Jehovah's Witnesses are back to Meeting In-Person

All congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide resumed holding in-person meetings during April.

When she heard the news, Lindsey Passmore of Urbandale, Iowa, wanted to “jump out of my chair!” she said.

For most of the past two years, buildings for worship have remained closed globally due to the risks associated with meeting in person.

Passmore expresses what many of her fellow believers feel. “There is no substitute for the love and comfort we feel by being together in person,” she said. “I felt surrounded by that love when I was at the meeting with my friends again.”

The return to in-person meetings includes implementation of precautionary measures. All attendants are strongly encouraged to wear masks. The halls are cleansed and sanitized after every meeting. “There are signs posted with reminders regarding how to avoid spreading infection,” she said. Also, “hand sanitizer, soap and water are readily available.” These precautions “make me feel safe and very cared for.”

The move back to in-person meetings coincided with two global events held in all 120,000 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The first was a special lecture, titled “Where Can You Find Real Hope?” The lecture, “reminded me of how vital it is to have real hope,” she said. “I want to put forth the effort so that my hope in Bible promises will keep getting stronger.”

Additionally, the annual commemoration of the death of Jesus Christ, was held on April 15, the very day he sacrificed his life 1,989 years ago. “Preparing for and attending the memorial each year is like a spiritual reset,” Passmore said. “The memorial reminds me of the solid basis God has given us to put faith in all his promises for a better life on earth in the near future.”

For the last two years Jehovah’s Witnesses continued holding their weekly meetings via a virtual platform. A pilot program was held in October and November in countries around the world to assess how this could be done most effectively. The lessons learned have helped form the plan for “hybrid” meetings moving forward with reopening all Kingdom Halls, where the law permits. “It is wonderful that no one has to feel pressured to come to the Kingdom Hall in person if they are not comfortable doing so,” she said. “Each person’s personal choice is being kindly respected.”

The new adopted “hybrid” meeting is rewarding. “If someone has symptoms of an infection, because there is an option to attend the meeting via videoconferencing, they don’t have to feel like they will miss out if they decide to stay home,” she said.

For more information on Jehovah’s Witnesses, go to jw.org.