The Governing Body Announces That Some In-Person Meetings Will Resume in Select Areas

[hatcheckgirl]

4 hours ago, MullumMiss said:

I have spoken with a friend in Perth Australia to see if her congregation was involved.  This is her message in part:

 

Yes, only 3 Congs 
Ours- PCC, North Beach( my parents Cong) & Scarborough Cong. 

 

4 minutes ago, GeordieGirl said:

Really? 😭 I'll swap with you. Maybe they aren't going to announce yours till mid-week meeting? I'm hoping for certain qualifications so I can stay on Zoom a while longer.  It has sent my anxiety into overdrive.

Hey Terri, I’m in your camp - the hoping we can zoom until Armaggedon. But, let’s just see how it goes. You are our guinea pig test case 😹

 

And it seems other congregations North of the River are involved too, as per MullumMiss's post.

Welcome sister Linda to the forum! Waving from Perth 👋. I have family in Sydney too, so understand the great divide 👍. 

[GeordieGirl]

4 hours ago, MullumMiss said:

I have spoken with a friend in Perth Australia to see if her congregation was involved.  This is her message in part:

 

Yes, only 3 Congs 

 

Those are all NOR .  I am SOR but mine is also included and I am sure there are others as well.   It will be interesting to see how many. Maybe 3 NOR and 3 SOR.

Edited October 17, 2021 by GeordieGirl

[GeordieGirl]

3 hours ago, carlos said:

..... Zoom is here to stay. The GB has realized all that you mention there. A lot of friends who often (or always) missed meetings or attended on the phone due to health issues or similar now can have exactly the same activity as anyone: They can comment, have parts at the meeting, go in service... In part the reason for this pilot program of going back to the hall is to test how a hybrid Zoom/in-person meeting works.

Thank you so much for this information Carlos.  It has made me feel so much better. 💖  I expect all this will be covered in the expanded information on Wednesday night. 

Edited October 17, 2021 by GeordieGirl

[bagwell1987]

I am with the ones who want to Zoom. I hope it continues.

[hatcheckgirl]

One thing I was thinking is that we have to take into account government restrictions for spacing in the halls. At this moment, Western Australia is free of covid, so no restrictions at all. But soon the hard internal state border is expected to come down as vaccination rates hit 80%, and the the premier has flagged spacing restrictions and mask wearing as a “soft opening” to minimise the increase in pressure on the hospitals when the covid cases start to rise. So, halls will have to be used at the 4sq metre rule and at lower capacities. That will be interesting.

[Sofia]

18 hours ago, Dages said:

Maybe Portugal, they have a good vaxx rate

nope. We didnt receive the announcement 😉

15 hours ago, halfspanishlee said:

Yippe can't wait 2 the brother's smell cigarette smell on my suits agian 😭😂can't we have zoom just a little while longer 😢😂

Of course we will have zoom as well!

[Sofia]

11 hours ago, Tbs77 said:

...and some wish they were home on Zoom!

yes, me!

10 hours ago, carlos said:

I think a lot of us would prefer to stay with Zoom.

yeeeeeees! and so as all my Bible students 😉 

Edited October 17, 2021 by Sofia

[Sofia]

8 hours ago, Dismal_Bliss said:

Antibodies begin to go down. But your body now retains the information on how to fight a future infection and can produce future antibodies rapidly. Immunity is not dependent on the concentration of antibodies in your blood.

As a Vet I say this is totally correct bro. Thank you for sharing this truth!

[Sofia]

8 hours ago, careful said:

thats good to know..but why do we need boosters????

For medical authorities be able to measure your immunity easily.

Measuring memory T-cells or memory B-cells takes a lot of blood, a lot of time and a lot of money. Not practical at all.

Measuring antibodies is very easy and cheap. Therefore... keep giving boosts to people even if they dont need it. Vast majority actually dont need it....

8 hours ago, BLEmom said:

Sofia is good at explaining this but what I understand is that testing for antibodies the cheap and easy thing to do. So the authorities are just concentrating on that. The antibodies are the front men for fighting infections.
Our body has another memory system the name of which escapes me right now that will produce antibodies when triggered by exposure. 

you are so sweet! ❤️ 

[Sofia]

6 hours ago, Tortuga said:

I'm sure we will eventually get an announcement and it will be very interesting..

just ONE announcemet? oh that will be really interesting!  

6 hours ago, AH173 said:

Oh well.

 

I guess I eventually will have to get used to standing up giving parts and wearing socks and dress shoes to the meeting.

 

Oh the freedom.

It reminds me:  I need to buy some shoes for the in-person meetings  older are goners

[Hinata]

3 minutes ago, Sofia said:

It reminds me:  I need to buy some shoes for the in-person meetings  older are goners

 

That reminds me what some of the sisters used to say the advantages of the Zoom meetings: you no longer need to buy good clothings — just get anything from the wardrobe and it will look okay on the camera. Not anymore if we are going to Kingdom Halls again…

 

[Sofia]

5 hours ago, HoneyflakeT said:

I have the same feelings. I could be pioneering again during the pandemic. It is such a good time for me. I have many health problems and didn‘t miss one single meeting since Zoom.

I was really depressed when I heard this today because I hoped so much that the end would come soon. Now everything seems to be so far away…. And what about my pioneer Service? I can‘t go from door to dir 70 hours but I have no problem to write letters. 
I've always achieved my goal. 
Jehovah will help I Know, but I am really anxious about going to the hall…..

