Deacons’ Meetings (2) A View from the Observers’ Gallery

The room in which deacons' meetings are held does not have an observers' gallery. Unlike most sessions of the meetings of the church's broader assemblies, the public is not welcome to observe deacons' meetings -- or consistory meetings, for that matter. The reason for this is not that the congregation may know nothing about the deacons' work. The deacons do well to inform the congregation of the work they are doing, withholding any names and details pertaining to specific cases. But the...