Robert “Big Sonny” Edwards of The Intruders -- the soul vocal group best known for the chart-topping R&B single “Cowboys to Girls” -- has died.
As one of the first acts signed to Gamble & Huff’s fledgling Gamble label, The Intruders scored a string of R&B hits from the mid-’60s through the early '70s -- and simultaneously set the stage for the writing/production duo’s pioneering Philly soul sound and the establishment of the legendary Philadelphia International label.
Memorial services will be held on Oct. 29 at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses (noon ET) in Philadelphia.
darkspilver
JoinedPosts by darkspilver
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Robert 'Big Sonny' Edwards of The Intruders Dies at 74
by darkspilver inrobert “big sonny” edwards of the intruders -- the soul vocal group best known for the chart-topping r&b single “cowboys to girls” -- has died.. as one of the first acts signed to gamble & huff’s fledgling gamble label, the intruders scored a string of r&b hits from the mid-’60s through the early '70s -- and simultaneously set the stage for the writing/production duo’s pioneering philly soul sound and the establishment of the legendary philadelphia international label.. memorial services will be held on oct. 29 at kingdom hall of jehovah’s witnesses (noon et) in philadelphia.. .
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7549038/the-intruders-robert-big-sonny-edwards-dead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtepd1af4_i.
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darkspilver
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Joan Marie Johnson, Co-Founder of the Dixie Cups, Dies at 72
by darkspilver intheir "chapel of love," written by phil spector, ellie greenwich and jeff barry, supplanted the beatles' "love me do" as the no.
1 song on both the pop and r&b charts.
a memorial is planned at the kingdom hall of jehovah's witnesses on oct. 18.. .
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darkspilver
Their "Chapel of Love," written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, supplanted the Beatles' "Love Me Do" as the No. 1 song on both the pop and R&B charts.
A memorial is planned at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses on Oct. 18.
http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7541035/joan-marie-johnson-dixie-cups-obit
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Major congregational quake in Southern California
by Hecce inthis notice is not official yet and it should be confidential until released thru the proper channels.
a friend of mine told me about a huge elders meeting in southern california.
the subject was the relocation and dissolution of some congregations; it seems that this is the result of some project that has been going on for some time and is going to be implemented right now.. please let me know if this is happening all over the country?.
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darkspilver
At least 30,000 to see their congregation dissolved this year in the USA
Using the facts and figures as revealed right here on this forum - the TRUE HUMAN COST of the Governing Body's 'Masterplan' - as currently being implemented by the Local Design/Construction Department based in the newly built Warwick compound - can now be revealed.
And that human cost is AT LEAST THIRTY THOUSAND publishers are on course to be made spiritually homeless this year alone in the US when their congregation is officially dissolved.
That explosive figure of 30,000 – which represents 346 congregations - is the equivalent to the TOTAL number of publishers in the whole of the Netherlands or Costa Rica.
Recent information revealed here showed that AT LEAST 5 - yes FIVE! - congregations had been dissolved WITHOUT WARNING in the Pelican State of Louisiana.
IT’S A FACT! Looking at those 5 congregations in a state of 4.65 million within a JW territory of 321.7 million and an average number of 1,195,081 publishers attending a total of 14,063 congregations - and you arrive at 30,000 publishers in 346 congregations being dissolved - the human cost EXPOSED with some simple maths.
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South Korea court frees JWs who refused to serve in military
by darkspilver infrom the times of london website.
south korea court frees jehovah’s witnesses who refused to serve in military.
two south korean men who refused to do military service have had their convictions overturned in a landmark ruling against the government.. [snip].
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darkspilver
From The Times of London website
South Korea court frees Jehovah’s Witnesses who refused to serve in military
Two South Korean men who refused to do military service have had their convictions overturned in a landmark ruling against the government.
[snip]
It is the first time an appeals court has ruled against the government in favour of the rights of conscientious objectors. A ruling is expected to follow from South Korea’s Constitutional Court on whether jailing conscientious objectors violates their constitutional rights. The UN human rights committee has called on South Korea to allow pacifists to undertake alternative community service.
