2024 Governing Body Update #3

[Jwanon]

On 5/1/2024 at 3:42 PM, Qapla said:

Perhaps updates on how the "Special" forms of ministry are doing - Prison, Harbor, Special Metro ...

 

I'd love that

[Mike047]

1 hour ago, Mike047 said:

It is better for us to keep well within the directives given us than skirt around the edges. 

No pun intended on the word 'skirt'

[Hope]

5 hours ago, Sheep said:

Personally, I have observed (in my congregation, at least) that there seems to be a higher proportion of brothers wearing beards than the men in the world! We've gone from no beards... to beards galore! Exactly what is it that happened? Maybe with the request to prayerfully reflect on what is proper grooming in respect to beards, perhaps some will decide they didn't want a beard after all.

 

(like... they were just following the crowd up until now...?)

 

It may be regional. Where I live there are far fewer men without beards than with. The brothers look great.  And in the area I grew up - predominantly Black - most of the brothers are wearing beards because shaving is genuinely painful and often scarring to them. I don't think it's "following the crowd" as much as reveling in the way Jehovah created men's faces.. 😊

[jwhess]

1 hour ago, Hope said:

 

It may be regional. Where I live there are far fewer men without beards than with. The brothers look great.  And in the area I grew up - predominantly Black - most of the brothers are wearing beards because shaving is genuinely painful and often scarring to them. I don't think it's "following the crowd" as much as reveling in the way Jehovah created men's faces.. 😊

It is rare that I get to comment on a "gender" based issue where I am the gender being discussed.  Everyone will decide how to groom according to preference, sincere fore-thought and conscience.  But I personally do not want a beard, even though I grew one for a year or so in the late 70's.  So I do not "revel" in the thought of beard maintenance...sorry.

[Hope]

1 hour ago, jwhess said:

It is rare that I get to comment on a "gender" based issue where I am the gender being discussed.  Everyone will decide how to groom according to preference, sincere fore-thought and conscience.  But I personally do not want a beard, even though I grew one for a year or so in the late 70's.  So I do not "revel" in the thought of beard maintenance...sorry.

 

😊 You may be one of the fortunate men who don't suffer physical pain from shaving.. and that's wonderful. Many brothers I know have sacrificed in very real ways to uphold a cleanshaven appearance. They are reveling 🧔🏻‍♂️

[truce]

1 hour ago, jwhess said:

It is rare that I get to comment on a "gender" based issue where I am the gender being discussed.  Everyone will decide how to groom according to preference, sincere fore-thought and conscience.  But I personally do not want a beard, even though I grew one for a year or so in the late 70's.  So I do not "revel" in the thought of beard maintenance...sorry.

Brother John @jwhess I'd like to hear the background story surrounding your growing a beard in the late 70s... Wasn't that the period when you were serving as a young Congregation servant somewhere in the rural United States?

[jwhess]

55 minutes ago, truce said:

Brother John @jwhess I'd like to hear the background story surrounding your growing a beard in the late 70s... Wasn't that the period when you were serving as a young Congregation servant somewhere in the rural United States?

It is a 50 year old story.  I was Pioneering in 1965.  I was moved several times by our Society to different congregations.  I married my wife and fellow pioneer in 1970.  We were moved on to 3 other congregations in middle-north Indiana, USA.  We had 2 children and after the 2nd we had to stop pioneering.  I was in the first group who became what we now call "elders" in 1972-1973.

 

After a few years it became a bit much and I stopped pioneering and quit being an elder.  So just before I returned to Cleveland, Ohio in 1978-1979, I let my 'mutton-chop sideburns grow into a beard.  I had it for a year or so and then shaved it off.  I kept my mustache at the time but later when I moved to the farm.  I shaved it off as well.  I have been clean-shaven for a little over 40 years now.

 

I returned to pioneering in 1984 but had to quit when I was employed full-time.  Then when I retired in 2014, I began pioneering full-time once again.  It is my fourth time.  I was reappointed as an elder in the late 1980's.

WOW, I got 60 years in 3 paragraphs...💗

 

ps. Thanks for asking, it brought back some memories.

Edited May 4 by jwhess

[truce]

9 hours ago, jwhess said:

It is a 50 year old story.  I was Pioneering in 1965.  I was moved several times by our Society to different congregations.  I married my wife and fellow pioneer in 1970.  We were moved on to 3 other congregations in middle-north Indiana, USA.  We had 2 children and after the 2nd we had to stop pioneering.  I was in the first group who became what we now call "elders" in 1972-1973.

 

After a few years it became a bit much and I stopped pioneering and quit being an elder.  So just before I returned to Cleveland, Ohio in 1978-1979, I let my 'mutton-chop sideburns grow into a beard.  I had it for a year or so and then shaved it off.  I kept my mustache at the time but later when I moved to the farm.  I shaved it off as well.  I have been clean-shaven for a little over 40 years now.

 

I returned to pioneering in 1984 but had to quit when I was employed full-time.  Then when I retired in 2014, I began pioneering full-time once again.  It is my fourth time.  I was reappointed as an elder in the late 1980's.

