All Things LDC

[jwhess]

I am in one of the changed zones.  We had our first "organizational / training meeting about a month ago.  Wives were invited and encouraged to fill out their DC-50.  It was a Design meeting.  Drove 4-5 hours, had a 2 hour "meet-and-Greet on a Friday.  Then the next day we had an 8 hour session with videos, headquarter reps and tech people.  We stayed over that night and drove the 4-5 hours home on Christmas Day (not a lot of gas and food vendors open).  We are now organized into Zones, States, Teams for our Architectural, Engineering and CAD work.  It was nice to see so many sisters participating.  The provision of an elder dedicated to  spiritual "shepherding" the teams was a blessing.  Many great things are in store.

[Tortuga]

17 hours ago, jwhess said:

I am in one of the changed zones.

There was a couple that was from LDC that were being housed at the local AH while they did their LDC assignment. I'm not sure what they did but they were spending a lot of time in the San Francisco area, I assume they were visiting and evaluating KH's in the area. I just heard they were reassigned to a different AH in the area they were working, I was told their zone had changed and their assignment didn't include this area now.

 

Did the zone boundaries change?

[jwhess]

4 hours ago, Tortuga said:

There was a couple that was from LDC that were being housed at the local AH while they did their LDC assignment. I'm not sure what they did but they were spending a lot of time in the San Francisco area, I assume they were visiting and evaluating KH's in the area. I just heard they were reassigned to a different AH in the area they were working, I was told their zone had changed and their assignment didn't include this area now.

 

Did the zone boundaries change?

I believe all of California is Zone #10 by itself.  Maintenance trainers are assigned 7-10 buildings to supervise.  California must have 100's of buildings and dozens of teams.  The actual assignments change for a variety of reasons.  Right now, our trainers cover about 9 buildings but when I met with them last week, they thought they might gain a KH and one full-time servants building but lose another hall.  So it changes.  Now if the brothers you are referring to are really AH mangers, I don't know anything about their duties or assignments.

[Tortuga]

1 minute ago, jwhess said:

 Now if the brothers you are referring to are really AH mangers, I don't know anything about their duties or assignments.

They were not AH caretakers, they were from the LDC zone office in Mira Loma and were just being housed at the AH.

[Gi-Gi]

On 2/5/2017 at 10:51 PM, jwhess said:

I am in one of the changed zones.  We had our first "organizational / training meeting about a month ago.  Wives were invited and encouraged to fill out their DC-50.  It was a Design meeting.  Drove 4-5 hours, had a 2 hour "meet-and-Greet on a Friday.  Then the next day we had an 8 hour session with videos, headquarter reps and tech people.  We stayed over that night and drove the 4-5 hours home on Christmas Day (not a lot of gas and food vendors open).  We are now organized into Zones, States, Teams for our Architectural, Engineering and CAD work.  It was nice to see so many sisters participating.  The provision of an elder dedicated to  spiritual "shepherding" the teams was a blessing.  Many great things are in store.

Hello my dear brother.  I am trying to log into ba.jw.org with my JW.org password and it won't let me.    Tried to call the branch but they're closed. I was wondering if you knew if there were still going to use local decorators for the LDC.  I heard there will be no more new builds but just remodels.  In the past  I completed five remodels and was wondering if I will be used again.    I miss being that kind of busy!  The last time I was able to login I did see that  I was listed under DC-50.   Previously my region was listed under NM-2.

[jwhess]

3 hours ago, Gi-Gi said:

Hello my dear brother.  I am trying to log into ba.jw.org with my JW.org password and it won't let me.    Tried to call the branch but they're closed. I was wondering if you knew if there were still going to use local decorators for the LDC.  I heard there will be no more new builds but just remodels.  In the past  I completed five remodels and was wondering if I will be used again.    I miss being that kind of busy!  The last time I was able to login I did see that  I was listed under DC-50.   Previously my region was listed under NM-2.

Sr. Patricia,  I am with the 'Design' end of the LDC (and maintenance training).   At our meeting we were told there were 180 projects approved and underway in the branch.  We were told that most construction will be devoted to remodels (major and minor).  Some new construction will be done.  The new construction will be a standard format, with a master list for materials, etc (think unity of purpose).  Major remodels will attempt to be as close as practical to the standards as well.  So whether anything from the "old" hall under remodelling will be retained, I can't say.  The Bethel reps indicated a huge program is beginning soon.

