S-2 form 1987

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The S-2 form is used by Watchtower representatives known as circuit overseers to make recommendations for new appointees in the positions of elder and ministerial servant.[1] This document is formatted as a letter from the congregation to the Governing Body at Watchtower headquarters.

Here is what the S-2 form looked like in year 1987:

(click image to enlarge)

(click image to enlarge)
The document above is identified as S-2b in the lower left-hand corner of page 1. During the circuit overseer's semi-annual congregation visit if the local body of elders and he decided to recommend anyone for positions of elder or ministerial servant, the circuit overseer would complete this form in triplicate and have local elders co-sign it with him. Respectively, these documents were identified as S-2a, S-2b and S-2c. When completed and signed the a and b copies were sent to Watchtower and the circuit overseer kept the c copy in the circuit files at his disposal. The a document would be retained at Watchtower and the b copy returned to the local congregation indicating which recommendations had been accepted and which had failed.

Preprinted information on these forms is fairly well known among Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The S-2 form identifies the date of ordination for each individual recommended, which is not confidential information. Curiously, on page 1 this information is identified as “Date of Baptism" and on page 2 the same piece of information is labeled as “Baptism Date (Ordination)”.

This form also points to a general rule at the time that Watchtower expected local elders and circuit overseers to wait until a man was at least 20 years of age before recommending him for appointment in the congregation as a ministerial servant.

As can be seen on page 2, the Governing Body takes direct responsibility for the appointment of elders and ministerial servants in each congregation. The box in the upper left-hand corner of page 2 indicates this. When these documents were returned this box would have a stamped signature of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. confirming appointments made. If a person recommended was not appointed then that name would be scratched through indicating the recommendation failed.

The returned S-2b form would also have date and desk stamps identifying the specific desk inside Watchtower than processed the document internally at Watchtower. This work was/is performed in Watchtower’s Service Department.

Marvin Shilmer
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References:

1. Another document used by circuit overseers is highlighted in the article S-303 form 1988.