Question Box

● What are the duties of those who serve as attendants at congregation meetings?

Attendants are to extend a warm greeting to all who come to the meetings. Their duties include seating latecomers, recording attendance, maintaining order and security, and caring for the ventilation of the Kingdom Hall. Attendants should be friendly, responsible brothers who take the initiative in caring for their responsibilities.​—om pp. 63-4.

Attendants should be alert to the needs of new persons, make them feel welcome, and help them to find seats. All in the congregation should be ready to help new ones get acquainted and feel welcome. When guiding latecomers to available seats, attendants should endeavor not to disturb those already seated. At times they provide new persons with the magazine being studied.

Maintaining order during the meetings is essential. Since we encourage parents to bring their children to the meetings, there will be some disruptions at times. But when children continue to be restless or unruly, an attendant should kindly offer assistance, perhaps suggesting that the parent take the child out of the auditorium for a time. If parents with young children sit where they can easily exit when necessary, caring for the needs of their small children can be done with little distraction.

In areas where security is a problem, attendants should be assigned to protect against vandalism or disturbances by opposers. If someone inside the Kingdom Hall tries to disrupt the meeting, he should be asked to leave. If he refuses and persists in causing a disturbance, the elders may contact the authorities. (Elders have additional written direction that will be helpful to them in such a situation.) In some areas it may be necessary for assigned brothers to check the Kingdom Hall parking area during meetings.​—km 11/84 p. 4.

When the attendance count is taken, all adults as well as young children who are listening and benefiting, even to a limited extent, should be counted.​—km 7/79 p. 4.