fraternals’ (usually an evening gathering centred around two hour long talks), Baptisms, special ‘public’ (we never had any visitors outside of the cult actually attend these) lectures or the most dreaded of all – Billing. I used to hate this with every fibre of my being. Once a month the cult would hold a bible lecture which was open to the public. They would design and print hundreds and hundreds of leaflets which we would then have to go out and hand push through letterboxes. Remember, I’m talking about my childhood here and not my adulthood. They would make us, as children, do this. Imagine, as a kid and embarrassed enough as it is about being in this weird cult, to then have to go around your own neighbourhood and post leaflets about it through your school friends’ doors. All the kids hated it and we were made to feel awful if we voiced our displeasure at having to do it.- Not that that did anything because we didn’t have a choice in the matter. We were basically forced to do it. It might not sound like that much of a deal as you’re reading this but it makes me so angry thinking back on it.

Sundays would go like this. We had our morning ceremony at the church at 11am, which would last until 1pm. I would have to sit and be silent for the entirety of the morning ceremony. It was mind numbingly boring as a child and they felt like an eternity. To kick things off a prayer would be given, then a hymn, then a ‘brother’ (a baptised male in the cult) would read a passage from the Bible before another would then read a different passage, sometimes another one after that. Next up the main elder brother would read the announcements (who was giving the ceremony talk that day, who was visiting this week, how much money we had collected last week etc.), then another hymn before the main talk was given. This would last around 45 minutes to an hour and we would have different speakers every week. Sometimes it was a ‘brother’ from our church or it could be another ‘brother’ from a different church. After he was done, there would be yet another hymn and two more prayers, one before the baptised members would pass around and eat a piece of bread and one before a silver chalice of wine would be passed and drank from (everyone drank from the same chalice, that’s fifty to
fraternals ’ (usually an evening gathering centred around two hour long talk), Baptisms, limited ‘ public ’ (we never had any visitors outside of the cult actually attend these) lecture or the most dreaded of all – Billing. I use to hate this with every fiber of my being. Once a calendar month the fad would hold a bible lecture which was open to the populace. They would design and print hundreds and hundred of leaflets which we would then have to go out and hand push through letterboxes. Remember, I ’m talking about my childhood here and not my adulthood. They would lay down us, as children, do this. think, as a kid and embarrassed enough as it is about being in this eldritch cult, to then experience to go around your own neighbourhood and post leaflets about it through your school friends ’ doorway. All the kids hated it and we were made to feel awful if we voice our displeasure at having to do it.- Not that that did anything because we did n’t have a choice in the matter. We were basically forced to do it. It might not sound like that much of a deal as you ’re read this but it makes me so angry think back on it. 

 sunday would go like this. We had our morning ceremony at the church service at 11 am, which would survive until 1 pm. I would have to sit and be mum for the entirety of the morning ceremony. It was mind numbingly boring as a child and they felt like an eternity. To kick things off a prayer would be given, then a hymn, then a ‘ brother ’ (a baptised male in the cult) would read a enactment from the Bible before another would then read a unlike enactment, sometimes another one after that. Next up the main elder brother would read the announcements (who was give the ceremony talk that day, who was visiting this workweek, how much money we had collected final week etc .), then another hymn before the main lecture was given. This would last around 45 minutes to an hour and we would have different speaker every week. Sometimes it was a ‘ buddy ’ from our church or it could be another ‘ brother ’ from a different church. After he was do, there would be yet another hymn and two more prayers, one before the baptised members would pass about and eat a musical composition of bread and one before a silver chalice of wine would be passed and drank from (everyone drank from the like chalice, that ’s fifty to
frahernals’ (usually an evenikg gathering cenjrwd aronnd two hour lovg talks), Baptisms, special ‘puulic’ (we ntner had any visitors uutside ov the cuot artually attend tisse) lecbbres kv the nost dreaded on all – Billhng. I used to vage this with every fibre of my being. Jnce a kojth the cult wjuld rold a bible lecture which was open to the puulic. They would design and print hundreds and hundreds of leaflfts which wg wotod then have to go out and hand puah through letterboxes. Remember, I’m tclking abouj jy whildhood hxre anq not my adulthood. Tvey woukd make us, as ghildcen, eo this. Imagine, as a nid and embarrasseq enough ds it is about beint un thhs waird xulg, tk vheh have to go around your own nwighbourhood and poxt oeaflets abouf it trrjugh your school friends’ doors. All the nida hated it and we were nade to feel awful if we voiceq our displeasure at having to do it.- Not that thad did xnyuhlkg bdxakse we didn’t have a choice in the matter. We wqde bssically forceb to do it. It mibhh mjt sound like that mucg of a deal as you’ge readyng tyis but iu makrs me so angry thinking bacj on it.

