Are these brothers still alive?

[SUNRAY]

6 hours ago, grain of mustard said:

Wow, I wanted to remember this brother, does anyone have a link to one of his speeches so I can remember who he is? 

James Cauthon..GG Talk "Counselor or Shepherd

https://www.jw.org/finder?srcid=jwlshare&wtlocale=E&lank=pub-jwb-104_9_VIDEO

[Tortuga]

[grain of mustard]

Will they publish any article about his career? It would be good if they communicated when these brothers who participate in theocratic programs were announced in case they passed away, so everyone can know. 

[truce]

8 hours ago, grain of mustard said:

Will they publish any article about his career? It would be good if they communicated when these brothers who participate in theocratic programs were announced in case they passed away, so everyone can know. 

I absolutely agree. 

[Araujo JW]

On 6/13/2025 at 11:58 PM, Tortuga said:

 

I received this brief information about Brother James Cauthon:

 

About a year ago, he was transferred to the WDC department. A few months ago, he made a visit to Brazil.

Then he was diagnosed with aggressive cancer.
About a month ago, he passed away. The funeral service was two weeks ago.

[cme]

He was a good speaker.  A humble man.  We will see him shortly.  Thanks for the information.

[Andrey]

I really enjoyed listening to his speeches. He was soft in speech and smiling.

[Araujo JW]

I would really like to know more details about your biography.

[Andrey]

JW Broadcasting—June 2018: 144th Gilead Graduation

 

James Cauthon—“Pause and Reset.”

https://www.jw.org/finder?srcid=share&wtlocale=E&lank=pub-jwb_201806_1_VIDEO&ts=00:43:32

[Jwanon]

I know it has been discussed before but I really don't understand why helpers are from the other sheep

 

If members of the Governing Body, who are anointed, come from the helpers committee, why are they from the other sheep?

 

I've thought about it hard and cannot find the answer 

[grain of mustard]

1 hour ago, Jwanon said:

Eu sei que isso já foi discutido antes, mas realmente não entendo por que os ajudantes são das outras ovelhas

 

Se os membros do Corpo Governante, que são ungidos, vêm do comitê de ajudantes, por que eles são das outras ovelhas?

 

Pensei muito sobre isso e não consigo encontrar a resposta 

This is to show that the other sheep support Christ's brothers. John 10:16 also says that Jesus also has other sheep, so counting on their help gives dignity and shows that each one should do their best in the work, which includes caring for all of Jehovah's interests in the preaching work and serving the brothers.  

[Dages]

1 hour ago, Jwanon said:

I know it has been discussed before but I really don't understand why helpers are from the other sheep

 

If members of the Governing Body, who are anointed, come from the helpers committee, why are they from the other sheep?

 

I've thought about it hard and cannot find the answer 

They need the training when the anointed will be no more

[Jwanon]

8 minutes ago, Dages said:

They need the training when the anointed will be no more

 

Okay but does this mean Jehovah has no choice but to anoint one of them if someone is to be appointed on the GB?

 

This is what I don't understand 

Edited July 26 by Jwanon

[grain of mustard]

2 minutes ago, Jwanon said:

 

Certo, mas isso significa que Jeová não tem escolha a não ser ungir um deles se alguém for designado para o CG ?

 

É isso que eu não entendo 

The brothers who were recently appointed to the governing body were not on any committee of helpers. They were anointed and serving in the field or in Bethel departments. Only over time did the governing body assign these brothers to a committee to provide training and get to know them closely.   

[Jwanon]

35 minutes ago, grain of mustard said:

The brothers who were recently appointed to the governing body were not on any committee of helpers. They were anointed and serving in the field or in Bethel departments. Only over time did the governing body assign these brothers to a committee to provide training and get to know them closely.   

 

So they were already anointed before serving as helpers?

[carlos]

13 hours ago, Jwanon said:

Okay but does this mean Jehovah has no choice but to anoint one of them if someone is to be appointed on the GB?

 

Things are not that black and white. 

 

On the one hand, helpers are not necessarily from the other sheep. Most of them are because most Witnesses are, but that's not a requirement. There may be anointed and non-anointed helpers serving together.

 

On the other hand, the GB does not necessarily appoint new members from among the helpers. When they observe an anointed brother who might qualify, they may appoint him as a helper as training. But they also appoint anointed brothers who are not serving as helpers. 

[grain of mustard]

1 hour ago, grain of mustard said:

Os irmãos recentemente nomeados para o corpo governante não faziam parte de nenhuma comissão de ajudantes. Eles eram ungidos e serviam no campo ou em departamentos de Betel. Só com o tempo o corpo governante designou esses irmãos para uma comissão para fornecer treinamento e conhecê-los de perto.   

Of course, being a helper to the governing body is not a requirement for Jehovah to extend the heavenly invitation  

[jdcarlson]

7 hours ago, Jwanon said:

Okay but does this mean Jehovah has no choice but to anoint one of them if someone is to be appointed on the GB?

 

 

The "helpers" to the Governing Body first became publicly announced in the late 1990s.

 

At that time the point was made very clearly that it was entirely possible (or even probable) that there could be a time as the old system is ending when all of the annointed were called to their heavenly duties, and would not be on earth at any time in "the new system." 

 

If that happened, there would need to be someone still on earth who would be able to step in to give direction to Jehovah's organization.

 

Also, immediately after Armageddon there would be a need for ones on earth to direct matters. Jehovah may well have different plans for his earthly organization after Armageddon, but until that arrangement can be fully established, there will need to be ones who know how the organization functions on a world wide basis, and they need to be ones that are known by Branch Committees around the world so the Branch Committees will know the direction they receive is truly from Jehovah.

