I heard about this happening just recently in upstate NY.
Three congregations dissolved and a kingdom hall sold within a 50 mile radius in my area...
by UNCONDITIONAL LOVE 33 Replies latest jw friends
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nowwhat?
Reports are streaming in of wonderous contraction taking place!
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Londo111
It's become so regular that it is now "no news".
In the 80s and 90s, congregations split. Now they are re-forged and merged.
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slimboyfat
I am not surprised. The congregation figures over the next few years will be very interesting.
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Hecce
Related: California fusions
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slimboyfat
In the early 20th century, when Christian Scientists began declining, the church responded by declaring it a sin to count membership or publish figures. (Citing the OT passage where David was forbidden from counting the number of Israelites) I wonder how Watchtower will react.
What the Christian Scientists couldn't hide however, was the reduction in congregations, and sales of church buildings.
I think it will be the same with JWs. They may stop publishing numbers soon and bunker down, ramping up the rhetoric.
But if they stop publishing statistics, we can still quantify the decline, mainly by monitoring the reduction in the number of congregations and Kingdom Halls.
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Hecce
slimboyfat
Interestjng what you are saying, a few years back they stopped giving the attendance at the congregation meetings. By that time, it was obvious that the attendance was decreasing.
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blondie
When I went I would count how many were there....from my seat and a stroll back to the loo.
I'm sure they take the attendance, just don't post it on the information board perhaps.
I remember when they remodeled the halls and rearranged the seating downwards from the pre-1975 growth and post decrease. 3 segments, right, left, middle, more space between stage and first rows, more space between rows and less in the back. Eliminated about 75 to 100 chairs. Looked fuller.
Used to be A, B, C circuits put back to only A and B because too many empty seats with 3. Back to seat saving for a little bit, then back to many empty seats.
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freddo
Happening in the UK too. In 2015/2016 within 30 miles of me I know of two congregations disbanded and a Kingdom Hall sold.
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hoser
They have to pay for those pedophile lawsuits somehow.