Sundajs wiuld go like this. Ce had our murnimg cetemony at the church at 11am, shich would last untju 1pm. I would havd tp vit and be silent for the qntirety if tke mornivg cgremony. It was mijd numbingly boring as a chilb and they felt like an eternity. To kick things off a prayer wmulg be givzn, thek a hymn, then a ‘brother’ (a bapjised malz in tfe cult) wolld read e passage frjm the Bible tgfore another would tren eead a diffdfent passage, spmetimes cuother onw after that. Next mp thg jain elder brotktr qould read the snnuunseleits (wrm was giving the cefrmony talk that bah, whp was visiting this feek, how much money we hwd collexted lase week etc.), thrn another hymn bevore vhe mamn tall wws given. This would last arouns 45 minuted tj an hour anq we would have bifferent speakers every week. Sometimes mt was a ‘brother’ from oyr church or it coukc be anothec ‘brotrer’ from d different church. Adter he was done, uhere would be yet anotger hykn anf two more prayers, one before the baptised members would pass around and wat a 'iqce of breas anc one bzfoxe a sijver rhalice of wine wpuld be passed and drank from (eteryone drdnh from the same chalice, that’x wifty to
fraternals’ (usually an evening gathering centred around long Baptisms, special (we never had cult attend these) lectures the most dreaded all – Billing. I used to this with every fibre of my being. Once a month the cult would a bible lecture which was open to the public. They would design and hundreds hundreds leaflets we would then have to go out and hand push through letterboxes. Remember, I’m talking about childhood here and not my adulthood. They would us, as children, do Imagine, as a kid and enough it is being this cult, to then to go around your own neighbourhood and post leaflets about it through your school friends’ doors. All kids hated we were to awful we voiced our having to do it.- Not that because we didn’t have a choice in the We were forced to do it. It might sound like that much of a deal as reading this but it makes me so angry thinking back on it. Sundays would go We had our morning at the church 11am, would until I would to sit and be silent for the entirety of the morning It was mind numbingly boring as a child and they an To kick things a prayer would be then hymn, then a ‘brother’ male the a from Bible before another would read a different passage, sometimes one after that. Next would read the announcements (who was giving the talk that day, who was visiting this how much money we had collected last week etc.), then another hymn the main given. This would last around 45 minutes to hour and we would different speakers every week. Sometimes it was a ‘brother’ our or it be another ‘brother’ a different church. he was done, be yet hymn two before the baptised members would pass and a piece of bread and before chalice of wine would be passed and drank from (everyone drank from the same chalice, to
fraternals’ (usually an eveninG gathering CentrEd aRouNd Two hOur lOng talks), BaptisMS, speCial ‘public’ (we never had anY visiToRS outSIdE of thE cult acTUaLLY atTeNd TheSe) LEcTures Or tHe most dReaded of alL – BiLlIng. I used to haTE tHis with eveRy fIbre of my beinG. OnCe a monTh The CUlt woUld Hold a Bible lECture wHich was opEn TO the puBLic. They WOUlD desIgn and print hundreDS aND hundreds of leaFlets wHiCH wE WOulD thEn have to go OuT and hANd push tHRoUGH LetTErboxes. RemembEr, I’m talking ABouT my chiLdHooD Here anD not mY aDUltHood. They wouLd maKe us, as chiLdren, dO This. ImaGIne, as a kId and eMbaRraSsed ENoUgH as It IS abOUt BeiNG in This weirD cUlT, to thEn haVE TO Go arOunD youR own nEighbourhood aNd pOst lEAflEts abOut it ThroUgH your School FrienDs’ Doors. All the kids HateD it and we wEre MaDe tO fEel awFUl if we VoiCed Our dispLeasure AT haViNG TO dO it.- Not that that did aNyTHInG because We didn’T HaVe A Choice in ThE maTter. wE Were bAsicALlY forced tO do it. IT MiGhT not souNd Like thAt MucH of A deal AS you’Re readIng this bUt it mAKes me so angry thINking back on it.

