Announcements
◼ Literature offer for January: Any 192-page book published prior to 1985 that the congregation may have in stock. Congregations that do not have a supply of such books may offer You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth. February: Revelation—Its Grand Climax At Hand! March: Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life. Concentrate on starting home Bible studies. April: Individual copies of The Watchtower and Awake!
◼ All baptized publishers present at the Service Meeting the week of January 5 will be given the Advance Medical Directive/Release card and the Identity Card for their children.
◼ Starting in February, and no later than March 1, the new public talk for circuit overseers will be “Do You Share God’s View of Life?”
◼ Congregations should make convenient arrangements to celebrate the Memorial this year on Saturday, April 11, after sundown. Although the talk may start earlier, the passing of the Memorial emblems should not begin until after sundown. Check with local sources to determine when sundown occurs in your area. Although it is desirable for each congregation to hold its own Memorial celebration, this may not always be possible. Where a number of congregations normally use the same Kingdom Hall, perhaps one or more congregations can obtain the use of another facility for that evening. The Memorial should not start so late that newly interested people find it inconvenient to attend. Nor should the schedule be so tight that there is no time before or after the celebration to greet visitors, make arrangements for continued spiritual assistance for interested ones, or enjoy a general interchange of encouragement. After thoroughly considering all factors, the elders should decide what arrangements will best help those who attend the Memorial to benefit fully from the occasion.
◼ The special public talk for the 1998 Memorial season will be given on Sunday, March 29. An outline will be provided. Those congregations having the visit of the circuit overseer, a circuit assembly, or a special assembly day that weekend will have the special talk the following week. No congregation should have the special talk before March 29, 1998.
◼ The body of elders should be aware that the following adjustments are needed when the congregation attends local assemblies: When a special assembly day program is scheduled, the congregation should have all the normal meetings throughout the week, except that the Public Meeting and the Watchtower Study are canceled. When scheduled to attend a circuit assembly, the congregation will also cancel the Theocratic Ministry School and the Service Meeting; only the Congregation Book Study will be held locally during that week.
◼ U.S. Selective Service regulations require that all men register at the post office when reaching 18 years of age. All those required to do so should take care of the matter promptly, viewing it as a Christian’s obligation to the superior authorities. Elders will want to have this in mind and give appropriate reminders to young brothers nearing the age of 18. Questions as to the young Christian’s responsibilities in this regard may be answered by the elders.
◼ Starting the week of May 4, 1998, and continuing through the week of September 14, 1998, The Bible—God’s Word or Man’s? will be considered at the Congregation Book Study.
◼ New Audiocassettes Available:
The Secret of Family Happiness (four cassettes in an album)—German
◼ New Videocassettes Available:
Jehovah’s Witnesses Stand Firm Against Nazi Assault—Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese
Purple Triangles—Russian