Service Meetings for March
Week Starting March 3
10 min: Local announcements. Selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Encourage all to begin inviting interested ones to the Memorial on March 23. Display a copy of the Memorial invitation, and urge all to obtain a supply and to begin distributing them this week.
15 min: “Build Up Your Household.” Questions and answers. Include experiences from 1995 Yearbook, page 228.
20 min: “Helping Families to Secure a Lasting Future.” (Paragraphs 1-5) Make brief comments on paragraph 1, and then discuss how interest can be cultivated in the Family Happiness book by using the chapter titles, colorful illustrations, and review boxes. Have capable publishers demonstrate the presentations in paragraphs 2-5. Encourage all to make a special effort to place the book with families who have previously shown interest. Remember to mention the donation arrangement.
Song 71 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting March 10
10 min: Local announcements. Accounts report. Remind all to be sure to follow the Memorial Bible reading scheduled for March 18-23, as outlined in Examining the Scriptures Daily.
20 min: “Show Yourselves Thankful.” Questions and answers. All should put forth an earnest effort to invite Bible students, interested persons, favorable family members, and any of the brothers and sisters who are not actively associating with the congregation to attend the Memorial. Brief demonstration of publisher inviting interested person to the Memorial, using the Memorial invitation. Make additional comments on July 1, 1988, Watchtower, page 11, paragraphs 16-17. Encourage all who can to auxiliary pioneer in April and May.
15 min: “Helping Families to Secure a Lasting Future.” (Paragraphs 6-8) Offer some suggestions showing how to offer the Family Happiness book when doing informal witnessing on the job, at school, in the park, or on public transportation, as well as when visiting relatives. Have a capable publisher demonstrate the presentations in paragraphs 6 and 7. The discussion on the return visit should help the person appreciate how a study of the Bible can strengthen family ties. Studies are to be conducted in the brochure What Does God Require of Us?, with the goal of transferring to the Knowledge book, or the study may be started in the Knowledge book itself.
Song 72 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting March 17
15 min: Local announcements. Review “Memorial Reminders,” and outline local Memorial arrangements. All should make final plans to help Bible students and interested ones to attend.
15 min: Local needs. Or a talk by an elder on the article “Do You Really Need to Apologize?” from the September 15, 1996, Watchtower, pages 22-4. If your congregation is planning to share in working unassigned territory during July and August, this time can be used to review the letter of January 1, 1997, that outlines the arrangements being made for this activity.
15 min: Make Good Use of the 1997 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Father reviews highlights covered in pages 3-9 with his family. Shows why we rejoice to see theocratic progress all around the world. Father explains how, during the coming year, they can take a few minutes each day at mealtime to read progressively through the Yearbook as well as to consider the daily text.
Song 75 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting March 24
9 min: Local announcements. Explain that it is not too late to submit an application for auxiliary pioneering in April. Outline the additional arrangements that are being made locally for meetings for service during the month.
24 min: “Muster Up Boldness to Make Return Visits.” (Paragraphs 1-20) Questions and answers. Briefly demonstrate paragraph 16.
12 min: Helping a New Publisher Get Started. Review paragraph 19 in the June 1996 Our Kingdom Ministry insert. Demonstrate how a capable publisher prepares a Bible student who has just been approved by the elders to be an unbaptized publisher. They review together the Our Ministry book, page 111, paragraph 2. The experienced publisher points out what will likely be encountered when sharing in house-to-house witnessing and that there is no need to be discouraged if most do not respond. Publisher relates an encouraging experience showing the joy that comes when we find a sincere person who will listen. Together they prepare a brief, simple magazine presentation and then practice it. Encouraging commendation is given and definite arrangements are made to share in field service together this week.
Song 89 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting March 31
15 min: Local announcements. Invite all interested ones to attend special public talk on April 6. Remind all to turn in their field service reports for March. Announce the names of all who are auxiliary pioneering in April. Review Question Box.
20 min: “Muster Up Boldness to Make Return Visits.” (Paragraphs 21-35) Questions and answers. Review the box on page 3. Encourage all to count every return visit they have made during the month when reporting their field service.
10 min: Review Literature Offer for April. Offer individual copies of The Watchtower and Awake! Briefly relate the suggestions on how to prepare magazine presentations that appear in paragraphs 3, 4, and 8 on page 8 of the October 1996 Our Kingdom Ministry. Have two publishers demonstrate one or two short presentations and mention the donation arrangement. Publishers should keep a record of those who accept magazines and add them to their magazine route.
Song 92 and concluding prayer.