2017-12-4 TO ALL CONGREGATIONS IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND Re: Changes to Circuits

by wifibandit 38 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  darkspilver

  dozy: It's probably about time that the circuits were renamed as the names dated back to the 50's when there were far fewer congregations so are often misnamed from a geographical standpoint

  Ignoring the positive spin. I think the above would seem to be the real reason.

  Circuits are traditionally named after the County they are in. Breaking out of this artificiality will enable circuits to be more efficiently organised, crossing over county borders, often enabling circuits to be better arranged for the CO to visit and for assemblies to be assigned.

  The WT have, at last, realised they need to do a 'root and branch' exercise, rather than just fiddle with the boundaries, like they've normally done in the past.
  

  Even without losing any congregations, it may be possible, due to more efficient boundary planning, enable them to reduce the number of circuits by 1 or even 2.
• 

  Londo111

  Due to the increase we have witnessed over the past few years, a number of circuits have grown.
  

  It is a fascinately constructed sense that could be interpreted in many ways.

  First--what has increased? Is it the people? Or the work (translating, construction,ect...)?

  Second, where is the increased? It didn't specify the UK.

  A number of circuits have grown...how many? What defines 'a number'?

  Also, many of our foreign-language congregations are now part of European-wide circuits enjoying circuit visits in their own language. To ensure that circuits in Britain and Ireland are a similar size...
  

  So finally, the circuits in the UK are mentioned. And the reason given is not increase, but to create similar size circuits to that of foreign-language circuits. Of course, although this is one reason that may be valid, there are other reasons this change is really being made.

  It is a masterclass of obfuscation.
• 

  darkspilver

  Londo111: First--what has increased?

  Britain has seen 13 consecutive years of increase in average publishers reporting, representing a 10.4% increase of some 14,000 publishers from 2003 to 2016.
  
• 

  Londo111

  Last year, there seems to be a slight decline or stagnation if I remember correctly.

  Of course, this year, I suspect that the Russia ban and other world events might reverse that somewhat.
• 

  darkspilver

  Londo111: Last year, there seems to be a slight decline or stagnation if I remember correctly.

  haha!

  I said 13 consecutive years of increase - and a year-on-year increase from 2015 to 2016 of 26, is still an increase, no matter how small :-0

  Of course, in 'real-terms', compared to population growth, the Jdubs have decreased over the same 13 years.

  • 2003: 1-in-456
  • 2016: 1-in-471
• 

  daveysmithy30

  Slimboyfat: There is currently 5 circuits in Scotland namely Angus No 1, Ayrshire No 1, Fife No 1, Lanarkshire No 1 and Midlothain No 1. The letter mentions that there will be 6 new circuits in Scotland so this suggest a 6th new one is to be formed but I can't see where the progress and increase is coming from. The foreign language field is the only one that is increasing at the moment. Just look at the number of foreign language conventions that are taking place in 2018 in which some languages are having for the first time such as Japanese, Slovak and Lithuanian.

  Wifibandit: Thank you so much for the letter and to the one who leaked it in the first place.
• 

  darkspilver

  daveysmithy30: Just look at the number of foreign language conventions that are taking place in 2018 in which some languages are having for the first time such as Japanese, Slovak and Lithuanian.

  Actually there was both a Slovak convention and a Lithuanian convention this year:
  

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5695993188188160/_post/5998711073144832
  
• 

  stan livedeath

  for what its worth ( nothing ) the ratio in the UK in the mid 60's was 1 in 800 odd...and the british " field" was considered "dead".
• 

  daveysmithy30

  Thank you Darkspilver for pointing that out. I have lost track of what is going on in Britain as I no longer live there and I tend to focus more on Polish than any languages. Never knew that there were meetings in Slovak and Lithuanian though I can confirm that Polish were established a lot longer in the East European language field that is.
• 

  darkspilver

  The Polish have their own stand-alone convention next year at Coventry Arena (replacing the English one!)