the official desired density has now been raised to 4 congregations per KH (heard this from a CO).
-
JWdaughter
Splash said: "I see they quote Haggai 2:8 “‘The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ declares Jehovah of armies."
If this were true then why does the WT constantly badger the congregations for money all the time."
We have recently established that the GB/WTBTS IS Jehovah', so this is a natural quote for them to cite.
-
JWdaughter
In the Seattle area, there is more than one KH with 5 congregations. The residential neighborhoods they are in must love that.
One thing to remember is that even churches have to "fit" in the places they are located. The more crowded they are making those halls, the more street parking happens. I know of a few places where the parking situation is tight, but neighbors handled it for a few hours a week when the streets got crowded because of a hall, but with them being used to "full capacity" it means that weeknights and weekends will be an unceasing parade of cars in particularly dense areas (like N. Tacoma and greater Seattle) Those halls were already an adjustment, but now, rather than a few hours a week, its like a full time commercial enterpise is going on in residential neighborhoods.
So, there is one more possible reason to relocate to more commercial areas BEYOND the payback when they close everything.
-
blondie
I live in an urban area and KHs have 2 to 3 congregations meeting in each one. Those with only one congregation were merged with another with only one and the remaining KH sold. A new KH has not been built for 30 years....not even a remodel. Then they did move the KHs out to the edge and had more than sufficient parking provided (a big problem with the buildings downtown).
As to "shepherds" they were "assigned" to congregations without regard to assignments of adult family members living outside the parental home with their own families. That ruffled a few feathers...but go where assigned or be removed.