Service Meeting Schedule
Week Starting January 13
10 min: Local announcements. Selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Using suggestions on page 4, have two separate demonstrations of how to feature the January 15 Watchtower and the January 22 Awake! In each case, both magazines should be offered as a set, even though only one is featured.
15 min: Won Without a Word. Talk and audience discussion. Fine Christian conduct is a powerful witness. It has moved some unbelieving mates to become worshipers of Jehovah. (1 Pet. 3:1, 2) Relate experiences found in the January 1, 1999, Watchtower, page 4; the October 1, 1995, Watchtower, pages 10-11; and the 1995 Yearbook, page 46. Arrange in advance for two or three to comment on the positive results they have observed from following the Bible’s counsel in this area.
20 min: “Living Up to Our Dedication.”a After considering paragraph 3, briefly interview a young adult or a teenager who is baptized. What challenges has he faced since getting baptized? What helped him to meet those challenges? How has he benefited from dedicating his life to Jehovah?
Song 22 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting January 20
8 min: Local announcements. Accounts report.
15 min: Are You Examining the Scriptures Daily? Talk and audience discussion. Encourage all to make good use of Examining the Scriptures Daily—2003. Discuss comments from the foreword, pages 3-4. Offer suggestions on how families can discuss the text together. To show the benefits of considering the text each day, discuss two or three examples of the text and comments that are coming up in the next month. Include a short demonstration of a husband and wife considering today’s text and comments together.
22 min: “Teach Others the Pure Language.”b After considering paragraph 6, have a capable publisher demonstrate how to start a doorstep Bible study when making a return visit, using one of the presentations in the January 2002 Our Kingdom Ministry insert, page 4. Include a consideration of one paragraph in the Require brochure. Have publisher conclude by raising a question on the next paragraph and arranging to answer it on the next visit. Encourage all to consider whether any of those they call on might be willing to study the Bible in this manner.
Song 68 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting January 27
10 min: Local announcements. Remind publishers to turn in field service reports. Using suggestions on page 4, have two separate demonstrations of how to feature the February 1 Watchtower and the February 8 Awake! In each case, have the publisher conclude by handing the tract Would You Like to Know More About the Bible? to the householder—to one who does not accept the magazines and to one who does. Briefly explain how we can follow up magazine placements when we leave the tract.—See the November 2001 Our Kingdom Ministry, p. 4, par. 10.
15 min: Local needs.
20 min: Help Others Draw Close to Jehovah. Talk and audience discussion. We will offer the new book during February. Discuss note to readers on page 3, and highlight some of the book’s features. Each of the four sections focuses on one of Jehovah’s cardinal attributes. A chapter showing how Jesus displayed that quality and a chapter discussing how we can do so are included. There are 17 full-page illustrations of Biblical scenes. The “Questions for Meditation” help us reflect on other important aspects of a subject. Review the box “Presentations for Draw Close to Jehovah,” and have a capable publisher demonstrate one of the presentations.
Song 124 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting February 3
15 min: Local announcements. Review Question Box. Encourage publishers to use the Please Follow Up (S-43) form when they meet people who speak another language, as explained in the letter to all congregations dated October 15, 1998. Generally, the form should be used for this purpose even if the individual does not show interest in the Kingdom message.
12 min: Imitate Their Faith. Interview an elder who has humbly and faithfully served Jehovah for many years. (Heb. 13:7) How did he learn the truth? What obstacles did he have to overcome in taking his stand? What spiritual provisions or encouragement helped him to progress? What did he do to reach out in the congregation? (1 Tim. 3:1) What has helped him to balance congregation responsibilities with secular and family obligations? (1 Tim. 5:8) How does he feel about the privilege of assisting others in the congregation?
18 min: “A Work That Calls for Humility.”c When discussing paragraph 3, invite audience to offer suggestions on how to respond if someone in the territory tries to ridicule us or is rude, argumentative, or angry. When discussing paragraph 4, include comments on Insight, Volume 1, page 1160, paragraph 3.
Song 133 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.