I understand you so well. I pray for you. My feelings are just like yours, but resuming door to door is not in place for the moment, so keep on faith. Jehovah will keep helping you with his strong hand. Zoom is here to stay!

This decision doesnt mean at all that the end is not coming soon! GB doesnt know the date. GB is acting with discretion and faithfullness according to day-to-day circumstances.

Hang in there Sis! The end will come when it´s supposed to come, no matter resuming the meetings ❤️

 

[Sofia]

5 minutes ago, Hinata said:

 

That reminds me what some of the sisters used to say the advantages of the Zoom meetings: you no longer need to buy good clothings — just get anything from the wardrobe and it will look okay on the camera. Not anymore if we are going to Kingdom Halls again…

 

My wardrobe is so small now. I have saved a lot of cash in clothes and shoes these past 20 months. On the other hand, more investments on make up  

Edited October 17, 2021 by Sofia

[GeordieGirl]

45 minutes ago, hatcheckgirl said:

One thing I was thinking is that we have to take into account government restrictions for spacing in the halls. At this moment, Western Australia is free of covid, so no restrictions at all. But soon the hard internal state border is expected to come down as vaccination rates hit 80%, and the the premier has flagged spacing restrictions and mask wearing as a “soft opening” to minimise the increase in pressure on the hospitals when the covid cases start to rise. So, halls will have to be used at the 4sq metre rule and at lower capacities. That will be interesting.

I will put my hand up to stay home and participate on Zoom. 😁  I'm happy to let all the extroverts take over the hall.

[Sofia]

8 minutes ago, GeordieGirl said:

I will put my hand up to stay home and participate on Zoom. 😁  I'm happy to let all the extroverts take over the hall.

amen to that. I second that 

Edited October 17, 2021 by Sofia

[WilliamChew]

4 hours ago, hatcheckgirl said:

One thing I was thinking is that we have to take into account government restrictions for spacing in the halls.

I guess we won't be allowed to mingle and talk to each other before and after the meetings too.

 

Also, it is likely that comments be made with masks on. And the roving microphone will likely be sterilized after each comment?

[Miss Bea]

We still have almost daily deaths from Covid in our area.

Zoom has been such a blessing. Jehovah proved we could even get through a pandemic, and almost not miss a beat. 
We get some from rest homes, and even hospitals. They are able to not only come, but to participate, too. 
I’m loving it. 

[GeordieGirl]

5 hours ago, WilliamChew said:

I guess we won't be allowed to mingle and talk to each other before and after the meetings too.

 

Also, it is likely that comments be made with masks on. And the roving microphone will likely be sterilized after each comment?

At the moment we have no covid and no restrictions here and life has been totally normal for a long time. This is because our premier has kept our borders shut to the rest of the country except for essential servies - and Brother Tony of course.

 

Once our borders open we will have restrictions because Covid is bound to arrive and the premier has said masks and space restrictions will be put in place.  It seems like we're doing everything in reverse here. 🙄🙃

[Qapla]

1 hour ago, GeordieGirl said:

It seems like we're doing everything in reverse here.

 

Well, you are "down-under"  

 

 

Although, it sounds like that area is ahead of the curve when it comes to keeping C-19 in check.

Edited October 17, 2021 by Qapla

[Sofia]

7 hours ago, WilliamChew said:

Also, it is likely that comments be made with masks on. And the roving microphone will likely be sterilized after each comment?

I remember years ago in our older KH

that the micro was held at tip of a stick

when bros and sis commented and touched it that stuff suddenly unplugged 🤣🤣🤣 and no sound 

or loud feedback noise

so the rule was : “ comment but don’t touch please, thank you “

I guess it’s possible to handle micros at tip of stick without anyone touching 😃

[Anthony]

21 hours ago, Dismal_Bliss said:

At the risk of sounding like a stiff-necked Israelite, Zoom is like manna. Sure, it fills the hole, but I sure miss the spiritual banquets we filled up on at the Kingdom Hall.

 

Anybody could tyoe those words at any time or day in the year and it would always be true, lol. 

 

Antibodies begin to go down. But your body now retains the information on how to fight a future infection and can produce future antibodies rapidly. Immunity is not dependent on the concentration of antibodies in your blood.

 

Yes, it will anxious for some, exciting for others. Change is strange for all personality types.

Hilarious 

[Shawnster]

8 hours ago, WilliamChew said:

Also, it is likely that comments be made with masks on. And the roving microphone will likely be sterilized after each comment?

We will use boom mics once we are back to the hall.  The audience should not need to touch the mic

[Loopy]

Shouldn’t b like Mick Jagger and have our lips touching the mic either. 

[Janet Hart]

It will be interesting to see how the pilot program works..... But going forward my husband and I are wondering what will happen if meetings resume and someone from the public wants to attend. Will we turn them away? Will we require a vaccination ID? What if they are not wearing a mask? -- If we have been instructed NOT to study with an individual unless it's on Zoom, then how are we going to sit next to a stranger in the KH? We have a long way to go before we can resume meetings and feel safe doing so. IMO. 

[Qapla]

Dwelling on the negative aspects of the how-to's of meetings resuming does not really serve a useful purpose. I am sure the FDS has thought things out quite thorougly and "all things [will] take place decently and by arrangement" (1 Corinthians 14:40)

 

Instead of wondering how it will be done - why don't we wait until those who participate in these "pilot program" meetings report back to us and get the "facts" - not engage in speculations and possible problems.

 

 

Edited October 17, 2021 by Qapla