Service Meetings for September
Week Starting September 6
10 min: Local announcements and selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry.
20 min: Fortify Your Children for School. Talk with interviews and demonstration. Christian youths today face issues that many in congregation cannot even imagine. Parents especially must be well-informed about these challenges in order to fortify their children to cope with tests of integrity. Interview three young persons of various ages. What are some specific pressures at school that they must deal with daily? What helps them maintain their good relationship with Jehovah? Arrange for demonstration of a family considering together paragraphs 2 and 3 on page 11 of School brochure. Children reveal that they are ridiculed and feel ostracized for upholding Bible’s high standards of morality. Family head encourages children by expressing his happiness with their example and reminding them that Jehovah is well pleased with their conduct. (Prov. 27:11) Brother handling part concludes by commending young ones in congregation for their good works and exhorting them to communicate with their parents so that they may be strengthened spiritually throughout this school year.
15 min: “Helping Others to Recognize a Great Treasure.” Question-and-answer coverage. Remind congregation that interested people should be given opportunity to contribute to worldwide work. A publisher may simply state: “Although our literature is offered without charge, we are pleased to accept modest donations for our worldwide work.” Or you could say: “If you wish to make a modest donation to the advancement of this Bible educational work, you may do so. Your contribution will be appreciated and used entirely for the advancement of the Kingdom good news.” When considering paragraph 4, have demonstration of publisher offering Live Forever book to a parent.
Song 108 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting September 13
10 min: Local announcements. Include accounts report and donation acknowledgments. Commend congregation for generous support of local needs as well as Society’s worldwide work.
10 min: “Benefit Others by Using Magazines.” Talk with demonstrations. Highlight value of making full use of both current and older issues of the magazines. Have two demonstrations, one featuring a current magazine and one showing how to use an older issue to meet specific need of householder.
15 min: “What Will We Accomplish During This Service Year?” Talk with audience discussion. To be handled by presiding overseer. Review congregation’s past year of service and encourage all to make plans for increased activity during 1994 service year.
10 min: “Study Live Forever and United in Worship Books.” After reviewing article with audience, have well-prepared publisher demonstrate how to change over from studying Greatest Man book to Live Forever book.
Song 17 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting September 20
10 min: Local announcements. Highlight articles in current magazines that may be featured this week in field service.
20 min: “Assist Sheeplike People to Build on a Solid Foundation.” Discuss with audience. Highlight need to prepare for each return visit. Arrange for qualified publisher to demonstrate making a return visit on person who previously took Live Forever book, using information from either paragraph 3 or 5.
15 min: “Starting Home Bible Studies.” Questions and answers. After paragraph 4, introduce lively demonstration of a return visit in which only the Bible is used, but based on portions of the Live Forever or Reasoning book, as suggested.
Song 84 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting September 27
10 min: Local announcements. Theocratic News.
20 min: Where Are Our Loved Ones Who Have Died? Family discussion. Using selected material from pages 98-100 of Reasoning book, family head considers the loss in death of a close family friend. He focuses on helping his children to understand the Bible’s viewpoint. He asks questions to make sure that they comprehend what death means and are able to express themselves clearly according to their age. Also, he shows them how they can use the Reasoning book to comfort others.
15 min: Offer Magazines During October. Arrange for three demonstrations, one featuring the current Watchtower, one featuring the current Awake!, and one wherein the householder is quite busy and accepts a tract. After each demonstration analyze with audience why presentation was effective. When appropriate interest is demonstrated, subscriptions to the magazines or Mankind’s Search for God may be offered.
Song 21 and concluding prayer.