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Your Service Meetings

WEEK STARTING OCTOBER 4

Theme: Aiding Others to Choose Life. Song 119.

5 min: Introduction, text and comments.

25 min: Appreciating God’s Provision for Everlasting Life. Draw out comments from as many different ones in the audience as possible. Make it interesting and lively. Cover the following points: (Page references are all to October 8, 1970, “Awake!”)

How do we know that it was God’s purpose for man to live forever on earth? (Gen. 2:16, 17; John 3:16; Ps. 37:29; Rev. 21:3, 4) What facts concerning living things on earth make it seem strange that humans have such a short life-span? (Pp. 3, 4) What normal, wholesome human desires are frustrated by the shortness of human life? (Pp. 4-6) How far do scientists really believe that they can go in helping man to have long life? (P. 9) What is there within the human body itself that indicates that it was designed to live forever? (Pp. 10-13) Why would it not be boring to live forever? (Pp. 14-18) Already man is having problems with the population explosion, so where will everyone live when death is no longer inevitable and when even the dead return? (Pp. 18, 19) Can the earth produce enough food for all those people? (Pp. 19, 20) How does the ransom sacrifice open up the way to eternal life? (Pp. 21-24) What will ensure the right environment for living forever on earth? (Pp. 24, 25) What must we personally do now if we want to live forever? (Pp. 26-29) What preliminary steps must we help others to take to get on the road to eternal life? (Pp. 26-29)

20 min: “Help Them to Choose Life.” Discuss article with audience. Along with paragraph 3 have short demonstrations of magazine presentations, featuring the October 8 “Awake!” Use ideas in paragraphs 1 and 2 under “Presenting the Good News.”

3 min: Accounts report.

7 min: Concluding comments. Include “How Did We Do in August?” and local report for September. Song 80.

WEEK STARTING OCTOBER 11

Theme: Showing Ourselves to Be Advocates of Peace. Song 36.

5 min: Introduction, text and comments.

15 min: “Not Forsaking the Gathering of Ourselves Together.” Talk and interviews emphasizing the appreciation shown for congregation meetings. Interview some who have come regularly for many years; also, some who overcome serious problems of health or opposition to be in attendance. Express appreciation for perseverance of sisters who bring their children; it is not easy to concentrate on program and at the same time keep an eye on young children. Ask why they do it. As time permits, work in the following experiences: g67 8/8 pp. 6, 7; yb66 p. 226; yb64 p. 99; yb65 p. 117.

15 min: Presenting the Good News. Cover paragraphs 3-5. Discuss with audience how to engage householders in conversation on the subject of living forever. After a few suggestions as to the introduction, have publisher demonstrate presentation, using ideas in paragraph 3. As objections are raised, questions are asked, etc., have publisher stop; chairman will ask audience for suggestions on how to handle the matter; then publisher will continue. Emphasize ideas in either paragraph 4 or 5, depending on what is common in your territory. In conclusion, comment on Matthew 10:12, 13.

15 min: Making Good Use of the Magazines. Discussion between two publishers. Cover the following points: (1) Why we have two magazines, “The Watchtower” and “Awake!”, and what is accomplished by each in our ministry. (See “Lamp” book, p. 100; also w63 p. 606; w69 p. 52; yb68 p. 106; g68 10/22 p. 12.) (2) Why October 15 “Watchtower” will be specially beneficial to those with whom we place it. (Comment on any articles other than the one beginning on page 633.) Demonstrate how to feature it on Magazine Day. (3) Special effort to cover as much of congregation’s territory as possible with both special issues during October. Might arrangements be made for school-age publishers to do some extra magazine work after school on weekdays? Could we spend an extra hour in Magazine Day activity? En route to congregation book study, could we make a few house-to-house calls with magazines or offer magazines to people on the street?

10 min: Concluding comments. Song 67.

WEEK STARTING OCTOBER 18

Theme: Disciples Having ‘Love Among Themselves.’ Song 23.

5 min: Introduction, text and comments.

20 min: “What Are We Doing to Help One Another?” Audience participation. Take time to read scriptures.

20 min: “Cameroon Says ‘No!’ to Freedom of Worship.” Start with talk based on article in October 15 “Watchtower,” making clear what is happening to our brothers in Cameroon and why. Then discuss with another brother how knowledge of this situation can fortify us for whatever may lie ahead. (Luke 4:8; John 15:19; Rev. 14:9-12) Finally, ask congregation what they can do to help their brothers in Cameroon. Discuss what might be said in letters of appeal.

15 min: Concluding comments. Encourage all to be regular readers of both “Watchtower” and “Awake!”

Have local experiences showing results in placing special issues, also obtaining subscriptions. Arrange for publisher to raise hand, says she has not obtained subscription, but would like to do so; asks where to try, what to do. Call on audience to offer suggestions. Song 108.

WEEK STARTING OCTOBER 25

Theme: Keep On Speaking Those Things That Upbuild. Song 55.

10 min: After brief word of welcome, setting theme, show several publishers in car en route to meeting for field service. They review text for day and high points from Branch Letter.

18 min: What Do You Talk About? Draw out audience as to kind of conversation they find beneficial as they walk between homes and drive between calls in field service. What do they find detracts from their service? Why? Encourage those in charge of service groups to take the lead in conversation related to spiritual matters. Then give talk covering choice items from reports on assemblies as published in October 1 “Watchtower” and October 22 “Awake!” Include items from Theocratic News.

20 min: Starting New Bible Studies. Two mature publishers review suggestions in June 1970 “Kingdom Ministry” regarding methods of starting studies. Make clear the difference between offering to “demonstrate the study” and, on the other hand, asking the householder whether he is interested in having a regular Bible study. Analyze advantages. Demonstrate, using as a setting a back-call on someone who obtained special issue of “Awake!” (See paragraph 7 of article “Help Them to Choose Life.”)

12 min: Concluding comments. Question Box and appropriate Announcements; offer for November. Song 66.

WEEK STARTING NOVEMBER 1

Theme: By Love and Obedience Not Forgetting Jehovah. (Deut. 25:19) Song 79.

10 min: Introduction, text and comments. Consider material in November 1 “Watchtower” on monthly theme. Also include “1970 Yearbook” experiences found on p. 166, pars. 1, 2, and p. 184, par. 3.

10 min: Results from using the “Truth” book. (Consider experiences in “1970 Yearbook,” p. 90, par. 3; p. 106, par. 5 through p. 107, par. 1; p. 107, par. 2; p. 120, par. 1; p. 278, par. 2.) Work in local experiences.

15 min: Suggestions on variety in presentations of the “Truth” book. Each chapter provides basis for a fresh approach. Discuss possibilities. Demonstrate offer featuring Chapter 20, which has to do with happiness in family life. In view of increase of lawlessness, discuss how to feature Chapter 18.

Discuss what to do when people already have “Truth” book. We are not disappointed; are glad they have it. Could ask, “Are you enjoying it?” Then, whether the reply is “Yes” or that he hasn’t read it at all, publisher could say: “There is something here that I especially enjoyed. Let me show it to you.” With that, open book and demonstrate study arrangement.

(Concluding portion of program to be worked up by overseer, covering material he feels will be of benefit to the congregation.)