GB Update #4

[Tortuga]

8 minutes ago, Dustparticle said:

I am seeing not going back to the halls this year.

A lot can happen in the next 5 months..

[Dustparticle]

33 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

A lot can happen in the next 5 months..

You are right and it is gotten crazy worldwide. I think the brothers will take all matters into consideration before opening up and it takes time to do this. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57760883

[Tortuga]

LDC still has January 1 2022 as a target date to resume all projects at full speed. The US Branch resumed meeting and working together two weeks ago. So I'm pretty sure we will resume meeting together sometime between now and 1/1/22..😁

[trottigy]

I posted this somewhere else, but it fits here too:

 

The part of this that I have an issue (not sure the right word here is: struggle, dislike, irritation, bother - all of them?) with is - I notice some who say "we are never going back" seem to be saying "I am never going back" and they just don't want to be the only one who doesn't go back. I believe the motivation for some is - I like not having to get dressed, drive (to and from) and I never really liked being around a bunch of people anyway (for whatever reason).

 

That's not good! We need our global brotherhood! We need intimate interaction with our brothers and sisters! We need more support than we can get with just a phone call or zoom meeting!

 

Do we now know how to meet without a hall now? Yep, but should we indefinitely REGARDLESS of whether it is safe or not? NO. Once it is reasonably safe to meet again - and it should be sooner rather than later - we really NEED to.

[Dustparticle]

32 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

LDC still has January 1 2022 as a target date to resume all projects at full speed. The US Branch resumed meeting and working together two weeks ago. So I'm pretty sure we will resume meeting together sometime between now and 1/1/22..😁

That is good. But it will NOT be all around my brother. We having lockdowns and waves around the world. And we will have problems of friends going back to the halls.

[Miss Bea]

19 minutes ago, trottigy said:

I posted this somewhere else, but it fits here too:

 

The part of this that I have an issue (not sure the right word here is: struggle, dislike, irritation, bother - all of them?) with is - I notice some who say "we are never going back" seem to be saying "I am never going back" and they just don't want to be the only one who doesn't go back. I believe the motivation for some is - I like not having to get dressed, drive (to and from) and I never really liked being around a bunch of people anyway (for whatever reason).

 

That's not good! We need our global brotherhood! We need intimate interaction with our brothers and sisters! We need more support than we can get with just a phone call or zoom meeting!

 

Do we now know how to meet without a hall now? Yep, but should we indefinitely REGARDLESS of whether it is safe or not? NO. Once it is reasonably safe to meet again - and it should be sooner rather than later - we really NEED to.

I totally agree with you. My selfish self says, “I love Zoom”. My selfish, lazy self. One of the brothers shared some of the instructions for when we do open the halls again. Cleanliness-wise. I started thinking.
This may be a test for all of us. (Putting on dress shoes again!) no coffee when you feel you need it. My cat sleeping in my lap, during the meeting, looking out at trees, dogs, birds…

I’m questioning my driving ability, at night. (I’ll depend on Jehovah to let me know on that on)

But, we know Jehovah knows what we need. Real human contact. With our brothers and sisters, Interactions with those at the doors, (not a click on the phone) 

I think a lot of our response will be, put simply, how much we want to please Jehovah, and work with the his organization. 

[Dustparticle]

1 hour ago, Miss Bea said:

I totally agree with you. My selfish self says, “I love Zoom”. My selfish, lazy self. One of the brothers shared some of the instructions for when we do open the halls again. Cleanliness-wise. I started thinking.
This may be a test for all of us. (Putting on dress shoes again!) no coffee when you feel you need it. My cat sleeping in my lap, during the meeting, looking out at trees, dogs, birds…

I’m questioning my driving ability, at night. (I’ll depend on Jehovah to let me know on that on)

But, we know Jehovah knows what we need. Real human contact. With our brothers and sisters, Interactions with those at the doors, (not a click on the phone) 

I think a lot of our response will be, put simply, how much we want to please Jehovah, and work with the his organization. 

If you reverse this, it could be a test of going back to ZOOM if things get bad again. Time always tell. 

[jwhess]

A note about Bethel sites (or other special venues).  They operate under special rules and include things about vaccinations that are NOT currently part of the general population and the directions for the public (at the present).  So it is not really an "apples-to-apples" comparison.

[On the huh]

We can't compare what is happening at bethels with the rest of us.  For one thing, living and working at Bethel is a much more controlled environment.  They have been living with much tighter lockdown rules than the general population.

 

I was talking to someone today, and they asked if we will be going back to our "church"  on July 19th (the day all restrictions will be lifted in England).  I said we don't know when it will be.  It's getting to explain to others why when others are meeting together.

 

It got me thinking, and have read the many posts on this forum about the subject, the pros and cons, the for's and against's of going back to the halls and ministry.  But it really is not our decision.  It is the GB to make that decision.  It is a heavy responsibility.  The Governing Body must be praying about it every day and discerning Jehovah's answer.  It does make wonder why it seems that Jehovah is saying "not yet".  We need to pray also for our brothers as they make these decisions.

 

Jehovah knows what is best for us, and he will know when it the best time to return to our halls.  I am thankful for the guidance and support that Jehovah has given us throughout the pandemic.  Not going to stop now.

[Sofia]

9 hours ago, Dustparticle said:

I am seeing not going back to the halls this year.

Agree with you

[Sofia]

4 hours ago, Miss Bea said:

I totally agree with you. My selfish self says, “I love Zoom”. My selfish, lazy self. One of the brothers shared some of the instructions for when we do open the halls again. Cleanliness-wise. I started thinking.
This may be a test for all of us. (Putting on dress shoes again!) no coffee when you feel you need it. My cat sleeping in my lap, during the meeting, looking out at trees, dogs, birds…

I’m questioning my driving ability, at night. (I’ll depend on Jehovah to let me know on that on)

But, we know Jehovah knows what we need. Real human contact. With our brothers and sisters, Interactions with those at the doors, (not a click on the phone) 

I think a lot of our response will be, put simply, how much we want to please Jehovah, and work with the his organization. 

This is NOT going to happen

not just now

perhaps in the future 

not now

1 hour ago, On the huh said:

Jehovah knows what is best for us, and he will know when it the best time to return to our halls.

Like he told Noah when it was safe to leave the ark

it was not when Noah thought it was safe

Jehovah closed the door

Jehovah opened it 370 days after

[Tortuga]

On 6/23/2021 at 10:36 PM, jscotchie said:

While I don’t serve at a US branch facility, I have a friend who works in the kitchen at Wallkill and he has mentioned that same figure, 98% of the US Bethel family are vaccinated. This week, the following things were put in place for those who are fully vaccinated: 

 

• No more mandatory mask wearing indoors

• Hugging and shaking hands is permitted

• The option to work from home or in an office

• Lunch served each day from the dining room; take away is encouraged

• Watchtower Study can be attended in person or watched from home

• Vaccinated or not, no visitors allowed in Bethel and no one is permitted to visit others outside of Bethel

 

Please note, these arrangements are only in place in the US, not in every branch around the world.

The GB Update #6 just confirmed everything that you and I had heard..👍🏻