Watchtower - study edition - July 2022

[Doug]

3 hours ago, luisenriquereyes said:

Another excellent illustration to add to my album.  Here is my album of the giant image from Daniel chapter 2 in our publications throughout the years:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/i3EBGzcXgjtC3Dn47

The latest image is a composite of the massive tree,  wild beast with harlot astride, and the four horsemen !!!

[BLEmom]

8 minutes ago, Doug said:

Yes. Something that has bothered me is when the brother praying at the end of the meeting throws in one more point of counsel as a reminder.  Sometimes the brother gets so far off track in his prayer that he uses Jehovah's name in the third-person. Although he is speaking TO Jehovah !!!

And the bit about not making announcements in the prayer.  Announcements can jolt a congregation.  For example, announcing that so-and-so died, praying for their family, can be a shock during the prayer!   A brother needs to use discretion. Making announcements is showing off, about having insider information.

I just spoke with my husband about these things!  So glad an article is coming up about it. 

[Old]

Elder bodies as a whole are very reluctant to counsel one another. We had a 5 minute closing prayer last night. Every thing he said was appropriate for a private prayer. I thought he was going to include the names all the brothers incarcerated in Russia. 

I was zooming from home, my wife was at the KH, complained when she got home, not about the content of the prayer, she wouldn't do that, but did complain that her weak leg was about give out from prolong standing in one place. I was sitting down or I too would have felt the need to move around.

 

Brothers, particularly need to review counsel that applies to  their duties. 

[AH173]

21 minutes ago, Doug said:

Sometimes the brother gets so far off track in his prayer that he uses Jehovah's name in the third-person.

Wow. Praying in behalf of the congregation and speaking to Him in the 3rd person?! 

 

I didn't think that it would be possible. I guess with prayer (to Jehovah), anything is possible. Lol 

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by AH173
Correction

[Br. Ice]

1 hour ago, Dustparticle said:

 

 A little homework on page 6 with the flags on the bottom left hand corner. Left to right. 1. European Union? 2. Canada 3. Japan 4. USA 5. Italy 6? 7? 8. Britain. 9. France. Any thoughts or corrections?

I believe 6. Is European Union.

 

1. ???

[Doug]

4 minutes ago, Old said:

Elder bodies as a whole are very reluctant to counsel one another. 

I suppose it's human nature.  If one is counseled,  he will be looking for an opportunity to 'return the favor'.  And it can get out of control.

 

I have always believed the deference elders show to one another publicly was more for the benefit of their image than reality.

[Sofia]

6 hours ago, cme said:

Sofia, I realized that if the count of the 144,000 is still not complete then, there can be another memorial next year.  These that come in at a later hour will have to partake of the emblems.  Any opinions?

like  @jayrtom   has written, the article was written months ago...we dont know what has happened meanwhile. Has anything happened this memorial? We dont know. Things are happening very fast. Expect the unexpected, keep on the watch  

[Doug]

4 minutes ago, AH173 said:

Wow. Praying in behalf of the congregation and speaking to Him in the 3rd person?! 

 

I didn't think that it would be possible. 

It happens from time-to-time.   The brothers train of thought shifts to speaking to the congregation.  He might say in his prayer "And may we never forget that Jehovah will take care of all our needs".  Or, "Help us to put on the new personality because we know it pleases Jehovah if we do."

[Dustparticle]

I wonder if the first flag belong to Australia?

[Susan Cook]

5 hours ago, carlos said:

Susan, it was not a statement. After mentioning that, sister Carmen asked: "Any opinions?". So she suggested something and asked for opinions. That's all that's being discussed here, possibilities, thoughts, opinions.

It was a statement.. thx

[Michał]

2 hours ago, Old said:

Elder bodies as a whole are very reluctant to counsel one another. We had a 5 minute closing prayer last night. Every thing he said was appropriate for a private prayer. I thought he was going to include the names all the brothers incarcerated in Russia. 

I was zooming from home, my wife was at the KH, complained when she got home, not about the content of the prayer, she wouldn't do that, but did complain that her weak leg was about give out from prolong standing in one place. I was sitting down or I too would have felt the need to move around.

 

Brothers, particularly need to review counsel that applies to  their duties. 

It must have been a very short song 😉

I like what the article said about timing. That both song and prayer are usually allocated for 5 minutes.
 

When the prayer is especially long I can see it’s very difficult for my children to focus. I feel a little sad that the joyous and dignified occasion can be turned into a burden for them. But GB knows about it and we have articles like that. 😀

[Michał]

Iron-clay feet. I think the pictures presents current world affairs.

 

The flags belong to G7:

• US
• UK
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Canada
• Japan

+ 2 other organizations:

• EU (number one)
• NATO or UN (too difficult for me to recognize)?

 

[AH173]

2 hours ago, Old said:

Elder bodies as a whole are very reluctant to counsel one another.

Maybe assign to the auxiliary counselor. 

 

2 hours ago, Doug said:

It happens from time-to-time.   The brothers train of thought shifts to speaking to the congregation.  He might say in his prayer "And may we never forget that Jehovah will take care of all our needs".  Or, "Help us to put on the new personality because we know it pleases Jehovah if we do."

