Letter to All Bodies of Elders, 1987-05-20: Arrangements for the forthcoming special assembly days
WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC.
CABLE WATCHTOWER
25 COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11201. U.S.A.
PHONE (718) 625-3600
May 20,1987
TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS
Dear Brothers:
We have received a number of inquiries requesting specific information as to arrangements for the forthcoming special assembly days. We are pleased to provide you with further details regarding the meeting schedule and the schedule of the traveling overseers during the week when a special assembly day program is scheduled.
Whenever a circuit is divided into two sections, the Society has endeavored to schedule the special assembly day programs for that circuit on the same weekend. In this way one part of the circuit would have its special assembly day on Saturday and the other on Sunday, thus allowing for a visiting speaker to serve both parts of the circuit on the same weekend. If a circuit is divided into three or more sections, the additional section(s) would be scheduled for a special assembly day at another time.
When there are two programs held on the same weekend within one circuit, the circuit overseer will not be able to serve a congregation in the usual way. Rather, he will spend Tuesday noon through Friday in a way that is similar to the host congregation arrangement for circuit assemblies. On Tuesday night this congregation will schedule a 45-minute Congregation Book Study and the circuit overseer, or the district overseer if he is the visiting speaker, will give a 45-minute service talk. The circuit overseer, and the district overseer if he is there, may meet with the elders at a convenient time during the week to discuss any matters needing attention. If there are many pioneers in the congregation and they would benefit by a meeting with the traveling overseer(s) then this can be scheduled at some time during the week. The congregation being served will have the Theocratic Ministry School and Service Meeting as usual. The circuit overseer and district overseer, if he is present, could be asked to give talk number one or handle Bible highlights in the School, or one of the major parts on the Service Meeting.
When there is only one special assembly day program scheduled on the weekend, the circuit overseer will generally serve a congregation. If the program is on Saturday, the summary of the Watchtower Study will not be included in the program, and the public talk and Watchtower Study will be held on Sunday as normal.
If the special assembly day program is on Sunday, a summary of the Watchtower Study will be included on the program. So, the circuit overseer's schedule in the congregation that week will require that the public talk, followed by a service talk, should be held at another convenient time, probably on Saturday. This will allow the congregation to get the most benefit from the visit that week.
At some convenient time during the week the circuit elders will have a meeting in which they can care for circuit business, including possible resolutions to cover the expenses of the circuit and district overseers. This could be on the day of the special assembly day program. Since the traveling overseers will not meet with the circuit elders on this occasion, it will be the responsibility of the assembly overseer to arrange for this meeting.
The Society is very pleased that this provision of the special assembly day can be made for the benefit of the congregations. We know that you are looking forward to this arrangement. Many of the circuits are being scheduled to have Bethel elders serve as their visiting speakers. Other circuits will have a district overseer serve as the visiting speaker. If a circuit is not scheduled for a visiting speaker the first year we will endeavor to schedule one the following year. Circuit overseers will inform each congregation as to the date and location of the circuit's special assembly day. Encourage all to make arrangements to be present to take in this spiritually enriching program. We send our warm Christian love.
Your brothers,
Watchtower B.V. Society
OF NEW YORK, INC.
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