Service Meeting Schedule
Week Starting December 11
10 min: Local announcements. Using the suggestions on page 8 or other presentations appropriate for your territory, demonstrate how to offer the December 15 Watchtower and the December Awake! In one of the demonstrations, show how to handle the potential conversation stopper “I’m not interested.”—See Reasoning book, p. 16.
15 min: The Theocratic Ministry School for 2007. Talk and interviews to be conducted by the school overseer. Discuss points needing emphasis locally from the October 2006 Our Kingdom Ministry insert. Explain that the school overseer does not announce in advance the speech quality that a student is working on. Since we will finish reading the Hebrew Scriptures from Isaiah 24 to the end of Malachi during 2007, this year will be an opportune time for brothers assigned to prepare Bible highlights and for others who offer comments to make use of our publications that illuminate these prophetic books. Interview two or three publishers from among the following: a new student, a young student who is making good progress, and an experienced student. Have them relate the effects of the school on their ministry and on their spirituality. Encourage all to be diligent in fulfilling their assignments, in participating in Bible highlights, and in applying the suggestions given weekly from Benefit From Theocratic Ministry School Education.
20 min: “Do Not Lose the Love You Had at First.”a As time permits, invite audience to comment on the cited scriptures.
Song 193 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting December 18
10 min: Local announcements. Selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Review Question Box. Outline special field service arrangements for December 25 and January 1.
15 min: “Call Back on All Who Show a Measure of Interest.”b Invite the audience to comment on how they have been able to obtain contact information from interested persons they have met when doing informal witnessing or street work and to relate any outstanding experiences from making return visits on such ones. One or two comments may be arranged in advance.
20 min: “A Volunteer Spirit Brings Blessings.”c Interview one or two publishers who are noted for their volunteer spirit. How have they demonstrated a volunteer spirit? What adjustments were necessary, and how were they able to make these? What blessings have they enjoyed as a result?
Song 108 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting December 25
10 min: Local announcements. Read accounts report and donation acknowledgments. Using the suggestions on page 8 or other presentations appropriate for your territory, demonstrate how to offer the January 1 Watchtower and the January Awake! At the conclusion of each presentation, raise a thought-provoking question that can be answered on the next visit using the Bible Teach book.
15 min: Local needs.
20 min: “Do You Have a Personal Territory?”d Include brief comments from the service overseer on the boundaries of the congregation’s territory assignment, on how often the territory is being worked, and on the availability of personal territories.
Song 219 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting January 1
Note: Congregations are not to move their Service Meeting for the week of January 1 to an earlier night unless the circuit overseer is visiting. All congregations should consider the convention insert as scheduled. The Recommended Lodging List should be posted on the information board at the conclusion of the Service Meeting. If there is a circuit assembly this week, book study overseers should announce the convention location and dates at their regularly scheduled book studies. A copy of the Recommended Lodging List should be made available to each Congregation Book Study overseer so that those in attendance can write down the hotel phone numbers for making their reservations. However, copies of the list should not be made for publishers.
5 min: Local announcements. Remind publishers to turn in field service reports for December.
15 min: Reporting on the Progress of the Ministry. Talk and audience discussion based on Organized to Do Jehovah’s Will, from the subheading on page 83 to the end of the chapter.
25 min: “2007 ‘Follow the Christ!’ District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”e To be handled by the congregation secretary. Before considering the insert, read the December 15, 2006, convention assignment letter. When considering paragraph 8 of the insert, read each point in the box “Steps in Making Your Hotel Reservation.” Encourage all to make their convention arrangements as soon as possible.
Song 65 and concluding prayer.
[Footnotes]
a Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.
b Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.
c Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.
d Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.
e Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.