A third man, Kim Hye Min, had his not-guilty verdict upheld, despite prosecutors’ calls for it to be overturned. All three are Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Background info:
https://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/south-korea/jehovahs-witnesses-in-prison/
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Major congregational quake in Southern California
by Hecce inthis notice is not official yet and it should be confidential until released thru the proper channels.
a friend of mine told me about a huge elders meeting in southern california.
the subject was the relocation and dissolution of some congregations; it seems that this is the result of some project that has been going on for some time and is going to be implemented right now.. please let me know if this is happening all over the country?.
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darkspilver
As a side note it's fascinating to see the comparision with how the Church of England deals with the issue of falling attendance....
Church law stipulates that every parish church should have weekly Sunday services, but a new proposal recommends dropping this rule.
Martin Flowerdew serves three parishes in Derbyshire; his smallest church has a congregation of about eight. “If I were on my own leading worship, I couldn’t get round and do all the legal things you’d expect of me on a Sunday. It’s tidying up the law to sit with the practice and I’m quite relaxed about that.”
In the parish of Great Snaith, where Eleanor Robertshaw is rector, there are Sunday services in four out of their five churches every week.“If we’re wanting to grow churches, then we’ve got to think about [how we] deploy our clergy. It’s not necessarily sensible to have them rushing about, jumping from one service to the next, where they don’t get to speak to people,” she says.
Her biggest congregation in one church is about 40; at her smallest, it is five. She says that, even with small numbers, the service – which doesn’t really differ from one delivered to a larger congregation – is equally important. “A lot of people don’t drive and can’t get to the church in the next village, but there’s also the personal relationships, the family connections. People hold that very dear to their hearts, certainly in a rural context.”
The church’s old approach to its smallest congregations, says Hampson, was all-or-nothing: run a Sunday service or close. “What we’ve learned since then is that, actually, there are very good reasons for having two or three services a month or 12 services a year [to celebrate] festivals. That’s now an alternative to closing a church.”
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What happens to the elders?
by Worldling9 inwith so many khs closing and congos consolidating, what happens to the elders?
clearly there won't be a place for all of them.
would the older ones be the first to go, losing their long held positions of 'power'?.
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darkspilver
No maximum number of elders, can have 12 , 15 or more if appointed.
it surprised somebody....
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5678003356958720/wow-18-elders-one-congregation
The key roles on a BoE are:
- Coordinator of the Body of Elders - COBO (was Presiding Overseer) (must be less than 80 years old)
- Congregation Secretary
- Service Overseer (old Field Overseer)
- Watchtower Study Conductor
- Christian Life and Ministry Overseer (was Theocratic Ministry School Overseer)
- Group Overseer (one for each group of around 15 publishers)
The Congregation Service Committee is made up of the COBO, Secretary and Service Overseer
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What happens to the elders?
by Worldling9 inwith so many khs closing and congos consolidating, what happens to the elders?
clearly there won't be a place for all of them.
would the older ones be the first to go, losing their long held positions of 'power'?.
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darkspilver
All things being equal, the more mature the territory is in terms of the length of time the WT has been established then surely the more 'top-heavy' it should be with regards to elders over ministerialservants anyway??
Face it, if brothers are spiritual and in good standing then, in broad brush thinking according to the WT....
A smaller amount of ministerialservants aged 20 to 34 (ie those brothers in a 14 year range)
A larger amount of elders aged 35 to death (ie those brothers in a possible example 42 plus year range)
Therefore there SHOULD be proportionally at least three times the elders to ministerialservants in WT's mature territories of say North America and Western Europe?
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Rape Victim Forced To Listen To a Tape Of Her Assault In A JC
by pale.emperor inthis is absolutely outrageous.
a rape victim was forced to listen to herself being raped while the elders stopped and started the tape claiming she was consenting.
even though during one of the assaults she was duct-taped, gagged and had a pillowcase over her head.
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darkspilver
Why hasn't he been arrested and charged by the police? What have the police done about it???
http://www.sltrib.com/home/4465861-155/woman-sues-utah-jehovahs-witnesses-church
The man accused of assaulting the woman in this case has not been charged with a crime.
Yet...
http://www.utahcriminallaw.net/sexual-assault-statute-limitations/
In contrast to many other states, there is no crime of sexual assault in Utah: only aggravated sexual assault, as defined by Utah Code § 76-5-405. As noted on the list above, aggravated sexual assault is not subject to any deadline on prosecution in the state of Utah. Rape of a child under 14, object rape, object rape of a child, and sodomy on a child are also exempt from prosecution deadlines. Utah residents must made aware of these facts in order to prepare for the possibility of prosecution for alleged sex crimes.
