Letter to All Bodies of Elders in the USA, 1999-07-05: New procedure for notifying BOE of approved applications for regular pioneer service S-202 obsolete
WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC.
25 COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11201-2483, U.S.A. PHONE (718) 625-3600
July 5,1999
TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS IN THE UNITED STATES
Dear Brothers:
Today, Jehovah's Witnesses are preaching the good news "to the most distant part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) Regular pioneers are in the forefront of this work. How exciting it was to see that we reached an all-time peak of 78,650 regular pioneers during the month of April. This is evidence that many publishers have taken advantage of a 'large door leading to activity' that has opened as a result of the adjusted pioneer hour requirement. (1 Cor. 16:9) No doubt many more will yet take up this precious privilege of service. How can we brace up for the activity that lies ahead?
One way is by simplifying pioneer-related correspondence submitted by bodies of elders to the Society. To achieve that, a new procedure is being established for notifying bodies of elders of approved applications for regular pioneer service. Beginning immediately, when an application is approved, the Society will inform the body of elders by means of an appointment letter, a sample of which is enclosed. This letter will show the full name of the pioneer as listed with the Society, the current pioneer start date, and the pioneer's identification number. The appointment letter is not to be given to the pioneer, nor should it be photocopied or reproduced in any manner. Rather, it should be kept in the congregation file. Therefore, we suggest that you maintain a separate folder in your congregation file for such pioneer information.
In connection with this simplification, the Society will no longer issue Pioneer Service Identification (S-202) cards for regular pioneers. Therefore, please make the following announcement at your next Service Meeting:
"In order to minimize pioneer correspondence, the Society will no longer issue Pioneer Service Identification cards for regular pioneers. Regular pioneers that now have identification cards may retain them. However, when a regular pioneer moves to another congregation or loses his card, a replacement card will not be issued."
The pioneer appointment letter will prove to be valuable to elders as they correspond with the Society regarding regular pioneers. Congregation Service Committees will use this appointment letter to notify the Society of a pioneer's discontinuation of his regular pioneer service, of any change in the name of the pioneer, or of a change in the congregation assignment of the pioneer.
In time, one appointment letter will be produced for every regular pioneer currently serving in the country. Please understand that this process may take a few months. Therefore, we ask that you do not phone the Society to inquire about when you will receive the letters for the regular pioneers assigned to your congregation.
Be assured that they will be sent as soon as possible. If you must correspond with the Society regarding a pioneer in your congregation and you have not yet received the new appointment letters for the pioneers in your congregation, please follow the procedure outlined in our letter dated April 15, 1998, using the appropriate form. Once your congregation receives the new appointment letter for each pioneer in your congregation, please destroy all Notification for Discontinuing Regular Pioneer Service (S-206) and Regular Pioneer Changes (S-204) forms that you have on hand. The new pioneer appointment letter replaces these forms. There will be no need for you to collect pioneer identification cards, even when an individual discontinues his pioneer service. However, please retain the Society's April 15, 1998, letter in the congregation file, as it provides helpful direction when submitting regular pioneer applications and when handling other matters in connection with pioneers.
How will the pioneer appointment letter be used by elders? When a pioneer discontinues regular pioneer service for any reason, the "DISCONTINUATION" section of that pioneer's appointment letter should be filled out completely, signed by the Congregation Service Committee, and submitted to the Society. When a pioneer's name changes, the "NAME CHANGE" section of that pioneer's appointment letter should be filled out accurately by the secretary and submitted to the Society.
What should be done when a pioneer moves to another congregation? The secretary should send the pioneer's appointment letter to the new congregation along with the letter of introduction and Congregation's Publisher Record cards. The secretary of the new congregation should then fill out the "CHANGE OF CONGREGATION" section of the pioneer's appointment letter and submit it to the Society. After we have adjusted our records, a revised appointment letter will be sent to the new congregation. If the pioneer moves to another country, the appointment letter should be returned to the Society with a letter of explanation.
What should be done if a pioneer appointment letter is lost? A letter should be written to the Society explaining matters. The elders should provide the pioneer's full name and the pioneer's identification number, which should be obtainable from the Congregation's Publisher Record card. The Society will then respond accordingly.