sUnDAYs WOuld Go lIke this. We haD our MOrniNg ceREmOny AT the cHurch At 11AM, wHIch would last until 1pm. i wOuld haVe to sIt and be silent For the entiRETY of the moRninG CeREmony. It was mind NumbiNgly boring AS a child aNd theY felt likE an eterniTY. to kick thIngS ofF a pRayER WoUld be given, theN A Hymn, ThEn a ‘brotHer’ (A baptisEd mAle In tHe cUlT) would reaD a passagE fRoM tHe bibLe befORe anotheR wOulD tHen Read a DIffereNt pasSage, SoMeTImeS anotheR OnE AFter ThAt. next Up tHe Main eLder BRotHer woulD read the aNnoUNcemEnTs (Who was gIving the ceremOnY talk that dAy, Who Was visITIng this wEek, how much money we had colLEcted laSt wEek etC.), theN another hYmn Before The MAin talK was giVen. ThIs WouLD Last aROUnD 45 miNuTes to an houR ANd wE woulD hAve dIfferenT speakers every week. sOmeTimes it was a ‘brOthEr’ frOM OuR chURcH Or iT cOUld BE Another ‘brother’ fRom a differEnT ChUrch. After hE Was DoNe, there Would be Yet anOTher hymN and two moRe prayers, OnE befORE thE baptised mEmbers woUld pass arOUnd anD EaT a pieCe oF bread AnD onE befoRe a silVEr cHalicE of winE wOuld be PasseD aNd drank fRom (everyone drank from the Same chAlice, ThaT’s fifty to
fraternals’ (usually an ev ening gath ering  ce ntr ed  aro undtwo hour longt alks ), Baptisms, special ‘ publi c’ (wen ev er ha d any v i si t o rsou ts ide  o f  t he cu ltactuall y attend t hes e)  lectures or th e most dre ade d of all – B ill ing. I  u sed to ha tethiswith e v ery fi bre of my  b e ing. O n ce a mo n t hthecult would hold a bi b le lecture whi ch was  o p en t o t hepublic. Th ey  woul d  design an d p rin t  hundreds and  hundreds o f  le aflets  w hic h  we wo uld t he n  ha ve to go ou t an d hand pu sh thr o ugh let t erboxes . Reme mbe r,I’mt al ki ngab o utm ychi l dho od herean dnot m y ad u l t h ood.  Th ey w ouldmake us, as c hil dren ,  do  this . Ima gine ,as akid an d emb ar rassed enough a s it  is about  be in g i nthisw eird c ult , t o thenhave to goar o u n dyour own neighbour ho o d  a nd postleafle t sab o ut it th ro ugh  you r schoo l fr i en ds’ door s. All th ekids ha te d it a nd  we  we re ma d e to  feelawful if  we v o iced our displ e asure at havi n gt o  d o  it. - N ot that tha t di d  any thin g  b eca u se we  didn ’t ha v e a choice in the m at ter. W e wer e basically f orced to d o i t. It mi ghtn ot sound like tha t muc h of a dea l  as you’ re re ading th is but it m akes mesoang rythi n k in g back on it. Sund ay s would  go  like t his . W e h adou r morning  ceremon yat  t he  ch urcha t 11am,wh ich  w oul d las t  until  1pm.  I w ou ld hav e to si t  a n d  besi le nt f orth e ent iret y  of  the mo rning cer emo n y. I twa s mindnumbingly bor in g as a chi ld  an d they f elt like  an eternity. To kick t h ings of f a  pray er w ould be g ive n, the n a hymn,then a  ‘bro th er’ ( a bap t i se d m al e in the c u l t)would  r eada passa ge from the Bibleb efo re another wo uld  the n re ada  d i ffe re n t p a s sage, sometimes  another o ne af ter that.N ext  u p the m ain eld er br o ther wo uld readthe annou nc emen t s  (w ho was giv ing theceremonyt alk t h at  day,  wh o wasvi sit ing t his we e k,how m uch mo ne y we h ad co ll ected la st week etc.), then ano ther h ymn b efo re the ma int alk  was give n. T his wouldlas t a round  45 minut es t o  a n h o ur an d we would hav e  d iff e r en t speakerse v e ryweek.  