Service Meeting Schedule
Note: A Service Meeting will be scheduled in Our Kingdom Ministry for each week during the summer months. Congregations may make adjustments as needed to allow for attending the “Deliverance at Hand!” District Convention. Where appropriate, use 15 minutes on the last Service Meeting before attending the convention to repeat counsel and reminders from this month’s insert that apply locally. A month or two following your convention, set aside 15 to 20 minutes on a Service Meeting (perhaps using a local needs portion) for a review of convention highlights. This is not to be a review of the entire convention program. Rather, highlight only the parts that deal directly with field service activity. Invite the audience to comment on how they are applying that information in their ministry.
Week Starting April 10
10 min: Local announcements. Selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Using the suggestions on page 8 or other presentations appropriate for your territory, demonstrate how to offer the April 15 Watchtower and the April Awake! In one demonstration, have the publisher also offer the Bible Teach book to a householder who shows exceptional interest in the Bible’s message.
15 min: “How to Maintain Zeal.”a Include comments based on the June 15, 2002, Watchtower, page 14, paragraph 13.
20 min: “Can You Adapt Your Schedule?”b Make local application of the material. Mention any arrangements that the congregation has for evening witnessing.
Song 13 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting April 17
15 min: Local announcements. Emphasize local arrangements for the special public talk. Encourage all to continue to use the back page of the April 1 issue of The Watchtower to invite Memorial attenders, Bible students, and other interested persons. Briefly relate two or three experiences of using this issue of The Watchtower to invite people to attend the special public talk.
12 min: Local needs.
18 min: “Conduct Progressive Doorstep and Telephone Bible Studies.”c Include a brief demonstration showing what a publisher could say to make the transition from the doorstep to inside the home.
Song 162 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting April 24
15 min: Local announcements. Read accounts report and donation acknowledgments. During May we will continue to feature The Watchtower and Awake! Using the suggestions on page 8 or other presentations appropriate for your territory, demonstrate how to offer the May 1 Watchtower and the May Awake! Following the demonstrations, draw attention to other articles in those issues that may appeal to people in the local territory.
30 min: “Keep in Expectation of Jehovah.”d To be handled by the congregation secretary. Mention the convention to which the congregation is assigned. Invite the audience to comment on how wearing our convention badge card at all times while in the convention city can open the way to give a witness. Encourage audience to take advantage of opportunities to witness informally and to use the Please Follow Up (S-43) form to report any interest found.
Song 191 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting May 1
5 min: Local announcements. Remind publishers to turn in field service reports for April. Discuss the box “Do You Ask for Referrals?” on page 6.
10 min: “Show Personal Interest—By Good Eye Contact.”e Include a brief demonstration in which a publisher establishes eye contact with a person in a public setting, initiates a conversation, and then gives a witness.
15 min: Meditate on Jehovah’s Activity. (Ps. 77:12) Talk and audience discussion featuring the 2006 Yearbook. Consider encouraging points in the letter from the Governing Body. (pp. 3-5) Discuss the material under the subheading “Bible Translation.” (pp. 10-11) Relate some of the highlights and experiences from the past year. (pp. 6-64) Invite the audience to comment on points they appreciated from their reading of the 2006 Yearbook. Encourage all to use it to help Bible students develop appreciation for Jehovah’s organization.
15 min: “Worldwide Campaign to Advertise the ‘Deliverance at Hand!’ District Convention.”f Be sure to read all the paragraphs.
Song 82 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.
d Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.
e Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.
f Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.