Overseers Taking the Lead—The Secretary
1 The congregation secretary plays a vital role in ensuring that “all things take place decently and by arrangement.” (1 Cor. 14:40) As a member of the Congregation Service Committee, he cares for the congregation’s communications and important records. Although his duties may not be as visible to everyone as those of other elders, his services are greatly needed and appreciated.
2 When correspondence is received from the Society or others, the secretary attends to it and sees that a response is made when needed. He makes certain that the letters that are received are circulated among the elders and then files them for reference. He checks magazine and literature order forms and sends them to the Society. He directly oversees those handling accounts and subscriptions as well as all convention-related matters.
3 Since the secretary must send the congregation’s monthly field service report to the Society by the sixth of the month, it is imperative that all of us report our field activity promptly at the end of each month. He then posts the service reports on the Congregation’s Publisher Record cards. Any publisher may ask to see his personal record of activity.
4 When a publisher moves in or out of the congregation, the secretary requests from or sends to the elders of the other congregation a letter of introduction along with the Congregation’s Publisher Record cards for that one.—Our Ministry, pp. 104-5.
5 The secretary reviews the activity of the pioneers, keeping the elders, and especially the service overseer, apprised of any problems that the pioneers might be experiencing. He alerts the Congregation Book Study conductors to publishers who are irregular in field service. Both the secretary and the service overseer take the lead in coordinating efforts to care for inactive ones.—Our Kingdom Ministry, November 1987, p. 1.
6 Having a better appreciation of the secretary’s duties, may we do what we can to help make his stewardship easier for him to fulfill.—1 Cor. 4:2.