Service Meeting Schedule
Week Starting December 9
12 min: Local announcements. Selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Using suggestions on page 8, have demonstrations of how to present the December 15 Watchtower and the December 22 Awake!
15 min: “Proclaim the Kingdom Message.”a When discussing paragraph 3, include suggestions on how to read directly from the Bible when sharing the good news.—km 12/01 p. 1 par. 3.
18 min: Bear Fruit in Every Good Work. Talk, with audience participation. To be handled by an elder. Review the history and progress of the local congregation, including the efforts that led to the formation of the congregation. Arrange in advance for some who were present at that time to relate encouraging experiences. Consider the prospects for further increase, and encourage all to support congregation activities zealously.
Song 119 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting December 16
10 min: Local announcements. Accounts report. Outline special field service arrangements for December 25 and January 1.
15 min: Those Having Insight Will Understand. (Dan. 12:3, 10) A demonstration. Interested person asks: “How can I be sure you have the correct understanding of what the Bible teaches?” Publisher explains how to use the topical method when doing Bible research. (w96 5/15 pp. 19-20) Using one or two examples from the Reasoning book, pages 112-17, he shows how we have come to understand God’s purpose for the earth by carefully analyzing Scripture texts. Publisher explains how the same method can be used to understand correctly other Bible teachings and offers a Bible study.
20 min: “Remember Faithful Older Ones.”b Include comments on August 1, 1994, Watchtower, page 29. Mention the provision for the infirm to report field service time in increments of 15 minutes. Arrange for a few to relate experiences showing how association with such ones brings mutual blessings.
Song 154 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting December 23
10 min: Local announcements. Using suggestions on page 8, demonstrate how to present the January 1 Watchtower and the January 8 Awake! Encourage everyone to view the video No Blood—Medicine Meets the Challenge in preparation for the discussion at the Service Meeting the week of January 6.
15 min: Local needs.
20 min: “Do You Contribute to an Accurate Report?”c When discussing paragraph 2, include comments on Our Ministry book, pages 106-8.
Song 165 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting December 30
Note: Congregations are not to move their Service Meeting to an earlier night during the week of December 30 unless the circuit overseer is visiting. All congregations should consider the convention insert as scheduled. The Recommended Lodging List should be posted on the information board at the conclusion of the Service Meeting.
10 min: Local announcements. Remind publishers to turn in field service reports for December. If your congregation will change meeting times for the new year, kindly urge everyone to attend regularly at the new times. Mention the literature offer for January, highlighting the books that the congregation has in stock.
15 min: Review Worship God Book. Talk and audience discussion. Explain the arrangement for the new book to be used as the second study book. (km 6/00 p. 4 pars. 5-6) Invite audience to comment on features of the publication they appreciate. Highlight that certain portions of the book use questions and scriptures to prompt the student to think deeply on God’s Word. Feature the example found on pages 47-9, paragraph 13.
20 min: “2003 ‘Give God Glory’ District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”d To be handled by the congregation secretary, with the focus on paragraphs 3-10. Before considering the insert, read the December 15, 2002, convention assignment letter. When covering paragraph 10, emphasize the secretary’s role as convention coordinator for the congregation. Warmly commend all for making their convention arrangements as soon as possible.
Song 147 and concluding prayer.
Week Starting January 6
5 min: Local announcements.
23 min: Assistance in Obeying God’s Law on Blood. Talk by a qualified elder, based on the outline provided by the branch office. The secretary should have a sufficient quantity of the following items on hand for distribution: Advance Medical Directive/Release card, Identity Card, the health-care durable power of attorney (DPA) form, and the Advance Directive Guide. These documents will be made available to baptized publishers after tonight’s meeting, but they should NOT be filled out tonight. Signing, witnessing, and dating of cards may be done at the next Congregation Book Study, with assistance where necessary from the book study overseer. Those signing as witnesses should actually see the individual sign the document. The Advance Directive Guide should be carefully considered before completing the DPA. If you have already executed a DPA, it will not be necessary to complete another one unless your current one is dated prior to 2001 (August 1, 2001, for North Dakota) or does not express your present wishes. If you have moved to another state, you should execute a new DPA form for that state. Unbaptized publishers may write out their own directives for themselves and their children by adapting language from these documents according to their own circumstances and convictions.
17 min: “You Must See the Video No Blood—Medicine Meets the Challenge.” To be handled by a qualified elder. Get right into a discussion of the No Blood video with the audience, using the questions that are provided in the box on page 7. Afterward, read the last paragraph in the box.
Song 79 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.