Service Meeting Schedule
Week Starting October 11
10 min: Local announcements. Selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Encourage all to use the questions on page 1 to review their notes in preparation for the audience discussion of the “Walk With God” District Convention program at next week’s Service Meeting. Use the suggestions on page 8 (if appropriate for your territory) to demonstrate how to present the October 15 Watchtower and the October 22 Awake! Encourage publishers to include a scripture in their presentation. Other realistic presentations may be used.
15 min: Find Delight in Helping Others. (John 4:34) Interviews. It is a joy to see someone’s face light up at learning truths from God’s Word. (w94 3/1 p. 29 pars. 6-7) Interview two or three publishers or pioneers who are effective in using the Bible in the ministry and in starting and conducting Bible studies. How do they cultivate the interest they find? What joy do they find in doing so? Have them relate or reenact experiences from their ministry.
20 min: “Special Campaign to Distribute New Brochure.”a To be handled by the service overseer. Have the suggested presentations demonstrated. In one of the demonstrations, a householder shows minimal interest in the Scriptural presentation and is offered a tract instead of the brochure.
Song 69 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting October 18
5 min: Local announcements. Briefly review arrangements for the special campaign to distribute new brochure.
40 min: “District Convention Stimulates Us to Walk With God.” To be handled by an elder. Following an introduction of one minute or less, conduct an audience discussion of the convention program using the questions in the article. Apportion the time so as to give sufficient coverage to each question, perhaps entertaining only one answer on some questions. Not all cited scriptures can be read in the time allotted; these are included for ease in locating answers. Comments should focus on the benefits of applying the things learned.
Song 165 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting October 25
10 min: Local announcements. Accounts report. Demonstrate a presentation for offering the new brochure that has been getting good results in the local territory. As time permits, relate experiences from the special campaign.
15 min: Local needs.
20 min: Supply Evidence to Support God’s Word. Audience discussion based on the Ministry School book, pages 256-7. How can we use evidence from sources outside the Bible to help people appreciate the reasonableness of the Scriptures? Invite audience to comment on the following questions: What examples from the physical universe could we point to as evidence of a Creator? (rs pp. 85-6) How might we use the comments of scholars or experts to help others to see that the Bible really is the Word of God? (rs pp. 62-4) What illustration or analogy could we use to help others see why God permits wickedness? (rs p. 429) What experiences or examples have you used to help others appreciate the wisdom of following the Bible’s counsel?
Song 62 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting November 1
10 min: Local announcements. Remind all to turn in field service reports.
20 min: How to Help Those Who Speak Another Language. Talk and audience discussion based on the foreword of Good News for People of All Nations. Point out features of the new booklet. Discuss the three steps we can take to help those who speak a language that we do not understand. Include comments from the July 2003 Our Kingdom Ministry, page 4. Mention that the Please Follow Up (S-43) form should generally be filled out even if the individual does not show interest in the Kingdom message. Include a demonstration showing how to use the new booklet.
15 min: Local experiences. Invite audience to relate experiences enjoyed thus far during the special campaign to distribute the new brochure. Arrange in advance to reenact outstanding experiences. If the congregation’s supply of brochures is running low, request that extra copies be returned to the literature counter.
Song 175 and concluding prayer.
[Footnote]
a Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.