Our Kingdom Ministry

March 2002                       For United States of America        km-E Us 3/02 Vol. 45, No. 3

Joyfully United With Jehovah and His Son

The Most Important Event of the Year Is to Be Observed on March 28

• ¹ By observing the Lord’s Evening Meal after sundown on March 28, 2002, we display our joyful unity with Jehovah God and Jesus Christ. On that very special occasion, the remnant of anointed Christians will enjoy the special “sharing” that they have with other Kingdom heirs, with the Father, and with his Son. (1 John 1:3; Eph. 1:11, 12) Millions of the “other sheep” will reflect on their wonderful privilege to be united with Jehovah and his Son, being of one heart and mind with them in accomplishing God’s work! —John 10:16.

• ² Working Together in a Close Relationship: Jehovah and Jesus have always been joyfully united. They enjoyed close association for aeons before the creation of man. (Mic. 5:2) A deep bond of tender affection thus developed between the two of them. As wisdom personifled, this firstborn Son in his prehuman existence could say: “I came to be the one [Jehovah] was specially fond of day by day, I being glad before him all the time.” (Prov. 8:30) Spending countless ages in intimate association with the Source of love had a profound effect on God’s Son!—1 John 4:8.

• ³ With mankind’s need of redemption in mind, Jehovah chose his only-begotten Son, who was especially fond of humans, to provide the ransom sacrifice, which offers our only hope. (Prov. 8:31) Just as Jehovah and his Son are united in carrying out one purpose, we remain united with them and with one another in bonds of strong love, joyfully doing God’s will.

• ⁴ Showing Our Heartfelt Appreciation: By being present at the Memorial and listening carefully and respectfully, we can demonstrate our genuine appreciation for both Jehovah’s love and his Son’s sacrifice for us. Highlighted will be Jesus’ loving example, his faithfulness to death in providing the ransom, and his rulership as King of God’s established Kingdom, as well as the blessings that the Kingdom will bring to mankind. We will also be reminded of the need to manifest our faith continually, zealously working in harmony with Jehovah’s will as “fellow workers in the truth.”—3 John 8; Jas. 2:17.

• ⁵ Helping Others to Share With Us: The body of elders should make a special effort to encourage all inactive Witnesses in the territory to attend the Memorial of Christ’s death. (Matt. 18:12, 13) Make a list of those to be called on so that none are overlooked and all are personally invited.

• ⁶ Do you know of others who might come to the Memorial? Take the initiative to build up their appreciation for this occasion. Warmly invite them, and make them feel wanted. Let us do our utmost to invite to this most important event of the year all our Bible students and other interested people, as well as family members and acquaintances. The benefits of the ransom remain available to all who learn “the excelling value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:8) Those exercising faith in Christ’s sacrifice can gain the firm hope of everlasting life.—John 3:16.

• ⁷ Never underestimate the effect that the Memorial can have on sincere ones. Two years ago in the island country of Papua New Guinea, 11 interested persons traveled in a small boat for 17 hours through rough seas in order to be present. Why? They said: “We wanted to celebrate Christ’s Memorial with fellow worshipers of Jehovah; so the trip was all worth it.” Think of the zeal shown by those interested ones and of their appreciation for being joyfully united with Jehovah, his Son, and the Christian brotherhood!

• ⁸ Offer a Bible study to all interested ones. Encourage them to attend congregation meetings regularly and to share with others the truths they are learning. Help them to ‘walk in the light’ and to ‘practice the truth’ by applying Bible principles in their life. (1 John 1:6,7) Assist them to develop a close relationship with Jehovah and to continue growing in appreciation for the privilege of unitedly doing his will.

• ⁹ What a wonderful privilege it is to be joyfully united “in one spirit, with one soul striving side by side for the faith of the good news”! (Phil. 1: 27, 28) Let us look forward to our sweet fellowship together at the Memorial on March 28, ever thankful to Jehovah and his Son!—Luke 22:19.

  Service Meeting Schedule

  
  

Week Starting March 11

Song 2

13 min: Local announcements. Selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Using the suggestions on page 8, have two separate demonstrations of how to present the March 15 Watchtower and the March 22 Awake! In each case, show a different way to handle the conversation stopper, “I’m not interested.” —See Reasoning book, page 16.

