Announcements

● Literature offer for August: One of the following 32-page, magazine-size brochures: Enjoy Life on Earth Forever!, “Look! I Am Making All Things New,” The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever, or The Government That Will Bring Paradise may be offered for a contribution of 30¢. As an alternate offer, two of the following books may be offered for $1.00: Choosing the Best Way of Life, Commentary on the Letter of James, God’s “Eternal Purpose” Now Triumphing for Man’s Good, or Is the Bible Really the Word of God? Additional copies of Commentary on James may be ordered from the Society. Congregations should not order the other three books mentioned, since they are out of stock. Use only those books that are available locally. (For obtaining credit, see the guidelines in the Society’s letter of December 21, 1988, to all bodies of elders.) September: Life​—How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? for a contribution of $3.00. Small-size books are $1.50. October: One-year subscription for Awake! or Watchtower, or both, for a contribution of $5.00 each. November: New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures and latest brochure for $4.30.

● From August 31 to September 2, 1989, the Society will be taking an inventory of all literature on hand in Brooklyn Bethel. Because of this inventory, no congregation literature orders will be processed for shipment or for pickup during those days.

● Each congregation will receive three Literature Inventory forms and should take an actual count of campaign literature. Please fill out the forms completely and send the original to us no later than September 6, 1989. Keep a carbon copy for your files. We are sending the third copy for use as a work sheet.

● Congregations should begin ordering the 1990 Calendar of Jehovah’s Witnesses with their September literature order. (See the Cost List, paragraphs 7-10.) The calendars again depict Bible locations and will be available in Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish. Some may want to get an extra calendar and frame the pictures or put them in a binder for permanent use. These pictures should be a valuable addition to your theocratic library. Please consider this when placing your order. Calendars are controlled stock items and will be charged to the literature account at $1.00 each, which is the rate for publishers, pioneers, and the public. Do not send remittance with the orders. (See the Cost List, paragraphs 23-25.) Until the calendars are available and shipments are made, these will appear as “Back Ordered” on congregation invoices.

● On receiving the 1990 calendar, you will observe that the expression “Share in field ministry” has been deleted on the first Sunday of the month and “Share in magazine service” has been deleted from the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Why? Because it properly is the custom for publishers to share in the field ministry on every Saturday and Sunday that they possibly can. Indeed, many are setting a fine example by sharing in the ministry practically every Saturday and Sunday during the month.

● The 1990 Memorial celebration will be on Tuesday, April 10, after sundown. Daylight saving time may affect many, so this advance announcement is given so that the brothers may make necessary reservations or contracts for available halls when there are too many congregations using one Kingdom Hall and they must find other facilities.

● New Publications Available:

Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry​—Cebuano

Enjoy Life on Earth Forever!​—Mam

Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Question of Blood​—Hungarian

Watch Tower Publications Index 1981​—Korean

Watch Tower Publications Index 1986​—Greek

Watch Tower Publications Scripture Index 1950-1985 (congregation, public, and pioneer: $1.50)​—Greek

Tract No. 13​—Bulgarian

Tract No. 14​—Bulgarian

Tract No. 15​—Bulgarian

Tract No. 16​—Bulgarian

● New Cassette Recordings Available:

Listening to the Great Teacher (set of four cassettes and a book in an album; congregation and public: $10.00; pioneers: $7.50)​—French

Hosea through Malachi (set of three cassettes; congregation and public: $4.50; pioneers: $3.75)​—German

Listening to the Great Teacher (set of six cassettes and a book in an album; congregation and public: $12.50; pioneers: $9.50)​—Japanese

Do You Respect Your Kingdom Hall?

¹ “Look! How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” (Ps. 133:1) Meetings in our Kingdom Hall provide an opportunity to be united with our brothers so we can incite one another to love and fine works, encouraging one another.​—Heb. 10:24, 25.

² Since the Kingdom Hall serves such an important function in our lives, do we really respect it? The Kingdom Hall is the center of true worship in the area. Therefore, we should hold it in high esteem. All of us should feel the need to share in keeping it clean and in good condition. There are times when our book study group will be assigned to clean the hall. If it is at all possible for us to share in that work, we should want to do so, thus showing our appreciation for a clean and attractive meeting place.

³ We can all show an interest in the Kingdom Hall, whether we are assigned to clean or not. How? By such a simple act as wiping our feet when entering the hall so as not to track in dirt. This is especially true when the weather is inclement. If we have occasion to use the rest room, we can wipe around the sink after using it so as to leave it clean for the next person. Those who work at the literature and magazine counters can show their interest by promptly disposing of empty cartons. All trash should be placed in the receptacles provided for that purpose. If we see discarded paper or other litter on the floor, we should pick it up rather than leave it for someone else to pick up. Our Kingdom Ministry for January 1989 gave suggestions on keeping the information board neat. Others should cooperate with the presiding overseer in making sure this advice is followed.​—km 1/89 p. 7.

⁴ The same principles apply when we attend assemblies or conventions. The assembly site is a center of pure worship, whether it is one of our Assembly Halls or some other facility, and it should be treated with respect. We should always check when we leave to be sure we have not left any litter where we were sitting. We should have a helpful attitude and not feel that those assigned to clean are there to pick up after us.

SHARING A HALL

⁵ Because of the high cost of property, many Kingdom Halls are used by more than one congregation. In urban areas, as many as five or six congregations may share a single Kingdom Hall. Each congregation should take an interest in the Kingdom Hall, recognizing that it belongs to Jehovah and is used for his worship. So respect for the Kingdom Hall entails not only our love for Jehovah but also our love for our brothers in other congregations using the hall.

⁶ Generally, Kingdom Hall cleaning is done once a week. Where more than one congregation uses the hall, it is necessary for some cleaning to be done after each meeting so that the next congregation that comes into the hall will find it presentable. This also applies to Sundays when one congregation comes in right after another. It is good for some cleaning to be done as time permits for the congregation coming in next. When several congregations use the hall on the same day, it can become quite untidy by the end of the day if no one cares for this.

⁷ Even as we are “fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought” when it comes to spiritual matters, may we be united also in showing respect for our Kingdom Halls.​—1 Cor. 1:10.