Letter to All Bodies of Elders in the USA, 2000-04-01: Information regarding Kingdom Hall ownership and maintenance
April 1,2000
TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS IN THE UNITED STATES
Information Regarding Kingdom Hall Ownership and Maintenance
Dear Brothers:
It is a privilege to be able to meet together for true worship at Kingdom Halls that are either owned or rented by congregations. As Jehovah blesses the work worldwide there is a continuous need to obtain property, construct buildings, and maintain places of worship.
Please find enclosed a revised T-36 Form entitled Information Regarding Ownership of Kingdom Halls. The information provided will further explain what is involved in obtaining and owning property, as well as maintaining a Kingdom Hall. This form should be placed in the permanent file of the congregation. Older versions of this form should be discarded. Congregations that currently own property should review this form to make sure that they are in compliance with everchanging regulations from the government. Congregations that use the corporation method of ownership should give special attention to paragraph 18, which outlines the language to be used in the charter or articles of incorporation. A glossary has also been added to explain many of the terms commonly used in matters involving ownership of property.
You will also find a revised T-34 Form entitled Annual Congregation Property Documents & Safety Inspection Worksheet. This form is designed to remind the congregations that any documents that they may have regarding ownership of property should be reviewed on a regular basis to make sure that they are up-to-date and accurate as circumstances may change from year to year. Additionally, congregations should thoroughly check their Kingdom Hall property annually to make sure everything is in good condition and that there are no safety hazards. We recommend that congregations perform a maintenance review soon after receiving this document, since one was not supplied last year. See page 2 of the letter dated September 1, 1998, entitled Key Facts About the Kingdom Hall Assistance Arrangement.
Before contacting the Society with any questions regarding ownership of Kingdom Halls, it would be good to review these letters and other instructions you have received.
May Jehovah's blessing be with you brothers as you continue to expand true worship.
Your brothers,
Walchtower B.V. Society
OF NEW YORK, INC.
Enclosures
cc: Traveling overseers Regional Building Committees