Meetings to Help Us Make Disciples
Note: No service meeting is being planned for the week of August 23 to allow an open week for attending a district convention. This open week can be shifted to the actual week you attend a district convention in June, July or August. The week of August 30 is set aside for reviewing highlights of things learned at the district convention. This review should be shifted to the week following the district convention for your area.
WEEK STARTING MAY 31
Song 68
10 min: Announcements. Tie in yeartext, Psalm 145:10, 11, with encouragement to share in first-Sunday-of-the-month field service. Meeting tonight designed to equip us for effective use of Happiness book and new tract.
20 min: Animated talk encouraging all to share in Sunday field service. What an accomplishment it would be if everyone in assigned territory could be presented with the Happiness book and tract during June and July! Can congregation do this? Suggest and demonstrate variety of effective presentations featuring book or tract. Include suggestions for children or new publishers and use of Topic for Conversation with offer. Tract may be left free with all who will accept it and in a place where it is out of sight when no one is at home. Special assistance will be given to help us use the Happiness book in the field and in starting home Bible studies. Encourage all to look over first four chapters before next service meeting.
10 min: “God Promises a Paradise.” Elder discusses Story 71 from Bible Stories book with group of children.
5 min: Brief mention of specific arrangements for field service this weekend with additional encouragement for all to share in first-Sunday-of-the-month service. Remind brothers to bring Happiness book to service meeting next week.
Song 58 and prayer.
WEEK STARTING JUNE 7
Song 89
10 min: Announcements. Refer to Mark 6:30 and give brief report on last Sunday’s field service, including brief experiences from those who participated. Commend congregation for work done. Encourage continued participation in field service throughout remainder of month. Introduce following part.
20 min: Help Those Who Doubt. Many of the persons we meet in field service are disillusioned with religion in general. They may be atheists or claim to be agnostics who, in effect, say, ‘I don’t know if there is a God or not.’ The Happiness book is a powerful tool for reasoning with those who doubt the existence of God or the authenticity of the Bible. What are some specific points from the book that we can use in the field? (Elder handling this part should encourage audience to follow along in own Happiness book and perhaps mark paragraphs that they would like to use in the field.) Discuss paragraph 17 on page 16, along with picture on page 17. How could this stimulate the thinking of householder or encourage him to read book?
As time permits, discuss paragraph 19 on page 28 and paragraph 22 on page 19. These are points that can motivate doubters to consider why it is reasonable to have faith in a loving Creator.
What about the authenticity of the Bible? How do paragraphs 4 and 5 on page 22 help a person see why it is logical for God to provide a book for mankind? How can the illustrations be used effectively? Some say Bible was written by men. How can paragraphs 14 and 15 on page 26 be used to reason with such ones? By tactfully using the Happiness book in a way that stimulates thinking, we can help those who doubt.
15 min: Discuss talking points from current magazines, helping all to prepare for sharing in magazine work on Saturday. Arrange for some who are effective in placing magazines to suggest appropriate presentations. These may be offered from their seats in the audience. Experiences may be used to show how the brothers or other persons in the field have benefited from reading the magazines. Give brief review of field service arrangements for weekend. Encourage making special effort to work with magazines on Saturday. Announce specific arrangements. If appropriate, tie in brief remark related to this day’s text from Yearbook.
Song 29 and prayer.
WEEK STARTING JUNE 14
Song 5
7 min: Announcements and accounts report. Introduce next part.
15 min: “Improving the Quality of Meetings.” Question-and-answer coverage of article. Entertain comments from audience on what they do to prepare for all meetings and how they schedule time for it. Arrange for several comments in advance.
15 min: “Presenting the Good News—On Every Appropriate Occasion.” Animated talk and discussion with audience. Encourage all to take advantage of opportunities to witness informally during vacation and convention time and to go in service with congregations where visiting during summer vacation.
8 min: Service overseer discusses encouraging aspects of May field service report and outlines arrangements for witnessing this weekend. Remind all to bring Happiness book to service meeting next week. Look over chapters 5 through 10 before coming.
Song 9 and prayer.
WEEK STARTING JUNE 21
Song 25
15 min: ‘Coping with Life’s Problems.’ (Preferably an elder should be assigned this part to help publishers with use of Happiness book in the field.) Many who claim to believe in God do not see the Bible as an aid in coping with life’s problems. The Happiness book has many points that can be useful in showing such ones the practicality of the Bible.
The picture on page 41 can be used as a talking point with people who want relief from the pressures of life. We can discuss the many difficulties being experienced in a particular community and select a topic appropriate for the householder. Take stress for example. What are some of the causes of stress? How does the Bible give practical counsel that will help to minimize stress? Note the points in paragraphs 12 and 13 on page 44 and paragraph 17 on page 46. Fine admonition is given in the Bible to combat loneliness. Discuss the points made in paragraphs 21 and 22 on page 48. Money problems afflict many. We can use the scriptures highlighted in paragraphs 4 through 6 on pages 51 and 52 to get the householder’s viewpoint on the value of industriousness. As time permits, refer audience to page 56, paragraph 16; page 61, paragraph 26 and pages 77 and 78, paragraphs 7 and 9. (By involving audience in discussion, brother handling this part can stimulate much interest in using the Happiness book in the field.)
15 min: “Have You Worked Your Territory Thoroughly?” Questions and answers. To be handled by service overseer if possible. Encourage brothers to feel personally responsible for all people living in congregation’s assigned territory. Also refer to Watchtower 5/15/63, page 305; 4/1/71, pages 219-221; km 6/69, 6/74 and 4/79 for additional suggestions. Keep local needs in mind.
15 min: Using Summer Vacations Wisely. Encourage youths to use summer vacation time to expand their field activity. Interview school-age youths or others who plan to increase field activity or to auxiliary pioneer during summer months. If necessary, present convention information. Review congregation’s field service arrangements during week and on weekend, stressing Saturday magazine witnessing. Encourage all to share. Also make any necessary announcements.
Song 28 and prayer.
WEEK STARTING JUNE 28
Song 27
12 min: Announcements. This time may be used to present information prepared locally by the elders according to the needs of the congregation. If congregation has no particular needs, have elder give talk on “Do We Need Help to Understand the Bible?” See Watchtower 2/15/81, pages 16-19.
20 min: “Progressively Teaching the Truth.” Questions and answers. Following a discussion of the article, interview two or three brothers or sisters who have received progressive assistance in coming into the truth. Some may be able to mention how various ones in the congregation have helped them. Emphasize interest shown by others in their progress.
13 min: Convention information presented by convention coordinator. If time is not needed for convention information, an elder may give a talk on “Can You Be Contented with Your Lot in Life?” based on March 1, 1981, Watchtower, pages 4 through 7.
Encourage all to share in first-Sunday-of-the-month field service. Remind all to bring Happiness book to service meeting next week.
Song 95 and prayer.