The Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nibley.
NIBLEY — After two full years, an international religious organization with members in northern Utah and southeastern Idaho will meet in-person as of April 1st.
The COVID-19 pandemic scuttled many in-person gatherings in March 2020, and Jehovah’s Witnesses put their in-person public ministry on-hold as well as in-person meetings, opting instead for a video conference set-up for congregations where possible, worldwide.
On KVNU’s For the People program last week, spokesman for the U.S. Branch, Robert Hendriks said they will still have the virtual option in place as they start meeting again in- person.
“And that was the desire of our organization to look at how we could do that not just in-person but also hybrid meetings, so allowing a video conferencing option, which I guess is key to this as well to allow people to make a personal decision. Because clearly some won’t be, perhaps, comfortable yet in going to an in-person meeting, but we’re real excited about it,” he explained.
Hendriks said it is happening just in time for two noteworthy events that will take place in congregations worldwide.
“On April 15-th we’ll come together in the evening after sundown to commemorate the Memorial of Jesus Christ’s death. For many congregations it will be in-person around the world. Right before that, for most congregations on April 10th,for some in Utah, April 3rd we’ll have a special talk. And the special talk at the Kingdom Hall in-person will be (titled) ‘Where Can You Find Real Hope’”.
There are two English-speaking congregations in Cache Valley with their meeting place, which is called a Kingdom Hall, in Nibley and one in Preston, Idaho. Also, there are two Spanish-speaking congregations that meet at the Nibley location.
While Witnesses and visitors will be meeting in-person, their door-to-door ministry will remain on-hold for now. But that has continued during the pandemic with letter writing, telephone calls and video-conferencing with those interested.
For more information about the annual Memorial and Special Talk and the arrangements locally in English and Spanish, visit JW.org.