Well, maybe he or she doesn't want a hug. How about a handshake? At least go by and say thank you.

Do you know how much we paid the sound technicians at the Feast last year? Nothing. They volunteered. Do you know how much they deserved to be paid? All together, thousands and thousands of dollars. It is skilled labor, after all.

There are a couple of sites where our volunteers are not allowed to use the sound system and control rooms of the theater. A few extra thousand dollars have to be budgeted for those sites to pay the professional personnel running it. Sometimes union laws prohibit anybody other than their people using the sound system.

Sometimes the sound crew members bring their own equipment, further saving the Church rental fees. Is the sound crew able to concentrate on the message during the service? Or are they even then making an additional sacrifice so you can concentrate on the message and not even think about proper amplification for all to hear? When you go up this year to thank the sound technician, ask him if he misses part of the message so you don't have to.

Yes, I am focusing on the volunteer sound crews at the Feast, but there are hundreds of volunteers every year at every Feast site contributing to the success of God's assembly.

The Feast of Tabernacles is dependent upon volunteers. The Church could never come close to paying for all the services that are rendered. Ushers, parking crews, youth education classes, musicians for special music, the choir, information table crews, translators and nonsalaried speakers, plus others all contribute. But, this year, why not personally thank the sound crew.