It is very important that elders follow the instructions outlined in this letter and those found on the back of the pioneer appointment letter. The secretary in particular should have these instructions clearly in mind so that the records of the congregation and of the Society remain accurate.
It is our hope that by means of these adjustments, pioneer correspondence will be simplified and that we will be braced up for the activity that lies ahead. Your assistance is appreciated as we continue preaching the good news in all the earth.
Your brothers,
Kalchtower B. V. G. Society OF NEW YORK, INC.
BODY OF ELDERS CENTRAL CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, NEW YORK, NY C/O PRESIDING OVERSEER
Dear Brothers:
This letter confirms that Mrs. John V. Doe has been appointed to serve as a regular pioneer with your congregation. An announcement of this should be made at your next Service Meeting.
Please keep this letter in your files. The pioneer identification number listed below should be used in all future correspondence with the Society regarding this pioneer. In addition, please write the pioneer identification number on the Congregation's Publisher Record cards of this publisher.
Full name... Barbara Sue Doe
Name as listed with Society... Mrs. John V. Doe
Current start date... September 1, 1999
Pioneer identification number... 12345678
Please read the instructions on the back of this letter before making any adjustments.
DISCONTINUATION
Date terminating pioneer service: The first of ___
Briefly state reason: ___
Is the pioneer in agreement with the reason stated above? Yes No
Date filled out: ___ (If not, please see point (e) on reverse, under "DISCONTINUATION")
Signatures of Congregation Service Committee members:
CHANGE OF CONGREGATION
Date of change
Congregation number
Congregation name
City
State
NAME CHANGE
Date of change
Circle one:
Mr.
Miss
Mrs.
First (for wife, husband's first)
Middle (for wife, husband's middle)
Last
DISCONTINUATION
NOTE TO CONGREGATION SERVICE COMMITTEE: Before submitting this letter, did you first consider whether the pioneer may qualify for special consideration as described in the August 1986 Our Kingdom Ministry insert, paragraph 18, and the July 1998 Our Kingdom Ministry insert, paragraph 17? If the pioneer must stop or you are recommending his removal, please fill out completely the "DISCONTINUATION" section of this letter and mail it to the Society as quickly as possible. Consider the following points, and if necessary, attach a separate letter to supply the needed information.
(a) If pioneer is unable to continue, briefly state the reason, such as health, financial obligations, family responsibility, or secular work.
(b) If removal is because the individual has failed to set a good example, please briefly describe the circumstances. Was the matter discussed with the pioneer, including appropriate counsel and encouragement? What response was shown? Are there extenuating circumstances? Does the pioneer agree with the removal?
(c) If removal is due to judicial action, please advise us as to the nature and extent of the offense and the action taken, such as reproof or disfellowshipping, along with the Scriptural grounds and evidence for such action.
(d) The Society will not send formal notice when the recommendation is acted upon unless the pioneer is not in agreement with the removal.
(e) The elders should not suggest that if the pioneer disagrees with his removal, he should write a letter to the Society. However, if the pioneer of his own initiative indicates that he does not agree with his removal, please advise him that he may submit an explanation in writing. His letter should be included with an explanatory letter from the elders and this form. If the pioneer insists on writing directly to the Society, you should mention this in your letter. His removal should not be announced until you hear from the Society.
CHANGE OF CONGREGATION
When a pioneer changes to another congregation within the contiguous United States, this letter should be sent to the elders of the new congregation along with the Congregation's Publisher Record cards and the letter of introduction. The secretary of the new congregation will make any needed adjustments on the front of this letter and forward it to the Society. After we have adjusted our records, a revised appointment letter will be sent to the new congregation.
If a pioneer moves to another country, please return this letter to the Society along with a cover letter providing the date of the move, country, city, and name of the congregation with which they are presently associated.
NAME CHANGE
When a pioneer has married or changed his or her name, please make the needed adjustments on the front of this letter and submit it to the Society. After we have adjusted our records, a revised appointment letter will be sent to the appropriate congregation.