Report about Memorial

[MJ1]

"Liverpool Echo " news report about how one reporter went to memorial

 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/spent-evening-jehovahs-witnesses-33714353

 

[Sheep]

5 hours ago, MJ1 said:

"Liverpool Echo " news report about how one reporter went to memorial

 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/spent-evening-jehovahs-witnesses-33714353

 

This link won't work where I am (Canada). I used a VPN to view it. But when I got to it, here's what it showed me:

 

 

They get you coming and going...

[MJ1]

sorry it didnt work for you, report was favourable

[Sheep]

50 minutes ago, MJ1 said:

sorry it didnt work for you, report was favourable

 

I would think the moderators would allow you to quote at least part of the article in this topic. (Not the whole thing though, unless it's relatively short.) I'm curious as to what it was about.

[Qapla]

The link worked for me ... Eric, see PM from me

[dljbsp]

Reporter attends Jehovah’s Witnesses’ annual Memorial service in New Brighton
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NEW BRIGHTON, England (AP) — A Liverpool Echo reporter attended the annual Memorial of Jesus’ Death at a Kingdom Hall in New Brighton, offering an inside look at what Jehovah’s Witnesses describe as their most important yearly observance.
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The event, held worldwide on a date corresponding to the Jewish Passover, commemorates the death of Jesus Christ. The service was described as simple and modest, with no religious symbols or altar, and centered on Bible readings, a talk, prayers and songs.
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Attendees welcomed newcomers warmly, with a strong emphasis on community and outreach. The program focused on key teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, including the belief that Jesus’ death serves as a ransom sacrifice for humanity and that most faithful people will live on a restored earth, while a limited number — 144,000 — will go to heaven.
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A central feature of the Memorial included the passing of bread and wine among those present. However, only individuals who believe they have a heavenly calling partake of the emblems; most attendees pass them along without participating.
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The reporter also observed organizational practices such as male leadership roles during meetings and the group’s emphasis on preaching and Bible education. Other beliefs noted included the refusal of blood transfusions.
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Jehovah’s Witnesses report more than 9 million members worldwide. The movement traces its origins to the 19th century and continues to emphasize what it describes as the “good news” of God’s Kingdom through global evangelizing efforts.


The original article is much better. but I can't share it without violating the copyright .

 

Edited 20 hours ago by dljbsp

[GeordieGirl]

I'm in Australia and it worked fine for me.  Do you maybe have an adblocker that won't let you access it, Eric? @Sheep

[Thomas Walker]

Quote

 

20:36, 05 Apr 2026: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/spent-evening-jehovahs-witnesses-33714353

 

Thursday marked the most significant date on the calendar for Jehovah’s Witnesses: the Memorial of Jesus' Death. Guided by local member Sharon Hurford, I joined the congregation to observe this global commemoration, which takes place annually on the night of Passover.

 

 

The event serves as a major outreach milestone for the faith. In the weeks prior, invitations depicting a welcoming family greeting newcomers are distributed widely; one such leaflet recently arrived through my own letterbox, leading me to the Kingdom Hall in New Brighton for the occasion.

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At the door, I was met by Sharon and her husband, Chris. The middle-aged couple from Moreton are lifelong Witnesses who, despite being relatively new to the area, have quickly established their community within the hall.

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The building itself, repurposed from a former laundry on a Wallasey back street, reflects a functional and modest philosophy. The interior is defined by magnolia walls and sparse furniture.

 

.....

 

There was a lot of welcoming into the fold. A lot of handshakes. A lot of smiling. Many people were keen to welcome an unfamiliar face before I was invited to sit between Chris and Sharon. The service starts with a hymn whose lyrics are about Jehovah’s Witnesses across the world being brought together for God.

 

....

Quote

‌

The plates of bread are passed along, snaking their way around the congregation before coming to me. Sharon tells me they are large, flat pieces of bread made without yeast, as they would have been in the first century. Not feeling called, I pass the plate along to her.

 

The same thing happened with the wine glasses. When they reach the front, all three are level and look just as full as they were before they made their way around the congregation.

 

The service ends with a song called ‘Grateful for the Ransom’. First-timers in the congregation are invited to enquire about one-on-one Bible study. Those who have returned after an absence are asked to attend more regularly.

 

At the end of the service, I am encouraged to return, given details of services, times, and what is discussed, and then Chris tells me it’s time to go and escorts me off the premises. The doors are closed behind me.

 

Window cleaner Mike Lancaster, from Wallasey, told the ECHO: “People are having many struggles, and faith gives me a purpose in life. People from all backgrounds are here, especially tonight, with people coming for the first time.”

 

Who are the Jehovah's Witnesses?

......

The organisation's literature states that all Christians must fulfil the "God-given mandate to preach and teach the good news". Witnesses report their preaching to their congregation at the Kingdom Hall each month.

Witnesses can often be seen gathered on street corners around stands advertising "free Bible study". The 'good news' they preach is that God will "end suffering" by "clearing the earth of bad people" and replacing "all human governments with his own government".

....

 

In the frequently asked questions section of its website, the Witnesses state that they hold the one true religion and that those on other paths will not be saved if they choose not to begin serving God in the way they have set out.

 

 

 

EDITED for brevity and to avoid any copyright issues. - moderators

Edited 3 hours ago by trottigy

[Jim Jam]

18 hours ago, Sheep said:

 

This link won't work where I am (Canada). 

 

https://archive.ph/QeKFC

Edited 10 hours ago by Jim Jam

[Sheep]

9 hours ago, GeordieGirl said:

I'm in Australia and it worked fine for me.  Do you maybe have an adblocker that won't let you access it, Eric? @Sheep

 

I don't have an adblocker in Firefox, where I was trying to access it. I tried it also in Google Chrome, Edge, and Opera, but it doesn't work in any of those either.

 

7 hours ago, Jim Jam said:

 

https://archive.ph/QeKFC

 

Thank you. However, @Qapla sent the entire article to me in a PM. All is well.

Edited 3 hours ago by Sheep