 

At our meeting we were told that if you have an old (2015 or before) DC-50, I think you will need to enter a new revised one.   You will need a JW.ORG "login" setup.  The new Builder Assistant site uses this login now (version 4.0) since January 25, 2017.  You will need to update your user profile there.  Many of the folks I know have been contacted by various groups of volunteers (heavy equipment, scheduling, etc).  If you are having difficulty logging in, I think there is a help screen and many things were adjusted on 1/25/17.  At our training meeting, they reminded us that 100's or 1000's of DC-50 forms are being processed so the headquarted are a bit inundated at the moment.

 

SAFETY is the key word for ALL meetings (Design, Construction or Maintenance).  Many of the "old" ways of doing things have been adjusted, upgraded or reinvented.  There are safety training booklets, programs and forms that are necessary now.  I hope you will stick to it and get involved with the new program.  Many of these changes (like the new zones) have only been in place since August 2016.  We are all on a learning curve.  Welcome back.

Edited February 8, 2017 by jwhess

[everyday]

@ Gi-Gi I tried several times to log into my BA account, noting seemed to work. Then I watched the video that came in the email. I was over looking the username@field.jw.org part. If you didn't watch it, the video may help to solve the problem.


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[Chaser]

We just had our initial KH maintenance training in Kansas City. Definitely focused on safety and sanctity of life. Multiple mentions of the need to maintain all the building in North America to help conserve dedicated funds to further the preaching work and support the areas in need. One of the speakers mentioned a hall that was using a trailer for meetings. This is one instance in which a hall build may be needed to serve the congregation and help honor Jehovah.

Encouraged the use of all in congregation to help maintain the KH, even those unable that attend training meeting. Nice to see that are inclusive of all in the KH. They also brought out the need to include young ones during the various subject matter trainings and actual maintenance where safe to do so. It nice to see the intent to be inclusive of those not able to attend the initial training.

The his should be fun.


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[Gi-Gi]

On 2/5/2017 at 10:51 PM, jwhess said:

Thank you all very much I will try again very soon!

[AH173]

We had our ldc maintenance training this past Saturday and it was excellent. I hope our Double hall will participate in it fully. 

 

Another blessing of Jehovah to be privileged to take care of his house of true worship. 

[Qapla]

I just did the irrigation inspection for a nearby Congregation. At their Hall some of the items on the check list don't apply.

[jwhess]

3 hours ago, Qapla said:

I just did the irrigation inspection for a nearby Congregation. At their Hall some of the items on the check list don't apply.

Each of the "cards" or lists need to be modified to match the local Kingdom Hall equipment and situations.  If there are checks for electrical systems for bathroom faucets and your hall does not have electrical sensors, then an adjustment must be made.  We have two brothers assigned to go over every maintenance task on the lists or "cards" as they are called.  It is a lot of work.

[Tortuga]

Our COBE just told me the LDC Inspection for our hall is March 17 & 18.

There isn't a training date scheduled yet. 

 

[Tortuga]

If anyone has recently had problems linking their JW.org account with their Builders Assistant account, here is a trick you can try.

 

If you previously had a BA account with RBC and have recently created a new JW.org account and are trying to link them for the first time, you need to open the BA account with the original password, not the new JW.org account password. If the BA account was inactive, LDC will reactivate it however it will still require the original password to open the account.

 

Once the BA account is open, it will link with the JW.org and then the BA account will use the JW.org logon and password the next time you logon.

 

Here's the trick, if you can't remember the original BA account password, use the link on the sign-in screen to request a temporary password. Once the BA account opens, it will link with the JW.org account and use that password from then on.

 

I hope that helps someone...

[pnutts]

We had a training weekend a month ago. Now we have been approved to fix front part of our parking lot ( has pot holes and water freezes on part in winter ).

[timpin]

10 hours ago, Tortuga said:

I hope that helps someone...

   ...   nice to have your help again

[Mybrick]

Hey there Tortuga, I had an interesting experience trying to link my BA account with my JW account. I had to have branch help because nothing helped. I was told the first few numbers are your baptism date and mine was entered incorrectly. So the information I was entering as my correct baptism date didn't jive with what was on file, so I couldn't link my accounts without assistance. Once that was understood they had me log in using my incorrect baptism date which matched my BA number then link the accounts and after that succeeded I went into my profile and corrected the information and now that the accounts are linked all is well. Don't know if anyone reading has a similar problem but it may be worth looking at to see if your first few numbers match your baptism date. If they don't get help from the branch to correct it. As far as I know that's the only way you'll have success. After my experience I ran into another brother who had the same problem. And although it was frustrating figuring it out hang in there it's worth the journey. I too am on the design team in Zone 10 and am crazy busy doing Mechanical and Plumbing drawings. 