 

[Jay D]

The study articles are very interesting, they begin in September, and speak of the Governing Body updates and the recent pandemic in the past tense.

Anyone noticed this?

 

Paragraph 14 in the study article:

Support Our Overseer Jesus

 

Jesus provides wise direction in times of crisis. The benefits of that direction were evident when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. While many in the world were uncertain about what course to take, Jesus made sure that we received clear guidance to keep us safe. We were encouraged to wear face coverings when out in public and to practice physical distancing. The elders were reminded to maintain regular contact with all in the congregation and to be aware of their physical and spiritual needs. (Isa. 32:1, 2)

 

We received additional direction and encouragement by means of Governing Body updates.

 

___

Further paragraphs carry on speaking in the past tense. I believe from this that the Organization views the pandemic overall to be over in the sense that now is the time to get back to preaching as we used to, now is the time to meet at Kingdom Halls as we used to.

I know some will try and correct me and beg to differ which is reasonable to assume, but I'm almost certain I'm right...

Come back to me in September onwards if I'm right!!

 

 

 

[Sofia]

2 hours ago, Michał said:

Iron-clay feet. I think the pictures presents current world affairs.

 

The flags belong to G7:

• US
• UK
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Canada
• Japan

+ 2 other organizations:

• EU (number one)
• NATO or UN (too difficult for me to recognize)?

 

on the left it´s the UNSC:

1 hour ago, Jay D said:

recent pandemic in the past tense

yes! I have noticed that. As if the pandemic was overcome...

[GeordieGirl]

14 hours ago, Parale said:

As other's have said, it was available on the official JW website, via the Watchtower Online Library section.

 

If you want to see the program listings for the forthcoming 2022 convention - days / times / talk titles / scriptures - then download this 🙂

 

 

 

Thank you.  Because of a bit of a family issue I somehow missed out on the early posts about this. Brother Richard has kindly sorted it out for me.

 

Thank you for that link.  I will enjoy reviewing the talks. 😊

[jayrtom]

I don't think talking about the pandemic in the past tense has any meaning...

The article mentions the moment when it started, and when it would be easy to be lost, affraid and lonely. But at the time the updates where a valuable help, and all the things we started doing, like meeting by zoom, and writing letters.

It makes sense talking in the past because meanwhile we weren't struggling anymore and we used the changes as if a natural setting

Edited April 21, 2022 by jayrtom

[jayrtom]

 

12 hours ago, AH173 said:

Wow. Praying in behalf of the congregation and speaking to Him in the 3rd person?! 

 

I didn't think that it would be possible. I guess with prayer (to Jehovah), anything is possible. Lol 

 

You're right! Remember that video of Br Samuel Herd reccounting when a brother was so confused that he prayed TO Jesus instead of Jehovah?

 

12 hours ago, Doug said:

I suppose it's human nature.  If one is counseled,  he will be looking for an opportunity to 'return the favor'.  And it can get out of control.

Neither of those whould be fitted to offer prayer in behalf of the congregation

12 hours ago, Doug said:

I have always believed the deference elders show to one another publicly was more for the benefit of their image than reality.

There should be no deference between Elders. We have clear instructions and there is a role in the BOE which is the auxiliary counselor, whose is job is exactly that - To offer counsel to fellow elders and ministerial servants over his parts, including prayers

 

Quote

*** w21 August p. 24 Find Joy in the Privileges You Have ***
EXPRESSION EXPLAINED: The auxiliary counselor is an elder assigned to give private counsel as needed to elders and ministerial servants regarding any speaking assignments they may handle in the congregation.
https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2021525&srctype=wol&srcid=share&par=39

 

[Anthony]

On 4/20/2022 at 4:49 PM, Jay D said:

The study articles are very interesting, they begin in September, and speak of the Governing Body updates and the recent pandemic in the past tense.

Anyone noticed this?

 

Paragraph 14 in the study article:

Support Our Overseer Jesus

 

Jesus provides wise direction in times of crisis. The benefits of that direction were evident when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. While many in the world were uncertain about what course to take, Jesus made sure that we received clear guidance to keep us safe. We were encouraged to wear face coverings when out in public and to practice physical distancing. The elders were reminded to maintain regular contact with all in the congregation and to be aware of their physical and spiritual needs. (Isa. 32:1, 2)

 

We received additional direction and encouragement by means of Governing Body updates.

 

___

Further paragraphs carry on speaking in the past tense. I believe from this that the Organization views the pandemic overall to be over in the sense that now is the time to get back to preaching as we used to, now is the time to meet at Kingdom Halls as we used to.

I know some will try and correct me and beg to differ which is reasonable to assume, but I'm almost certain I'm right...

Come back to me in September onwards if I'm right!!

 

 

 

I noticed this too, but if you go back, all of our written comments about the pandemic (ie last years’ watchtower articles) speak about the pandemic in past tense. It did not mean then that they thought the pandemic was over, nor does it mean it now. I think the purpose is since we don’t know when the pandemic will end, it would appear kind of odd to speak about them in present tense for future articles. 

Edited April 22, 2022 by Anthony