“…church members giving a treatment for church – how's that!”

I'd like to share with you the substance of a recent special meeting at our branch church.  We had a similar special meeting recently, the topic of which was essentially financial and some members wanted to discuss one of two things - how can we invest our money to get interest to make up for some of the short fall in our income; and should we close the Reading Room to save money “besides it's not really accomplishing much anyway” (paraphrasing the sentiment that was shared).  The meeting started off with the doom and gloom pitch and then the meeting was opened to the membership to comment further.  A few comments were made in support of the doom and gloom, but then the meeting really turned around.  I took the meeting as parallel to a call from a patient who describes the situation and in essence is confronted with the so-called realities of matter.  More than half of the members there started talking about “how we do” or “do not” speak Truth to error.  Then the one who started the meeting said, “Well fine then, let's meet monthly about this until the situation is healed!” And there was not a single complaint about that idea. With that, someone suggested that we read the Church Manual together for our first “monthly” meeting, and it became then a call to action.  Before the meeting adjourned there was a good 15-20 minutes of members speaking in practitioner-like terms.  Not one or two members - several.  The essence of the argument was “instead of blind and calm submission” to the idea that we are failing as a church and “rise in rebellion against” that claim. (SH 391:7-9)

So, we met the next month, and again the meeting started with the gloom and doom idea that we don't have enough.  (Mind you there is substantial funds in the bank, probably more money than in its entire history.)  But it really isn't about the actual circumstances - it's about the mental atmosphere. And two or more members started talking about how boring the Manual is, how it's terse, not substantial in what it says, for example, about Reading Rooms.  So, again, this began to turn around.  The discussion pointed out that a Manual is not a thesis, it's a “how to” guide.  And in the case of the Manual, it's a “how to” on being a member of The Mother Church.  And while Reading Rooms are mentioned in the Manual, the bigger point is that to be an effective member of TMC, EVERY member needs to care about every facet of Church, not just Reading Rooms, not just the dailies, but even say, the provision for First and Second Readers of TMC.  Each of those provisions needs our support, our love, our consecration.  The argument that every provision was necessary as a facet of church did turn the meeting around for the better, again.  This led to the idea that in essence we were asking each other to give a treatment for church.  And, with that, we agreed that for our next monthly meeting we would write a treatment for church, addressing the “leading error” as each of us saw it.  One member, who had not had class, asked what it means to give a treatment.  It was so dear, four or five members gave input as to how they could best succinctly describe what a treatment was.  It was really beautiful.  I have to say, it's a first as far as I have ever seen at this or any branch that I've been involved with - church members giving a treatment for church - how's that!  And the idea to write a treatment was approved unanimously.