2024 Governing Body Update #2

[Stormswift]

14 hours ago, Tortuga said:

I have some dress shirts with collars that have ...uhhh...shrunk. They are too tight to wear buttoned but now I can wear them unbuttoned.. 

You need a new washing machine ... or ... 🤔 

[Stormswift]

6 hours ago, Leslie.m said:

At our meeting today, roving mics / AV didn’t have jackets or ties. Platform attendant had both. Hall attendant had a jacket / no tie…

All our brothers had ties and jackets except for 2. I was on Audio/visual and asked an elder if I needed to weara skirt when doing this. He said he's not sure as it's not been clarified yet. So I'm good to err on the side of caution until it is.

[Stormswift]

2 hours ago, Thomas Walker said:

In my territory, there are plenty of suburbs where people will just not answer the door to someone in a suit and tie. Is it someone from the Council? A landlord? A Cop? Someone sent by Child Support, or to solicit money?

 

If nothing else, it'll shake up the territory a little.

Yeah ... My hubby and his partner, driving a dark blue holden commodore wearing blue shirts and a tie, approached a farmhouse. Not a soul! Lots of undrunken beer though scattered around the porch. We reckon they thought they were police and scarpered.

Edited March 17 by Stormswift

[pholmes38]

8 hours ago, Leslie.m said:

It would be the course of love to correct someone immediately if they are too casual - this will prevent them from continuing to make a wrong judgment and will also “adjust onlookers” so that we all don’t become too casual…

Tend to agree

Gal 6:1

 

[Jimi-L]

I’d say this reform was actually already expected, many of us here expected and i suppose many other brothers/sisters too, just like with the beard case, and undoubtedly there will be many changes —concerning our beliefs and practices — in the next few years. At least if we expect biblical accuracy for various practices. For example, the changes in reporting our service stem specifically from the fact that the Bible does not command to report it the way we used to (although some reporting is very convient and important for the necessary facts the GB need so its only understandable thus important) Even in ancient Israel, there was no separate priest or king's official overseeing the tithes. There are also no detailed instructions on how to dress, only indicative ones. (eg 1 Tim 2:9, Deut. 22:5).

Changes are not as easy for everyone. My grandmother said she was a bit how do you say it.... 

leery? Uncomfortable? Let us remember its not wrong to stick to the old ways, and we understand for some of us  these changes can be challenging and it may take time to get used to them…  ❣️

Edited March 17 by Jimi-L

[Sepie93]

Yesterday, I spoke with some elders in my congregation, and it was a very good conversation about the recent changes.
We have been so used in the organization to have certain "black and white" reasoning, "allowed - not allowed," etc. But with this update, the GB is really saying: brothers and sisters, use your own conscience and sound reasoning.

The elders were also very, very careful when we spoke about "correcting" brothers about their clothes. One said: am I posting my personal opinion about what I think is casual or not? My opinion is not more important or even true than the opinion of a brother or sister in the congregation. Of course, there are boundaries, but we as elders have to be even more careful now not to put our own opinion on the friends, because we were used to think in a certain way.

I really loved to taste the humility of these brothers

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-S911B met Tapatalk

[Keep Fighting]

8 hours ago, carlos said:

Rune, I am not sure I am understanding your point.

You dont have to understand me just love me moore. 💙

[Amygdala]

53 minutes ago, Sepie93 said:

Yesterday, I spoke with some elders in my congregation, and it was a very good conversation about the recent changes.
We have been so used in the organization to have certain "black and white" reasoning, "allowed - not allowed," etc. But with this update, the GB is really saying: brothers and sisters, use your own conscience and sound reasoning.

 

That reminds me of here in Germany back in 2006+. A few sisters in surrounding German congregations were wearing trousers out in the ministry. They were mostly older sisters, too. But the trend hit the younger ones, and sometimes we wore it even the summer. The slacks were very dignified, and made sense in the winter. It was addressed at the time by our local CO, and I would tend to think that would have been communicated to the local branch, then headquarters, but the trend just seemed to die off on it’s own. 

 

So here we are 18 years later. The timing to me seems more evident now, though, compared to 18 years ago. It seems like everything is lining up in accord with the way the situation of the world is developing and the need to be more cautious.

 

For those who might have received unsavoury reactions in the past, we have to remember that Jehovah’s chariot has eyes all around it’s wheels. When things need changing, He makes those things happen at the right time. Keeping up with the chariot, though, is important. Obedience to whatever direction and whatever instructions we were given in the past was important to following in the lead of the chariot. Even if there were a few bumps along the way.

[Stormswift]

My homework: 

To study the original songs and publication pictures closer to see what other leaked (accidentally or not) future updates I can see.

[Robinson]

15 hours ago, MullumMiss said:

a question:

What do you think of jeans for sisters?

I would think not. I think some sisters are confused. If you do a google image search for slacks for women, it can help you to see what 99% of them look like. 

