Handwritten letter with religious insert sent to our home.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

Is this standard practice now? We got home from a few days away and had a handwritten letter, stamped and looked it came from a city about 50 miles away. It was basically a recruitment attempt talking about how times were hard in the world and enclosing some sort of leaflet. It was DH that opened it and just binned it as it's not our cup of tea but I'm a bit mystified as to why they would be writing to our address as it clearly wasn't a standard anonymous thing, even though it was addressed to the occupier and not our actual name.

Is that what churches/organisations do now?

No not standard practise at all! So who had written it, a member of a church?

I've no idea tbh, it was from a specific named person, hand written, very polite from the little bit DH read out and I could see that a leaflet was attached - like the kind that are popped through the door from the church or JWs etc. He just tossed it in the bin as it's not our thing and I meant to pick it out for a proper look but forgot and bins away now. I'm happy to live an let live as far as what other people want to believe.

I didn't get the impression it was a begging letter just more a recruitment thing.

I'm not annoyed or frightened or anything as they didn't know our name and clearly everyone in the street might have had one, I'll need to ask the neighbours. But it was a longish letter, 2 pages at least of letter sized paper. Just a bit bemused as to how that would be a thing that people would do

My friend got one recently too from the JW. Maybe they are having a recruitment drive?

I got one of these too at the weekend. Thought it was very weird.

How weird. Can you imagine being a Jehovah’s Witness or similar and being told that because of Covid they were suspending door knocking but you had to write letters instead. .

If it was from Jehovah's Witnesses that would make sense, as someone said if they've been told not to knock at present. They have very specific beliefs about having to reach certain numbers of people.

Mainstream Christian churches do not have these beliefs, as they are not in the Bible.

JW’s are writing letters instead of calling on people. I have been told they are writing to people who they have had a discussion with and who has shown interest. They have an obligation to God to minister and so by letter writing they fee they are upholding this obligation. Like door calling, you can tell them to add you to the Do Not Call list - you write to the local Kingdom Hall and tell them not to contact you.

It might very well have been a JW, I always just say I'm not interested but despite being an atheist, sometimes DH will briefly chat before dismissing them as he quite likes a bit of banter and he quite likes the guy that usually calls. We must be on a list somewhere then!

Thanks very much for all your replies. I'm aware that part of the deal with them is that they have to be committed to spreading the word.

We have a hall in the city we live in but it was franked from another city - or maybe we don't have our own frank?

Each JW Hall has a certain area much like church has a parish. They don't write from another area and they would identify themselves.

I recently got a letter from a lovely JW lady I know. I once had them round to the house for a proper chat so she contacts me from time to time. I feel bad as I know she must think I'm hellbound, despite being a regular church attendee I'm not JW.

So yes they are writing letters now. Maybe they are living in a different area but know you from their previous parish? If your dh has shown interest it makes sense.

I've had one from the JWs that looked very much like it was handwritten, but was actually just a copy. I wouldn't worry about it.