Menlo Park (CA - USA) Kingdom Hall

Juan Viejo2

I received an anonymous email over at Ex-JW.com that had an attached legal filing. The first couple of pages seemed to be standard legal filings, but the rest of the pages looked like standard typed documentation (not in numbered double-spaced legal format.) I'm not quite sure what to make of it, so wonder if anyone here has heard of it. The anonymous sender said he "found it on another web site..." - but didn't give me a clue as to which site that might be.

I searched Google for the keywords, but nothing came up - which is very unusual if there is anything at all to what this guy sent me. The legal documents were apparently filed in August, 2010.

The documents lay out a complaint against a "branch manager," "a newly appointed district manager," and others. The plaintiffs appear to be the current group of elders in the Menlo Park, CA KH, who are also referred to as "stockholders."

On the one hand, the complaint says that the WT Society is trying to force them to remodel the Kingdom Hall against their wishes. On the other hand, it says that they've been told that they must merge their congregation in with the Redwood City (CA - USA). The locals have apparently decided to take a stand.

The situation seems similar to the Bonham, Texas events of several years ago.

If there is an existing group of "stockholders" who helped build the Menlo Park KH back in the day, then it looks like they are filing this complaint to protect their investment. If the alleged facts are true, then this looks like another case where the WT wants to grab another piece of paid-for property in a high value area and force the members to travel several miles to share an existing KH.

If anyone here has more information, or can confirm the general allegations of the filing, please let me know. I'd like to investigate this further and maybe post an article on Ex-JW.com.

A friend of mine who was raised in Nebraska recently told me that they are closing several of the KHs in that state, making the faithful travel 25-40 miles to go to their merged KHs. In some cases they are building new ones and then merging two or three others into it. On the other hand, long distance travel in Nebraska during the winter can be brutal and dangerous.

Any information you can offer to enlighten me would be appreciated.

Juan Viejo (aka "exjwdotcommie")

P.S. This was also posted over at JWR earlier. Any info would be appreciated.

mrsjones5

That's the hall I went to as a child, from age 3 to 13.

Juan Viejo2

Mrs. Jones,

I knew that and intended to make a postscript asking about your connection there. Do you know how that KH was organized? Do you have any contacts (ex or JW) that might communicate with me on this issue?

JV

mrsjones5

Hm, no I don't know when the inception of the hall was or by whom. I started attending in 1968 and left in 1979. To me the hall seemed to have been there for quite a while. It was on a heavily foliaged lot and it that time there were huge eucalyptus trees that lined the parking lot in the back of the building. I'm thinking it was probably build in the 50's or 60's. I could ask my parents but I don't think if they know when that hall came about and asking them anything about the jws will kinda open a can of worms.

Gayle

Nebraska KH for sale:

http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/16683379/345-East-10th-Street-Wahoo-NE/

relatively nice as a KH, not old

Juan Viejo2

Gayle - I'm sure that is one that my former JW friend was referring to. It's large and well-equipped. I wonder how much of that $250K will filter back into the membership of the old congregation that was there? Will it go toward building a new KH in the same general area? My guess is that the WT will just put another quarter-million tax free dollars in its treasury.

Mrs. Jones - thanks for the response. I agree, asking about this could open up a nasty situation for you. I'd never ask that of you. On the other hand, maybe we have someone else in that area that is semi-suicidal and just doesn't care...

JV

wokeup

Conjuring up some old memories. I Remember the congregation servant lived off Valparaiso ave. in Atherton.

His daughter was a pioneer and went off to be a missionary. It was a fairly segregated city at the time.

On one side of the Bayshore was middle & upper classes. the east side, Belle Haven and East Palo Alto were crime ridden. It was built on landfill by the Bay.

As Mrs.Jones recalled correctly, the majority of members were black. Remember one sister had about 10 stairstep kids in the late 60's.

When the elder arrangement kicked in in 72. The majority of elders were white.

The hall was originally an unpretentious 2 story on a tiny lot with the Bayshore Freeway nearly in it's back parking lot. First stepped in it in '63.

Not too well lit. The uncarpeted floor made the sound system echo at times. Names Kafka, Filardo, Hart, Allen come to mind (forgive the spellin been near 40 years last I saw them.

The property value must be pretty high despite it's proximity to the Bayshore Freeway. With small older homes averaging a million plus in that area, the hall property is probably closer to the 2 million range.

skeeter1

I thought the WTS cared about how much people drove! Wasn't that the reason for the book study deletion? You mean that they are now making them drive many miles away to another Kingdom Hall, are selling a local one that the people built (bought the land & paid for the building - through a WTS loan), and the WTS is taking the cash? If that ain't the royal screw, I don't know what is! Perhaps the WTS should give the proceeds to the publishers and pioneers as gas cards? Like THAT would ever happen!

Skeeter

Timothy Riches

Sorry to be uncouth but this organization is sucking in on itself so fast lately you'd thing their balls touched the water! :D

asilentone

(never mind)

Menlo Park (CA - USA) Kingdom Hall

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