 

We haven't started our maintenance training at our hall but I hear the trainers are in our area so we expect to start that soon. 

[Tortuga]

8 minutes ago, Mybrick said:

Hey there Tortuga, I had an interesting experience trying to link my BA account with my JW account. I had to have branch help because nothing helped. I was told the first few numbers are your baptism date and mine was entered incorrectly. So the information I was entering as my correct baptism date didn't jive with what was on file, so I couldn't link my accounts without assistance. Once that was understood they had me log in using my incorrect baptism date which matched my BA number then link the accounts and after that succeeded I went into my profile and corrected the information and now that the accounts are linked all is well. Don't know if anyone reading has a similar problem but it may be worth looking at to see if your first few numbers match your baptism date. If they don't get help from the branch to correct it. As far as I know that's the only way you'll have success. After my experience I ran into another brother who had the same problem. And although it was frustrating figuring it out hang in there it's worth the journey. I too am on the design team in Zone 10 and am crazy busy doing Mechanical and Plumbing drawings. 

 

We haven't started our maintenance training at our hall but I hear the trainers are in our area so we expect to start that soon. 

Something similar happened to me several months ago. The baptism date on my original BA account was incorrect, so when I tried to link my JW.org account with my BA account, it would not link. I discovered the problem myself and when i used the incorrect baptism date to open the BA account it was able to link with the JW.org account. I notified the LDC Help Desk that my baptism date was incorrect and their suggestion was to submit a new DC-50 with the correct baptism date since it was near the DC-50 3 year renewal time anyway. I didn't have any problems relinking my accounts after the new DC-50 was processed.

 

My wife submitted a new DC-50 the same time that I did and we couldn't get her accounts to link. I talked to a brother on the LDC Data Entry team and we discovered that she had transposed two number of her baptism date on her application, so the baptism date didn't match the JW account but it was her fault. The brother corrected the date but asked us to submit another DC-50 with the correct date on it.

 

We still couldn't get the accounts to link and I asked our local LDC Maintenance Supervisor if he had any suggestions and he was the one that suggested that I use the temporary password to open the BA account. After we were finally able to link her accounts I realized that LDC had reactivated her old RBC BA account and that is why the new JW.org account password would not initially open her LDC BA account.

 

BTW: I never noticed that the first couple of numbers of the account number were from the baptism date. Have fun at Fremont and say hi to Cameron and Eunice if you see them.

[AH173]

1 hour ago, Mybrick said:

Hey there Tortuga, I had an interesting experience trying to link my BA account with my JW account. I had to have branch help because nothing helped. I was told the first few numbers are your baptism date and mine was entered incorrectly. So the information I was entering as my correct baptism date didn't jive with what was on file, so I couldn't link my accounts without assistance. Once that was understood they had me log in using my incorrect baptism date which matched my BA number then link the accounts and after that succeeded I went into my profile and corrected the information and now that the accounts are linked all is well. Don't know if anyone reading has a similar problem but it may be worth looking at to see if your first few numbers match your baptism date. If they don't get help from the branch to correct it. As far as I know that's the only way you'll have success. After my experience I ran into another brother who had the same problem. And although it was frustrating figuring it out hang in there it's worth the journey. I too am on the design team in Zone 10 and am crazy busy doing Mechanical and Plumbing drawings. 

 

We haven't started our maintenance training at our hall but I hear the trainers are in our area so we expect to start that soon. 

I had also a similar problem with with ba.jw.org. I just filled out the request for help form and waited. Weeks later I got calls from the help desk. When I finally responded to the brothers message he reset my account and everything worked out well. 

 

Patience and calling back solved the issue. 

 

Thank Jehovah. 

[palmhat]

On 7/10/2017 at 6:58 AM, Mybrick said:

 I too am on the design team in Zone 10 and am crazy busy doing Mechanical and Plumbing drawings. 

As am I. I am still in training with WT CAD, and have yet to get my registration number for it. Ran into a glitch when I discovered that my DC-50 got yanked because it was pre-November , 2016. I still had a year to go before it expired and wasn't aware that I would need to submit a new one. I am guessing that would put a hold on it. Oh well, we take heart in the fact that he that endures to the end will be slaved, eh? No better master could we have, lol

 

On 7/10/2017 at 7:32 AM, Tortuga said:

BTW: I never noticed that the first couple of numbers of the account number were from the baptism date. Have fun at Fremont and say hi to Cameron and Eunice if you see them.

