Service Meetings for December

Week Starting December 5

Song 68

12 min: Local announcements and appropriate Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Point out one or two striking articles that could be featured when offering the latest magazines. Have capable publisher demonstrate a presentation, using one of the articles.

15 min: “A Model to Follow Closely.” Questions and answers.

18 min: “Invite Others to Follow the Greatest Man.” Discuss with audience. Arrange for two brief demonstrations. Stress need to keep accurate house-to-house records; briefly review what information should be recorded.

Song 153 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting December 12

Song 86

13 min: Local announcements and Theocratic News. Accounts report, including any donation acknowledgments. Offer some suggestions on how to respond to worldly holiday greetings.​—See Our Kingdom Ministry, December 1990, page 8.

14 min: “Pay Constant Attention to Your Teaching.” Talk by the school overseer. Review instructions that accompany the “Theocratic Ministry School Schedule for 1995,” pointing out any reminders especially needed by the congregation.

18 min: “Show Appreciation for God’s House.” Questions and answers. Make further comment about the need for punctuality at meetings.​—See The Watchtower of June 15, 1990, pages 26-9.

Song 99 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting December 19

Song 78

10 min: Local announcements. Review local arrangements for field service during the upcoming holiday period. Suggest ways of presenting current magazines in local territory.

20 min: “Pay Attention to the Prophetic Word.” Insert. Questions and answers on paragraphs 1-8, to be handled by an elder. Discuss application of cited scriptures.

15 min: “Urge Them to Become His Followers.” Discuss with audience. Have two brief demonstrations. Recommend that all use some field service time each week for making return visits.

Song 22 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting December 26

Song 74

5 min: Local announcements. Discuss “Will Your Meeting Times Change?” if applicable to your congregation.

20 min: “Pay Attention to the Prophetic Word.” Insert. Questions and answers on paragraphs 9-13, to be handled by an elder. Stress importance of preparing for, regularly attending, and participating in the Congregation Book Study. Show appreciation for spiritual instruction, critical for our guidance in these last days.

10 min: Local needs. Or give a talk on the article “Are You Helping Your Child to Choose Jehovah?” in The Watchtower of October 1, 1994, pages 26-30.

10 min: Prepare for January offer. Any 192-page book published prior to 1982 may be used. If the congregation has none in stock, the book True Peace and Security​—How Can You Find It? may be offered. If this book will be used locally, prepare a presentation that can be used when offering the publication at the door. If some other book will be offered, prepare one or two appropriate presentations for it. Ideas for presentations can be found in the Reasoning book, pages 9-15. Have a capable publisher demonstrate presentation.

Song 94 and concluding prayer.

Congregation Book Study

Schedule for congregation studies in the book Revelation​—Its Grand Climax At Hand!

From: To:

December 5: p.39,¶7 p.43,¶7

December 12: p.43,¶8 p.47,¶23

December 19: p.47,¶1 p.50,¶14

December 26: p.51,¶15 p.55,¶5

September Service Report

Av. Av. Av. Av.

Number of: Hrs. Mags. R.V. Bi.St.

Sp’l Pios. 191 120.2 78.8 51.5 4.9

Pios. 75,309 81.4 36.1 24.1 2.4

Aux.Pios. 28,206 59.5 26.0 14.6 1.3

Pubs. 786,826 9.8 5.5 3.6 0.4

TOTAL 890,532 Baptized: 1,567

Will Your Meeting Times Change?

In cases where several congregations using the same Kingdom Hall have agreed to rotate or adjust meeting times, this should be done the first of January. A willingness to cooperate with the arrangement that has been established demonstrates mutual love and consideration. Often the change in meeting times will be to your personal advantage, making meeting attendance more convenient.

On the other hand, the change taking place this year may not fit in well with your schedule of activity. It could require adjustments in your normal routine that may be somewhat unsettling. Each one’s willingness to cooperate demonstrates an appreciation for the overall arrangement, which works out for the mutual benefit of everybody involved.

Of course, the next rotation of meeting times may be more to your liking. In the meantime, you are encouraged to make the necessary personal adjustments so you can attend all weekly meetings according to the schedule that has been decided upon by the congregation. Strive to maintain the view of the psalmist David, who declared: “I rejoiced when they were saying to me: ‘To the house of Jehovah let us go.’”​—Ps. 122:1.

Theocratic News

Albania: A new peak of 353 publishers was reached in July, as well as a new peak in magazine placements. Congregation publishers averaged 22.4 hours in the ministry and conducted 1,073 home Bible studies.

Cameroon: A new branch office was established in July, coinciding with a new peak of 21,323 publishers.

Greenland: Publishers reporting field service totaled 134 in July. This was a new peak.

Zaire: Even faced with the catastrophic situation of hundreds of thousands of refugees entering Zaire, a new peak of 83,442 publishers was reached in July. The brothers have made an excellent effort to help one another, and they say that the relief operations from outside are much appreciated.