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New type study for inactive ones now?
by careful inof course, conducting a "bible" study (actually a wts publication study) with an inactive person who comes back is nothing new.
i did so on occasion when i was in, or the boe would assign someone else to do so, especially if it was a sister.. however, i recently heard of this: during the course of the study the elders would go through a loyalty check of the person wanted to rejoin up by going through the baptismal questions again, just like they were a complete newbie.
has anyone else heard of this?
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darkspilver
Hi careful
However, i recently heard of this: during the course of the study the elders would go through a loyalty check of the person wanted to rejoin up by going through the baptismal questions again, just like they were a complete newbie. Has anyone else heard of this? I'm wondering if its official or just some local BOE fantasy.
Sounds like you're hearing a chinese whisper of the standard procedure that seems to have been in place for at least the last twelve years
BoE Letter February 4, 2004
Before inviting a longtime inactive one to share in the ministry, two elders should meet with him to see if he meets the basic requirements to again serve as a Kingdom publisher, as outlined on pages 98-9 of the Our Ministry book. They will follow a procedure similar to that used when meeting with new ones seeking to publish the good news.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqmWMK7dwtleGZhMk5MQ1A0dEk/view
The above principle is still in place, though now with the updated Organized to Do Jehovah’s Will book, using pages 79-81
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqmWMK7dwtlVkp3T0c3WnFhNVk/view
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Selloff Hinted At Assembly
by thedepressedsoul inthe last talk at the assembly made an interesting statement, "we can show faith by following direction if we're asked to move to another kingdom hall for better use of dedicated christian funds".
this statement has everyone talking.
i spoke to multiple individuals and they heard the same thing at different assembly's.. i know they have been "evaluating" all kingdom halls the last year or two.
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darkspilver
hi blondie
Do I understand that congregations have no choice to send all but $5,000 in their savings to the WTS?
TL;DR - the WT are actually very effectively disincentivizing donations
In reality it means there is a huge disincentive to contribute anything but a bare minimum to local funds
Coupled with the fact that the WT have now 'unlinked' the monetary donations from the visible results of building/refurbishing a hall
Means a collapse in donations
Scenario One: When a congregation has a prospective kingdom hall to buy - a 'project' - the locals are willing to contribute, often a lot... local enthusiasm drives donations... and they can see the tangible results
Scenario Two: WT oversees new halls AND pays for it from central funds - much less incentive to contribute... much less enthusiasm (what do locals actually DO - the LDC comes in and builds it for them!)
Result - donations plummet
Think how 'wordly' charities drive contributions - sponsor a child, sponsor a dog, pay for a month's supply of food, get letters from your sponsored child/dog/cat, get updates – charities are eager to give people a tangible result from their donation. They want to incentivize continuing donations (the adverts - just $3 dollars a month, donate the price of a coffee each week etc, an ongoing donation, a monthly direct debit, only $3 or $5 a month!) and they focus increased donations with special appeals, often with specific goals.
WT is doing the reverse in overdrive - no goals such as a new hall or even XX amount of $$ needed for such-and-such, no physical new releases at Convention to donate for, less monthly magazines to donate for - vicious circle - the less tangible physical items you give to people, the less donations/money you get in return.
SIDENOTE - generally the differance in contributions made between a one day and a two day circuilt assembly was MUCH less in proportion than it 'should' have been - basically publishers didn't contribute double for the two day than what they contributed for the one day, a bit more maybe yes, but not double, no where near
People's concept of digital items is much less than for physical items - why was napster so popular? downloading a computer file of music is totally different in most people's minds to getting a physical CD.
Yes, I’m sure, if a congregation has a new hall built for them, contributions will go up – but no where nearly as much when it was ‘their personal congregation’s project.’
And for the other congregations?
If you merge or combine congregations together you are disincentivizing donations (well there’s more publishers now, so running costs are reduced, so your donation can be reduced)
If you move a congregation to another hall you are disincentivizing donations (well our car gas cost has gone up, and besides, running costs for the hall are shared between more congregations)
