‘Something we have been longing for’: Jehovah’s Witnesses return to cart-based public ministry

ST. GEORGE — Following a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are returning to in-person public ministry with carts full of the faith’s free and Bible-based literature.

A pair of Jehovah’s Witnesses speak to a woman about their faith, date and location unspecified | Photo courtesy of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, St. George News

Similar to other faiths that have begun to resume normal services and activities as the pandemic has waned, the Jehovah’s Witnesses returned to in-person meetings in their Kingdom Halls earlier this year. Prior to this, members of the faith met virtually over Zoom and similar online conferencing platforms.

The organization also continues to hold “hybrid” in-person and virtual meetings so those unable to attend in person still may participate in worship services.

Missionary work also continued despite traditional methods of sidewalk ministry and door-to-door visits coming to a halt as members continued to reach out to neighbors through letters and phone calls, said Jamie Dunjey, the Jehovah’s Witness spokesperson for Utah.

“Now we are excited to move on to the next phase, our in-person public ministry,” Dunjey said in a press release. “Giving the public an opportunity to approach us with Bible questions they may have, face-to-face, is something we have been longing for.”

In this file photo, a Jehovah’s Witness family watches the faith’s annual convention streamed online for the first time due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. | Photo courtesy of JW.org, St. George News

Though the Jehovah’s Witnesses have yet to return to their door-to-door visits, they have resumed visiting those who have invited them into their homes otherwise.

“We are sensitive to the risks that still face our communities and our volunteers, which is why we will not resume door-to-door ministry at this time,” Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses, said.

As for the organization’s public mobile cart in ministry, that has been in the United States since 2011.

Cart locations can be found across St. George at various locations such at the St. George Town Square, Sandtown and Vernon Worthen parks. They can also be found at the Santa Clara, Hurricane and Washington City libraries, as well as at the Zion and Bryce Canyon national park visitor centers.

They can also be found at locations in Cedar City and Kanab.

According to a Pew Research Center study, nearly 3 in 10 Americans reported their faith had become stronger during the pandemic. Some previous studies also revealed an increase in religious observance following a calamity.

According to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the faith grew 3% in the United States in 2021 as it held virtual services. The increase is considered the faith’s most significant increase over the past decade.

There are an estimated 8.7 million Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide spread across 239 lands.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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