Posted by Kent [KENT] on November 08, 1999 at 14:02:07 {Nq8EnQ8RVAOJikFWJ7tMBSwZlMEBKg}:
If anyone do have such material, please do send copies to me!
Send me a mail, or send copies to:
Kent Steinhaug
Luksefjellveien 186
3721 Skien
Norway.
WATCHTOWER
BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA THE RIDGEWAY LONDON NW7 I RN ENGLAND TELEPHONE 0181 906 2211
Dear Brothers:
In an endeavour to simplify the work of congregation secretaries and to ensure we meet the requirements of the new Data Protection Act there are a number of initial adjustments that need to be made in each congregation. These supersede all previous directives. The enclosed letter for the congregation provides information for all to apply immediately with respect to the field ministry. We now want to address other matters of concern to the elders. Please note that the following directions apply with immediate effect.
HousetoHouse Record (S8) and ForeignLanguage FollowUp Slip (S70a): Any of these forms on hand in the congregation should be destroyed immediately. We have stated that if details of an interested person, whether foreignlanguage or not, needs to be passed on to another publisher, it should be done VERBALLY. Naturally, the one receiving the details can make his own personal notes based on what he is being told. We should like to stress that this is the Society's direction in view of the new legislation.
Do not call: When a householder makes this request, there is no restraint in your following the usual procedure of putting a note of this in the appropriate congregation's territory map.
Congregation's Publisher Record Card (S21): It is important that the signing of these cards is done immediately on receipt of your congregation's supply. First, fill out the publisher's details on the top of the card and then have him sign in the space provided. If you have not received your congregation's supply, please contact our Shipping department.
Keeping the SignedCongregation’s Publisher Record Card: Once the publisher has signed a card this should be kept as a permanent record. There is no need to obtain his signature again when you start a new card. Only one signed record card per publisher is necessary. While ordinary record cards are destroyed after 8 years, the signed card will be kept indefinitely. When a publisher moves from your congregation to another it is important that the signed record card is transferred along with any other records and letter of introduction.
When a Publisher Moves Into Your Congregation: The secretary will obtain the
Congregation's Publisher Record Cards and letter of introduction in the normal
way. He will take care to check that the signed record card has been received. If
there is no signed record card, for example if it has been lost or if the publisher
moved in from another country where cards are not signed, the secretary should
get him to sign a new card before entering any of his field service activity. This
signed card would be treated as above.
Registered Office IBSA house The Ridgeway\ London NW7 I RN
Incorporated in the United States of America. Company registered in England No. ('4273 Charity Rea No.241623
To All Bodies of Elders
October 20, 1998, Page 2
New Unbaptized Publishers: From now on, when someone is approved as an unbaptized publisher the secretary should approach him to obtain his necessary details. After filling in the top of the Congregation's Publisher Record Card have him sign the card in the space provided.
Minors: For a publisher under the age of 18 you should have the Congregation's Publisher Record Card signed by one of his parents who is a baptized Witness. If neither of his parents is baptized then a record card will not be kept for him, though his field activity can still be included in the congregation's totals monthbymonth. Once he becomes 18 you should have him sign a card himself even if one of his parents has signed one previously.
Entering Information On, and Viewing, Congregation's Publisher Record Cards: This should be done only by elders. A publisher can view his own Record Card but not that of anyone else.
Bible Study Reports (53): These will used for meeting attendance records only.
Brothers moving congregations within Britain: Always send a brief letter of introduction with the brother's Record Cards. Do not keep a copy of this letter. When the letter is received by the elders of his new congregation, it should be read to the assembled elders and then destroyed. Letters relating to known child molesters should be retained in the congregation's permanent file.
Brothers moving to a congregation abroad: Before forwarding any personal records of a brother who has moved abroad to a new congregation, you should be certain to have his consent in writing. This is a requirement under the new Data Protection Act.
Recommending appointment or deletion of elders or ministerial servants: If recommending a brother for appointment who has moved into your congregation since the last circuit overseer's visit, just send us a brief letter setting out your reasons for recommending him and include his previous elders' letter of recommendation. This letter should be signed by the service committee. There is no need to keep a copy of this letter for your own files.
When recommending a brother for deletion write a brief report giving us the reasons for your recommendation. Do not put anything in this report that you have not discussed with the brother himself. Do not make a copy of this letter.
Whether your letter is recommending a brother for appointment or deletion, do not keep any copies of the correspondence. As soon as the Society has handled the matter, we shall destroy our copies of the correspondence.
If a brother appeals your recommendation for his deletion as an elder or ministerial servant, send us a brief letter setting out your recommendation for his deletion but that he has appealed, enclosing a copy of his letter of appeal. Do not put any details of the case in your letter to us and do not keep a copy of this letter. On receiving your letter, we might set up a special committee to hear the brother's appeal. As with disfellowshipping appeals, if the special committee upholds your
To All Bodies of Elders
October 20, 1998, Page 3
recommendation, the special committee will send us their letter, signed by all members of the committee giving each one's name and congregation. Your own letter of recommendation should be included with the special committee's report. No copies of these letters or any personal notes on the proceedings should be retained by elders or in the congregation's files. In due course we will advise you as to our decision.
Handling Judicial Matters: The directives set out in "Pay Attention to Yourselves and To All the Flock" should be followed strictly with the following adjustments:
Notification and Record of Disfellowshipping or Disassociation (S77, S79a, S79b):
A revised 577 form will be sent to you shortly. Therefore, amending our letter of September 1, 1998, please continue to use the 5 77 form and S 79a and b cards for notifying us of disfellowshippings and disassociations. Do not keep a copy of the 577 form or retain notes and other papers of the case. However, when it involves child molestation retain a copy of the S77 form, but destroy any notes or reports in the usual way. It is vital that you do not delay in reporting to us all disfellowshipping and disassociation cases and this applies particularly when there is an appeal hearing.