I didn't know that either. What I thought was curious is that the first 4 digets were the same on my drivers license. Guessing I shouldn't use that as a password, lol.

 

ALSO:

"Moses now said to Jehovah: “Pardon me, Jehovah, but I have never been a fluent speaker, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue, can I email, text or just use JWTalks instead?"

 

LOVE THIS!

 

[AH173]

Last 2 Thursdays ago our main hdmi transmitter (1 x 8 cat 6) went out. The replacement came Friday (yesterday). The technology Dept captain installed it and all was well. He's trying to get it warranty  to pay for it and not the congregation. He says it's around $1000 and we had it for a little more than a year (1 year warranty). I wonder if we need a special fan for it in the future. He wants us shut it completely down after congregation finishes meeting. Now we have to work on getting the smaller monitor for timer back. 

 

Besides that, all is well. 

[SUNRAY]

Sometime back, I remember the arrangement to send contributions, other than for local utilities, to the Branch..If there would be a need for renovations, the Branch would be contacted for the  needed funds. Does this apply now?

 

The reason I ask is because an announcement was made that our hall was inspected and we need a new roof. The plan is for a metal roof..very expensive, but durable.

 

Pieces of paper were passed out so each head of household can put down how much the family can contribute. This seems like it used to be done some years ago. I kind of like the idea of paying for it locally.

[Qapla]

There are some projects that, when the LDC inspects, depending on the complexity and cost, that it will be paid for by the Branch - while other things, like only needing a new roof, is, first, attempted to be paid for locally. If the local Congregation cannot raise the funds, it may be either set aside for when they can .... or paid by the Branch.

 

So, seeing if your new roof can be paid locally is "standard procedure" under the LDC arrangement, as it currently stands.

[Stavro]

1 hour ago, SUNRAY said:

Sometime back, I remember the arrangement to send contributions, other than for local utilities, to the Branch..If there would be a need for renovations, the Branch would be contacted for the  needed funds. Does this apply now?

 

Just to clarify this arrangement, the extra funds are put "on deposit" (loan) with the branch to be used for the Worldwide Work, but they are not donated per-se. If there is a need for these funds, the accountant  (with signed BOE approval) can request withdrawal of some or all these funds for any reason, at any time. The total amount your congregation has on deposit should be listed on the accounts sheet on the information board.

 

That said, this deposit fund is not likely to be overly large, it's primarily meant to be a buffer for yearly costs and unanticipated expenses, so it's likely that the roofing estimate has already exhausted all of the 'unanticipated expenses' portion of the yearly budget.

[Old]

11 minutes ago, Stavro said:

 

Just to clarify this arrangement, the extra funds are put "on deposit" (loan) with the branch to be used for the Worldwide Work, but they are not donated per-se. If there is a need for these funds, the accountant  (with signed BOE approval) can request withdrawal of some or all these funds for any reason, at any time. The total amount your congregation has on deposit should be listed on the accounts sheet on the information board.

 

That said, this deposit fund is not likely to be overly large, it's primarily meant to be a buffer for yearly costs and unanticipated expenses, so it's likely that the roofing estimate has already exhausted all of the 'unanticipated expenses' portion of the yearly budget.

 

I think we are talking about two different arrangements here. Our small congregation are excelling givers. We accrue several hundred dollars per month in extra KH contributions. Since we don't need these funds for congregation expenses they are extra. Extra funds are defined by the branch as those funds that exceed three months or so operation expenses. It has been requested that such funds be transferred, not loaned, to the World Wide Work, these funds are not repayable.

Funds sent, on deposit, are special funds deposited with the Branch for the branch's interim use. Such funds can be returned to the congregation when requested. If a congregation is planning to buy property for a new KH (With the blessing of the LDC), these saved funds are sent to the Branch, on deposit, until they are needed locally, and they are then returned on request.  Individuals can also participate in providing temporary funds to the Branch for their interim use and those funds will be returned on request.

Having these funds on hand provides millions of dollars of operating funds for day to day theocratic business, in much the same manner as banks use your deposit for operating expenses as well as keeping assets at a required level.

Excess congregation funds are sent as a contribution to the World Wide Work. Locally we passed a resolution to provide a five figure contribution to the World Wide Work at our last midweek meeting.