Refine Search

Service Meeting Schedule

Week Starting December 13

Song 47

10 min: Local announcements and selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Encourage everyone to view the video No Blood​—Medicine Meets the Challenge in preparation for the discussion next week. Outline special field service arrangements for December 25 and January 1. Use the suggestions on page 8 (if appropriate for your territory) to demonstrate how to present the December 15 Watchtower and the December 22 Awake! Other realistic presentations may be used. In each case, show a different way to handle the conversation stopper “I am already acquainted with your work.”​—See Reasoning book, p. 20.

15 min: “Your Help Is Needed.”a Briefly interview an elder. Have him relate what encouraged him to reach out to serve in the congregation and what helped him to qualify.

20 min: “Witnessing to Relatives​—How?”b Use the questions that are provided. Invite audience to make brief comments on how they have been able to arouse interest and give a witness to relatives.

Song 17 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting December 20

Song 68

5 min: Local announcements.

15 min: “How the Theocratic Ministry School Benefits Us.” Talk by the school overseer. Include comments from the October 2004 Our Kingdom Ministry insert. Arrange in advance for one or two to comment on how they are benefiting from the school.

25 min: “Benefit From the Video No Blood​—Medicine Meets the Challenge.” An audience discussion of the No Blood video, using the questions provided on page 6. Afterward, read the last paragraph. Encourage all to be present next week for the discussion of a new provision to assist us to abstain from blood.

Song 50 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting December 27

Song 36

10 min: Local announcements. Accounts report. Remind publishers to turn in field service reports for December. Using the suggestions on page 8 (if appropriate for your territory), demonstrate how to present either the January 1 Watchtower or the January 8 Awake!

25 min: Obeying God’s Command to Abstain From Blood. Talk by an elder, using manuscript supplied by the branch office. Mention at outset that DPA cards are not to be filled out tonight. While reading the manuscript, the speaker may add brief comments to emphasize key points but should not supplement the material with additional examples or scriptures. Cited scriptures may be read or quoted as time permits. At appropriate points, draw attention to statements in the box “New Provision to Assist Us to Abstain From Blood.” The secretary should provide all baptized publishers with a DPA card and the “Instructions for Filling Out the DPA Card” to enable them to follow along during the part. The secretary should also make sure that a sufficient quantity of Identity Cards are available.

10 min: The Role of Your Conscience. Talk by an elder, based on the June 15, 2004, Watchtower, pages 23-4, paragraphs 16-19. Emphasize that decisions we face on matters of conscience are serious, since they involve our relationship with Jehovah.

Song 8 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting January 3

Song 27

Note: Congregations are not to move their Service Meeting for the week of January 3 to an earlier night unless the circuit overseer is visiting. In every congregation, the convention insert should be considered on the Service Meeting as scheduled. If there is a circuit assembly this week, book study overseers should announce the convention location and dates at their regularly scheduled book studies. A copy of the Recommended Lodging List should be made available by the overseer so that those in attendance can copy the hotel phone numbers for making their reservations. However, copies of this list should not be made for individual publishers.

5 min: Local announcements. Mention literature offer for January.

15 min: “Conducting Progressive Bible Studies​—Part 4.” After an introduction of no more than one minute based on paragraph 1, have a five-minute demonstration based on paragraphs 2-3, portraying a Bible study conductor showing a student how to prepare for the study. Use a paragraph from either the Knowledge book or the Require brochure in the demonstration. Follow with a question-and-answer discussion of paragraphs 2-5, highlighting the key points from the demonstration.

25 min: “2005 ‘Godly Obedience’ District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”c To be handled by the congregation secretary. After considering paragraph 2, read the December 15, 2004, convention assignment letter. When discussing paragraph 4, consider all the points in the boxes on page 4. Encourage all to make their convention arrangements as soon as possible.

Song 79 and concluding prayer.

[Footnotes]