Jehovah’s Witnesses build new hall in Ottawa Posted By Editor On October 9, 2013 @ 10:47 am In News

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About 700 skilled, professional volunteers from throughout the Chicago metropolitan area are constructing an improved house of worship for the Ottawa Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses at 1838 N. 2753rd Road.

Charles Dillard, a congregation elder, said the congregation has met at the location in Ottawa since 1967, and because of recent growth needed a larger place to meet. The new 5,100-square-foot house of worship will seat 200. Dillard explained the Witnesses use a rapid, volunteer method of construction, so contributed funds are used effectively and the local congregations will not have to be away from its ministerial duties for long. This method also provides for fewer disturbances in the neighborhood.

In order to conserve funds, the congregation has tried to do as much of the building work as possible without resorting to commercial contractors. To the extent possible, it is done with voluntary, unpaid labor. Entire families often share. Tradesmen, who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, volunteer their skills. Over the years, many unskilled volunteers have been trained. All give evidence they fit the description given in the Bible, at Psalm 110:3, “Your people will offer themselves willingly.”

Although these buildings go up quickly, this is not the primary consideration, according to a news release. Of greater importance is providing quality construction of modest Kingdom Halls designed to meet the local needs of the congregation. Careful planning is done to accomplish this. Measures are taken to see safety is given high priority — the safety of workers, neighbors, passersby and future occupants of the Kingdom Hall.

The building is called a Kingdom Hall because the term was first used to describe meeting places in Honolulu in 1935. The term is appropriate because Jehovah’s Witnesses probably are best known for following Jesus’ command to “preach the good news of the Kingdom in all the inhabited earth” (Matthew 24:14). Meetings at the more than 100,000 congregations throughout the world are open to the public; no collections are ever taken.

Among the central beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses are that Jehovah is the personal name of the Almighty God. Jesus Christ, God’s only-begotten son, is the head of the Christian congregation. Therefore, he is the model they try to follow. Jehovah’s Witnesses acknowledge God’s Kingdom, under Christ, as the government that soon will rule over the earth in righteousness. They trust in this Bible-based promise and therefore are neutral toward all human governments.

Dillard also said, “Bible knowledge helps us become better people: better husbands, wives, parents, children and neighbors. We want to thank the community for their fine support in making this project possible.”

An open house is planned in the near future.

More information about Jehovah’s Witnesses can be found at jw.org.

Source: The Times

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