The congregation service committee should immediately review together the congregation's confidential file. On a piece of paper make a list entitled "List of Judicial Matters." For each judicial report in the file record the name of the individual (even if he has moved from your congregation), the date of the action or reproof, and the names of the members of the judicial committee that handled the matter, indicating who served as chairman and, if reinstated, the date of reinstatement. No other information should appear on this sheet. This procedure should be "allowed for those who were disfellowshipped, who disassociated themselves, or who were judicially reproved. Likewise, unbaptized publishers who have been dealt with in harmony with "Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock" pages 98, 99, can also be recorded on this list in the same way. For the time being, destroy all these files over five years old, with the exception of any that deal with known child molestation. To ensure confidentiality, the service committee will destroy by shredding or burning all envelopes, only retaining the S 79 card for the congregation's permanent file. Thereafter, the congregation secretary will keep the "List of Judicial Matters" uptodate.
When there is an appeal, follow the procedures outlined in "Pay Attention to Yourselves and To All the Flock, " sending the S77 form and cards prepared by the original committee along with the report of the appeal committee in the same special blue envelope. Do not keep any copies of this material, unless it involves child molestation. Do not retain personal notes of any hearing.
Instructions For Recording Judicial Reproof: If the judicial committee decides not to disfellowship an individual, but rather reproves him privately or publicly, no written report is
made. (If, after following advice from the Society's legal desk, an allegation of child molestation is investigated, such as after the secular authorities have completed their enquiries, a written report should be made and kept in a sealed envelope marked "Do Not Destroy" in the congregation's confidential file. This applies whether the wrongdoing is established or not. Write on the envelope the name of the person, the date and names of the elders handling the case.) The secretary will record basic details on the "List of Judicial Matters" as outlined above.
To All Bodies of Elders
October20, 1998, Page 4
Computers: For some years there has been legislation applying to data kept on computers. If a letter, for example, is prepared by means of a word processor, do not retain a copy on the computer. It should be destroyed in the same way that 'hard' copies of letters should be destroyed as outlined above.
Data Processing: Under the new Data Protection Act 1998 a formal agreement must be signed between the congregation service committee and the Society. We will write to you about this in due course.
The new Act allows for any person to have details of the responsible person (data controller) and the purpose of any data processing. If any person applies to you for this information, write to us immediately so that we can assist you in responding to the enquiry. Do not reply yourself to the enquirer before checking with us.
We appreciate, your assistance in making the above adjustments and in helping the publishers in your congregation to get used to these new arrangements. There is no need for these adjustments to interfere with our Godgiven commission of preaching the good news. As we cooperate with the "faithful and discreet slave" we know that our way will be made successful. (Matthew 24:45) Please accept our warm Christian greetings and best wishes.
Your brothers,
OF PENNSYLVANIA
PS to Presiding Overseer: Please ensure that this letter is discussed with all the elders within one week of its receipt. Thank you.
WATCHTOWER
CABLE WATCHTOWER
BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC.
25 COLUMBIA HEIGHTS BROOKLYN. NEW YORK 11201. USA PHONE (7181 625•360C
May 8, 1986
TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS
Dear Brothers:
We are writing to inform you of an adjustment in the way things are to be handled when a person in the congregation joins another religious organization.
Up to the present, someone who joins a false religious organization would be subject to judicial investigation and possible disfellowshipping: However, it has been determined that it would be more appropriate to take the position that a person who joins a false religious organization has by his actions, disassociated himself from the congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. This is similar to the way we view one who joins a secular organization, the objective of which is contrary to the Bible, and, hence, is under judgment by Jehovah God.See Our Ministry, page 151; compare Revelation 19:1721; Isaiah 2:4.
So in the future, if it is learned that a person has taken up association with another religious organization, and thus is identified with it, a committee should be formed to investigate matters. They should talk with the individual to determine whether or not he has joined another religious organization and intends to remain with it. If it is clearly established that he has indeed joined another religious organization and intends to remain with it, then it would be fitting to acknowledgethis by making a brief announcement to the congregation that the person has voluntarily disassociated himself from the congregation and is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Thereafter, the person would be viewed by members of the congregation in the same light as those described at 1 John 2:19. (See The Watchtower of July 15, 1985, pages 30, 31.) The Society should be notified of any such disassociations on the forms provided for that purpose (S77, S79). These should be signed by the committee that investigates the matter.
Please note that this adjustment does not affect how we would deal with a person who still professes to be a member of the congregation but who tries to practice interfaith, who promotes a sect, or who endeavors to subvert the faith of others. (2 Corinthians 6:1417; Titus 3:10, 11; 2 Timothy 2:1618) Some who are still in the congregation may be causing division or undermining confidence in Jehovah's arrangement. This may involve or lead to apostasy. Any of such persons who do not respond to repeated admonitions in harmony with Titus 3:10, 11,
TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS
May 8, 1986
Page 2
but who unrepentantly promote false teachings in the congregation, should be dealt with by a judicial committee and may need to be disfellowshipped. Of course, if any of these individuals disassociate themselves or join another religion, there would be no need for a judicial committee to pursue it.Romans 16:17, 18; 1981 Kingdom Ministry School textbook, pages 166, 167; The Watchtower of April 1, 1986, pages 30, 31. .
It is a pleasure to be working with you, under the headship of Christ, in maintaining the unity and peace of the congregation. (Ephesians 4:36, 1113) We remember you in our prayers, and we send with this letter our warm Christian love and best wishes.
Your brothers,
OF NEW YORK, INC.