Remember those little leaflets we used to hand out to people, inviting them to the Assemby to hear those great public talks. This little leaflet would highlight the theme, along with the date, time and place of the assembly. On the same page was the nice heading "Everyone Welcome!"
After I had been disfellowshipped, and my JW wife and I were divorced, living in separate towns, she visited my mom and stayed with her for the weekend, while she went to the Assembly. She handed mom one of those leaflets and uttered the words, "It's free, and Everyone is Welcome".
My mom's reaction was swift and to the point. "That's a lie!" she said. "The day there is a sign on the wall of that assembly place that says my son 'Rodney Patterson is Welcome' is the day that I will come. Then I will believe the words 'Everyone Welcome'. Until then, this is just a lie!"
My Ex left the house on her way to the Assembly, being somewhat in a pretty embarrassing position. After all, this is her mother-in-law, where she is being put up all weekend for free, while she goes to her Assembly at which everyone is Welcome.....Not!