Service Meeting Schedule
NOTE: Our Kingdom Ministry will schedule a Service Meeting for each week during the summer months. Congregations may make adjustments as needed to allow for attending the “Zealous Kingdom Proclaimers” District Convention. Where appropriate, use 15 minutes on the last Service Meeting before attending the convention to repeat pointed counsel from this month’s insert that applies locally. During the month of October, an entire Service Meeting will be arranged to review highlights of the convention program. In preparation for that discussion, all of us can take meaningful notes at the convention, including a list of specific points that we wish to apply personally in our own life and in the field ministry. Then we can explain how we have applied those suggestions since attending the convention. It will be mutually upbuilding to hear one another tell how they benefited from the good instruction that was received.
Week Starting May 13
15 min: Local announcements. Selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Using the suggestions on page 8, have separate demonstrations of how to present the May 15 Watchtower and the May 22 Awake! In each demonstration, show a different way to handle the conversation stopper “I’m busy.”—See Reasoning book, pages 19-20.
15 min: “A Special Interchange of Encouragement.” A talk. Build appreciation for attending the district convention. Urge all to be present for every session, from Friday morning through Sunday afternoon.
15 min: “Always Pursue What Is Good.”a Stress the need to abide by the rooming arrangements that have been put into place for our benefit. Emphasize the six reminders in paragraph 2. Explain why good conduct on everyone’s part is essential.
Song 115 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting May 20
15 min: Local announcements. Accounts report. Review Question Box.
12 min: “Satisfy Your Spiritual Need.” Talk and audience discussion. Consider the reasons why all should pay close attention to the convention program. Stress the need to apply what we learn rather than just to hear. Consider the note above regarding what is planned for a Service Meeting in October, when there will be a review of district convention highlights. Encourage all to take notes. Invite a few expressions about the benefits derived from last year’s program.
18 min: “Modesty in Dress and Grooming.”b To be handled by an elder, who will read each paragraph after it is discussed. Help all to appreciate why it is important to be careful about our personal appearance in public.
Song 169 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting May 27
12 min: Local announcements. Remind publishers to turn in field service reports for May. Using the suggestions on page 8, have an older publisher demonstrate how to present the June 1 Watchtower and have a younger publisher show how to present the June 8 Awake! After each demonstration, comment on how easily a scripture can be included in the presentation.
15 min: “Does Your Congregation Have a Large Territory?” Talk and audience discussion to be handled by the service overseer. (Congregations having limited territory can review the article “Make Your Time Count,” in the June 1999 Our Kingdom Ministry.) Point out how much territory the congregation holds and how much of it has been covered in the past year. Explain how the suggestions offered might be applied locally. Review plans being made to cover seldom-worked territory in the near future.
18 min: “Are You Using the Require Brochure to Start Studies?” (All should have the January 2002 Our Kingdom Ministry insert with them for this discussion.) Begin by having a well-prepared publisher demonstrate how to start a study, using the example in paragraph 3. Afterward, mention highlights of the brochure, and explain how it is well designed for starting studies. Show the value of reviewing the suggested presentations in the January 2002 insert. Ask the audience which suggestions have been successful for them. Conclude by repeating the above demonstration.
Song 93 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting June 3
15 min: Local announcements. Arrange for publishers to relate the blessings they experienced as a result of sharing in the auxiliary or regular pioneer work during March, April, or May.
15 min: How the Reasoning Book Uses Other Bible Translations. Brief talk followed by audience discussion. Read paragraph 2 on page 8 of the Reasoning book, and explain why and how the Bible should be highlighted in our ministry. Point out the list of Bible abbreviations on page 6, and explain why we use renderings from other translations. Discuss the cautions mentioned in the October 1, 1997, Watchtower, page 16, paragraph 2, and page 20, paragraph 15. Using the subjects “Apostolic Succession,” “Images,” and “Trinity” in the Reasoning book, invite the audience to illustrate how comparing translations can be helpful in teaching the truth.
15 min: “Our Faith Moves Us to Good Works.”c When discussing paragraph 2, briefly interview a zealous Witness. Have the publisher express how witnessing to others both demonstrates and strengthens his or her faith.
Song 56 and concluding prayer.
[Footnotes]
a Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.
b Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.
c Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.