Service Meeting Schedule
Week Starting January 14
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 January 1 Watchtower and the January Awake!
15 min: “Make the Most of Your Time in the Ministry.”a Interview a brother who is exemplary at taking out the group for field service. What does he do to prepare to take out the group and make the most of the time spent in the ministry?
20 min: “Let Your Utterance Be Always . . . Seasoned With Salt.”b When considering paragraph 2, read John 4:7-15, 39.
Week Starting January 21
10 min: Local announcements. Mention the literature offer for February, and have one presentation demonstrated. Encourage everyone to view the video Transfusion-Alternative Health Care—Meeting Patient Needs and Rights in preparation for the discussion that will be held at the Service Meeting the week of February 4.
10 min: Are You Using Examining the Scriptures Daily? Talk and audience discussion based on the foreword of Examining the Scriptures Daily—2008. Discuss the value of taking time each day to review the Scripture text and comments. Invite audience to comment on their routine for considering the text and how they have benefited. One or two comments may be arranged in advance. Briefly highlight the yeartext for 2008.
25 min: “Bear Thorough Witness to the Good News.”c (Pars. 1-10) To be handled by the service overseer. Interview one or two publishers who auxiliary pioneered within the last year despite having a full schedule or physical infirmities. How were they able to do it? What joys did they experience? When considering paragraph 7, outline the schedule for meetings for field service during March, April, and May.
Week Starting January 28
10 min: Local announcements. Remind publishers to turn in field service reports for January. Read accounts report and donation acknowledgments. Audience discussion based on the February 1 Watchtower and the February Awake! After giving a brief overview of each issue, ask the audience which articles may appeal to people in the territory and why. Invite audience to mention specific points in articles they plan to feature. What question could be asked to start a conversation? Which scripture in the article could then be read? How could the scripture be tied in? Using the sample presentations on page 8, demonstrate how each magazine might be offered.
20 min: “Bear Thorough Witness to the Good News.”d (Pars. 11-17) If the special Memorial invitations are available, distribute a copy to everyone in the audience when considering paragraph 14. Outline local arrangements for covering the territory.
15 min: “Help Bible Students to Become Publishers of the Kingdom Good News.”e As time permits, invite audience to comment on the cited scriptures.
Week Starting February 4
10 min: Local announcements. Review Question Box.
10 min: Local needs.
25 min: “Are You Putting It Off?” To be handled by an elder. Get right into a discussion of the Patient Needs and Rights video with the audience, using the questions that are provided in the article. In conclusion, read the last paragraph and encourage all to review carefully the cited articles from The Watchtower and Our Kingdom Ministry. Explain how each one who has not already done so can use the helpful work sheets in the November 2006 Our Kingdom Ministry insert to make personal decisions about blood fractions and medical procedures and then transfer his choices to the DPA card. Those who have already executed a DPA card may want to review their previous choices and, if necessary, execute a new card.
[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.