WOW, I got 60 years in 3 paragraphs...💗

 

ps. Thanks for asking, it brought back some memories.

Thanks for sharing. 

[RedRob]

On 5/2/2024 at 10:11 AM, Tortuga said:

That was clarified this week by a letter to the elders in the US. Don't get rid of the tie and jacket yet 

Interestingly, the Canadian letter did not include the same directives as the US.  Our A/V departments can still operate without jackets and ties

Edited May 9 by RedRob

[AH173]

Wow, Canada is just across Lake Erie. 

 

So close for the change. 

[Ms. Piffle]

We had a sister wear slacks for her part (householder) yesterday evening. I was surprised to see that.  

[hatcheckgirl]

3 hours ago, Ms. Piffle said:

We had a sister wear slacks for her part (householder) yesterday evening. I was surprised to see that.  

Maybe she was a fill-in?
Or, maybe it takes a while for some to catch on.  Jesus will clear it up.  That Update is going to be shown in place of the local needs part for week of May 13 (over here, and I assume worldwide?)

[Ms. Piffle]

Yeah, she was scheduled to be the householder.  I'm not upset about it.  I was surprised and truthfully a little disappointed.  But I took it to Jehovah and feel much better about it.   We are all a work in progress, that's for sure.  Jehovah will help us all adjust.  And like you said, Jesus will clear it up.  This was a good opportunity for me to examine my reaction, my attitude and make adjustments.  It's all good. 

[Abigail]

8 hours ago, Ms. Piffle said:

Yeah, she was scheduled to be the householder.  I'm not upset about it.  I was surprised and truthfully a little disappointed.  But I took it to Jehovah and feel much better about it.   We are all a work in progress, that's for sure.  Jehovah will help us all adjust.  And like you said, Jesus will clear it up.  This was a good opportunity for me to examine my reaction, my attitude and make adjustments.  It's all good. 

 

Well householders in real life could be wearing anything ... 

[Abigail]

8 hours ago, Ms. Piffle said:

Yeah, she was scheduled to be the householder.  I'm not upset about it.  I was surprised and truthfully a little disappointed.  But I took it to Jehovah and feel much better about it.   We are all a work in progress, that's for sure.  Jehovah will help us all adjust.  And like you said, Jesus will clear it up.  This was a good opportunity for me to examine my reaction, my attitude and make adjustments.  It's all good. 

 

Plus the householder is not presenting the part. Does that help any?

[Jwanon]

I wasn't wearing a tie for my part last meeting because I was the householder

Edited May 10 by Jwanon

[Mike047]

We are applying the principle in a way that encourages all brothers on the platform, for whatever reason, to wear ties.

 

I have noticed that there can be a degree of disrespect if an appointed man, especially an elder, comes to the meeting without a tie.

 

 

[hatcheckgirl]

6 hours ago, Mike047 said:

there can be a degree of disrespect if an appointed man, especially an elder, comes to the meeting without a tie.

Really? I’m surprised it’s such a hard thing to accept. Another update needed for those who lean too far on the curmudgeon side?😂

 

We only need to wear a tie/jacket for brothers on “duty” as per the update, and sisters, if you’re on the stage we wear skirt/dress. Not. Hard.

 

And stop this insidious judging already 🙄

[Tortuga]

7 hours ago, Mike047 said:

We are applying the principle in a way that encourages all brothers on the platform, for whatever reason, to wear ties.

 

I have noticed that there can be a degree of disrespect if an appointed man, especially an elder, comes to the meeting without a tie.

 

 

Have a supply of these handy for anyone that doesn't have a tie and is asked to give a part. 

[Kwabena]

Side question here.

 

Is anyone here who lives in Israel? If so, have you seen brother wearing a yamulke before? Or any sister in one of the Arabic countries wearing a hijab before? 

[Jwanon]

1 hour ago, Kwabena said:

Side question here.

 

Is anyone here who lives in Israel? If so, have you seen brother wearing a yamulke before? Or any sister in one of the Arabic countries wearing a hijab before? 

 

I have seen photos/videos of sisters in Pakistan wearing a head covering but I don't know if it's specifically a hijab or not

[Dages]

3 hours ago, Kwabena said:

have you seen brother wearing a yamulke before

I don't think that would be appropriate

[MullumMiss]

We had our CACO yesterday and my husband who is in the attendant department was asked to wear a tie and jacket.  His assignment is chairs and kicks in at the end to ensure all chairs are placed/straightened according to the plan and he didn’t wear his jacket while we straightened the chairs.  All platform/AV bros had ties and jackets.  All auditorium attendants had jackets etc but a couple had no tie.  

For me personally I like seeing these brothers dressed in suits and ties.  

[Kwabena]

1 hour ago, Dages said:

I don't think that would be appropriate

Is it a purely religious think or a cultural thing?

[blue-jay]

On 5/10/2024 at 12:46 PM, Mike047 said:

 

I have noticed that there can be a degree of disrespect if an appointed man, especially an elder, comes to the meeting without a tie.

 

 

 

Looks like someone needs an attitude adjustment. 

And it's not the brother that's not wearing the tie...