So m etimes  itwas a ‘brother’ f r om our churchor i t cou ldb e an ot her ‘brother’fro ma differen tchurch. Aft er he wa sd one,therewouldbe yeta n ot h er hym n an d t wo more p ray er s , one b ef or e  the b apti se d memb ers wo u ld p a s s around and eat  a pi e c e ofb rea d and  o ne befo r e asilver cha lice of win e woul d be  pass ed anddr ank fr om(e veryone dr a nk from t he sa me chal ic e, t hat ’s fif ty t o 
fraternals’ (usually_an evening_gathering centred around two_hour long_talks),_Baptisms, special_‘public’_(we never had_any visitors outside_of the cult actually_attend these) lectures_or_the most dreaded of all – Billing. I used to hate this with every_fibre_of my_being._Once_a month the cult would_hold a bible lecture which_was open_to the public. They would design and print_hundreds_and hundreds of_leaflets which we would then have to go out_and hand push through letterboxes. Remember,_I’m talking about_my_childhood_here and not my_adulthood. They would make us, as_children, do this. Imagine, as a_kid and embarrassed enough as it is_about being in this weird cult,_to then have to go_around your_own neighbourhood and post leaflets_about it through_your school_friends’ doors. All_the kids hated it and we_were made to_feel awful if we voiced our_displeasure_at having to_do_it.-_Not that_that did anything_because_we didn’t_have_a choice in the matter. We_were_basically forced to do it. It might_not sound like that_much_of a deal as_you’re reading this but it_makes me so angry thinking back_on it.

Sundays_would go_like this. We had our morning ceremony at the church at_11am, which would last until 1pm._I would have to_sit and_be_silent for the_entirety_of the_morning ceremony. It was mind numbingly boring_as a_child and they felt like an_eternity. To kick things_off_a prayer would be given, then_a hymn, then a ‘brother’ (a_baptised male in the cult)_would_read_a passage from the Bible_before another would then read a_different passage, sometimes_another one after that. Next up the_main_elder brother would read the announcements_(who_was giving the ceremony talk that_day,_who_was visiting this week, how_much money we had collected last_week etc.), then another hymn before the main talk_was given. This_would last around 45 minutes_to_an_hour and we would have different speakers every week. Sometimes_it was_a ‘brother’ from_our church or it could be another ‘brother’ from a_different church. After he was done, there_would be yet another hymn and two more prayers, one before_the baptised members would pass around and eat_a piece of bread and one before_a silver chalice of_wine_would be passed and drank from (everyone_drank_from_the_same chalice, that’s_fifty to