 

If "helpers" to the Governing Body were of the annointed, that would defeat the whole purpose of appointing the helpers. Some helpers might be of the annointed, but they would not be available after all of the annointed were called to their heavenly duties.

 

There is no "rule" as to whether "helpers" to the Governing Body must be of the annointed. But, there is also no rule that one must spend time as a "helper" before that one is appointed to the Governing Body.

 

There is a "Bethel Legend," going back over 60 years, that the Governing Body at the time was considering two brothers to add to the Governing Body. To evaluate their humility, each of the brothers was assigned to oversee very physically messy departments at Bethel. Both brothers did the jobs they were assigned. One brother kept "wondering" out loud why he was assigned such a physically messy department to oversee, but made no complaint. The other brother made no comment about his messy department oversight assignment. The brother who made no comments, but just quietly carried out his assignment, was appointed to the Governing Body. This legend perhaps has some basis when one remembers that many years ago, Brother Swingle's nickname for a while was "Ink Swink" (his assignment before appointment to the Governing Body was mixing ink for the presses).

 

Thanks,

 

Jim 

[Isaac Lupupa]

On 7/26/2025 at 12:53 PM, grain of mustard said:

The brothers who were recently appointed to the governing body were not on any committee of helpers. They were anointed and serving in the field or in Bethel departments. Only over time did the governing body assign these brothers to a committee to provide training and get to know them closely.   

https://www.jw.org/finder?srcid=jwlshare&wtlocale=E&prefer=lang&docid=2025605

[Isaac Lupupa]

They all at least served as helpers to the governing body committee, as is illustrated from the attachment 

[Andrey]

Kenneth Cook, Jr.

ON Wednesday morning, January 24, 2018, the United States and Canada Bethel families enjoyed hearing a special announcement: Brother Kenneth Cook, Jr., had been added to the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In January 2017, Brother Cook was appointed to serve as a helper to the Writing Committee of the Governing Body.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2019248&par=4&srcid=share

 

Gage Fleegle

ON WEDNESDAY, January 18, 2023, a special announcement appeared on jw.org, stating that Brother Gage Fleegle had been appointed to serve as members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In March 2022 he was appointed as a helper to the Service Committee of the Governing Body.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2024287&par=5&srcid=share

 

Samuel Herd

In 1999, I was appointed to be a member of the Governing Body. In August 1997 our long-standing dream was realized. We were invited to serve at the United States Bethel—some 38 years after the first time we applied. After a year (1998, edit) or so, I began serving as a helper to the Service Committee of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2018401&par=37&srcid=share

 

Geoffrey Jackson

Since September 2005, I have had the unexpected privilege of serving as a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In 2003, Jenny and I were transferred from the Translation Department in Fiji branch to Translation Services in Patterson, New York. For the next two years or so, we had the privilege of visiting various countries to help train translation teams.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2015601&par=25&srcid=share

 

Jody Jedele

ON OCTOBER 5, 2024, a special announcement was made at the annual meeting: Brother Jody Jedele had been appointed as members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In March 2023, he was appointed as a helper to the Service Committee.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2025605&par=7&srcid=share

 

Stephen Lett

ON Saturday, October 2, 1999, the Annual Meeting of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania was concluded with a surprise announcement...four new members had been added to the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Since April 1998, he and Susan have been part of the United States Bethel family. There he has worked in the Service Department and was a helper to the Teaching Committee.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2000007&par=4&srcid=share

 

Gerrit Lösch

In 1992, I was appointed as a helper to the Service Committee of the Governing Body, and since July 1994, I have had the privilege of serving on the Governing Body.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2014525&par=40&srcid=share

 

Jacob Rumph

ON OCTOBER 5, 2024, a special announcement was made at the annual meeting: Brother Jacob Rumph had been appointed as members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In 2023 they transferred to Warwick. In January 2024, Brother Rumph was appointed to serve as a helper to the Service Committee.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2025605&par=11&srcid=share

 

Mark Sanderson

On Wednesday morning, September 5, 2012, it was announced to the United States and Canada Bethel families that a new member had been added to the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In September 2010, he was invited to return to the United States, where he served as a helper to the Service Committee of the Governing Body.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2013534&par=4&srcid=share

 

David Splane

ON Saturday, October 2, 1999, the Annual Meeting of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania was concluded with a surprise announcement…four new members had been added to the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Since 1998, he had been a helper to the Writing Committee.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2000007&par=6&srcid=share

 

Jeffrey Winder

ON WEDNESDAY, January 18, 2023, a special announcement appeared on jw.org, stating that Brother Jeffrey Winder had been appointed to serve as members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In March 2022 he was appointed as a helper to the Personnel Committee of the Governing Body.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2024287&par=8&srcid=share

 

 

*Serving as helper on Governing Body committees, judging by the short time of assignment (highlighted in bold in the bio), this was most likely done in order to prepare for future Governing Body matters. All of them did not serve as helper for a long time.

Edited July 27 by Andrey

[minister159]

On 7/26/2025 at 11:52 AM, jdcarlson said:

This legend perhaps has some basis when one remembers that many years ago, Brother Swingle's nickname for a while was "Ink Swink" (his assignment before appointment to the Governing Body was mixing ink for the presses).

 

Yes, and not just five or ten years, but 25 years!

 

"Lyman Swingle began his service at Jehovah’s Witnesses’ world headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, on April 5, 1930. He served there for nearly 71 years. Lyman was first assigned to the bindery, then to the pressroom, and he also helped make ink. In fact, Brother Swingle spent about 25 years in the ink room. He also served for some 20 years as a member of the headquarters’ writing staff. For the final 17 years of his life, he worked in the Treasurer’s Office." ---  w01 7/1 31