[MichiganMan]

I guess for the USA mainland territory it would probably not be a good idea. I have been seeing Hawaiian Pidgin on Jw stream for many months and enjoy how they give public talks in their nice Hawaiian aloha shirts. From public talks, to watchtower conductor and brothers having other meeting parts all have those shirts. I would hope that the counsel was not too much.
 
They just had a local needs last week about dress and grooming for their congregation that streamed last week or two ago.

South Florida “Hawaiian shirts” can be considered dressy being worn at high-end restaurants where tie and jackets would be the norm in Michigan.


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[Sofia]

2 hours ago, Stormswift said:

My homework: 

To study the original songs and publication pictures closer to see what other leaked (accidentally or not) future updates I can see.

I advise you to watch frame by frame this: https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=1014367&srcid=share

 

a lot we can learn from this one 😉

[LeolaRootStew]

On 1/18/2024 at 5:08 PM, LeolaRootStew said:

 

you can ditch ties when women can wear pants. deal?

 

 

Bethel is watching.

 

The next update might already be in this chat.

 

Edited March 17 by LeolaRootStew

[LeolaRootStew]

20 minutes ago, Sofia said:

I advise you to watch frame by frame this: https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=1014367&srcid=share

 

a lot we can learn from this one 😉

 

1:38 The little girl on the left has a semi-backless dress (what will we consider appropriate?) and the resurrected are being brought in by boats from another location. Another brother has a list (we will always be organized).

 

1:45 The brothers are studying with Joseph, but...they don't have any study books, just diagrams and Bibles. (what does this say about how we will teach?)

 

What do you see?

Edited March 17 by LeolaRootStew

[Friends just call me Ross]

This link plays the song but there is no video.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=1014367&srcid=share

 

Cannot watch frame by frame because there is just one non-moving pic of two women hugging.  

 

Okay.  I scrolled down and saw the click on the video option. 👍

 

Video link:

https://www.jw.org/en/library/music-songs/original-songs/peace-at-last-2022-convention-song/?content=video

Edited March 17 by Friends just call me Ross

[Tortuga]

38 minutes ago, LeolaRootStew said:

 

Bethel is watching.

 

The next update might already be in this chat.

 

[Dustparticle]

I seeing sisters wearing Bell Bottom pants at the KH. The brothers might as well put the song The Hustle by Van McCoy before the meeting start.

[JudyO]

On 3/15/2024 at 3:02 PM, Landon1285 said:

1 meeting per week? Midweek Meeting optional? 

Hmmm... maybe not with the whole "Hebrews 10: 24" thing.....but what about Midweek meetings in homes? Like the old book studies were. 

[truce]

On 3/16/2024 at 3:03 AM, Marilyn Martyr said:

Wow really big changes. The last time a big change happened, that I remember at least, was when they got rid of the 15 minute break before the Watchtower and that break was so others could smoke. The last time I remember it happened was in the early 70’s I was only 7. Anybody old enough to remember?  Now we know that’s not acceptable, but so much has changed then. It really shows how much Jehovah cares for us. 

Eeeeeeewwwww.... How did they endure the stench around each other after the 15 minutes was over? The smell of cigarette on their breath, hair, clothes.... And still have to sit through another 1 hour of meeting after stinking up the place. Those were odd times. 

[JudyO]

On 3/15/2024 at 7:50 PM, Fiona said:

Ok. This is what I have decided on. Sort of skirt/pants.

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What are these called? I could definitely do these!

[Luisabola]

We had some beautiful examples of trousers for a few of our sisters in our meeting yesterday. Black trousers with a tucked in black shirt and heels. Then another sister wore wide leg black trousers with a red blouse. And yet another sister wore a jumpsuit which was tailored look. They looked so chic and modest. No brothers not wearing ties or jackets though, but that could have been because it was the special talk. We will keep an eye on it. It’s so lovely! Exciting times to be living in. I can’t wait to tell my sister and dad in the resurrection that sisters were allowed to wear trousers, brothers did have to wear ties and could grow beards! 

[JudyO]

On 3/15/2024 at 9:03 PM, Marilyn Martyr said:

Wow really big changes. The last time a big change happened, that I remember at least, was when they got rid of the 15 minute break before the Watchtower and that break was so others could smoke. The last time I remember it happened was in the early 70’s I was only 7. Anybody old enough to remember?  Now we know that’s not acceptable, but so much has changed then. It really shows how much Jehovah cares for us. 

Is THAT what that break was for? I thought it was so that me and the other little ones could go outside and run off some of that energy!

[Sofia]

7 minutes ago, JudyO said:

What are these called? I could definitely do these!

Culottes 

[jwnate]

One congregation I went to kept a hat in the coatroom in case a sister needed to do something like conduct the meeting for field service. I wonder if any halls will start keeping a tie and jacket in the coatroom in case a brother needs to fill in with something on the platform. 

[Abigail]

3 hours ago, Sofia said:

I advise you to watch frame by frame this: https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=1014367&srcid=share

 

a lot we can learn from this one 😉

 

Barely a skirt in sight ...