12 min: Maintaining Our Christian Neutrality. Talk by a capable elder. Displays of patriotism have become more common at school, in the workplace, and around the neighborhood. Many who promote this do so as their way of coping with anxiety and grief over national tragedies. Even though we too are pained by what we see in the world, we understand the bigger issue of universal sovereignty and are comforted by the Kingdom message. When tactfully explaining to others why we do not join in nationalistic activities, we should also share the comfort and hope we have found in God’s Word. The brochure Jehovah’s Witnesses and Education, pages 20-4, under the subheading “The Flag Salute,” explains the reason why we do not participate in patriotic ceremonies. Cover the highlights, and encourage parents to review this information carefully with their children. Relate the experiences found on page 20 in the brochure and on page 31 in the January 8, 1996, Awake! Emphasize the need to give exclusive devotion to Jehovah, while respecting governmental authority.

20 min: “Be Rich in Fine Works.”* To be handled by the service overseer. Urge all to share fully in the ministry in preparation for the Memorial observance on March 28. Discuss how the printed invitations can be used to the best advantage. Invite publishers to tell how they were able to get their relatives, neighbors, Bible students, and other interested ones to attend the Memorial last year and what joy that brought. Encourage all who can to auxiliary pioneer in April and to obtain an application after the meeting.

Song 82 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting March 18

Song 7

10 min: Local announcements. Accounts report. Discuss “Memorial Reminders.” Encourage all to follow the Memorial Bible reading scheduled for March 23-28, as outlined in Examining the Scriptures Daily —2002.

15 min: “Joyfully United With Jehovah and His Son.” A Scripturally motivating talk by an elder. Encourage everyone to put forth extra effort between now and March 28 to invite as many people as possible to attend the Memorial along with us.

20 min: How Is the Yearbook Benefiting You? Talk and audience discussion. First, highlight the key points in “A Letter From the Governing Body,” on pages 3-5. Then, ask the audience to relate reports and experiences in the Yearbook that they found to be especially encouraging and faith-strengthening. Encourage all to complete their reading of the Yearbook and to use it to familiarize Bible students with Jehovah’s organization.

Song 45 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting March 25

Song 12

14 min: Local announcements. Explain that it is not too late to submit an application to auxiliary pioneer in April. Using the suggestions on page 8, have an elder demonstrate how to present the April 1 Watchtower and a youth show how to present the April 8 Awake! After each demonstration, highlight some good aspects of the presentation.

• 15 min: Local needs.

• 16 min: Use the Reasoning Book to Give Encouragement. Audience discussion. Everyone needs loving encouragement from time to time. Therefore, we should all feel a need to “speak consolingly” to others, including the distressed ones we meet in the ministry. (1 Thess. 5:14) Using the Reasoning book, invite audience to mention what Scriptural encouragement they might share with someone experiencing one of the trials outlined on pages 117-21. Suggest that each one try to encourage someone whenever the need arises. —Gal. 6:10.

Song 131 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting April 1

Song 27

7 min: Local announcements. Remind publishers to turn in field service reports for March.

18 min: ‘“Gifts in Men’ Eagerly Shepherd God’s Flock.” A talk by an elder. Discuss scriptures cited. Show how positive things can and do result from shepherding the inactive and helping the infirm to do what they can. Loving shepherds show appreciation for all their heartfelt efforts to remain active in Jehovah’s service.

20 min: “Increase Your Joy in Preaching.”* When discussing paragraph 5, ask for practical suggestions on how to accomplish the most good in the local territory. Demonstrate one or two examples of how we might take the initiative to approach someone to give a brief witness. Encourage everyone to create opportunities to witness this week.

Song 15 and concluding prayer.

* Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.

© 2002 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. Our Kingdom Ministry (ISSN 1067-7259) is published monthly by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New Ybrk, Inc.; M. H. Larson, President; G. F. Simonis, Secretary-Treasurer; 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483. Periodicals Postage Paid at Brooklyn, NY and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Our Kingdom Ministry, 1000 Red Mills Road, Wallkill, NY 12589-3299.                Printed in U.S.A.

“Be Rich in Fine Works”

during the final years of his zealous ministry, the apostle Paul worked closely with Timothy and Titus. To each of them, he wrote similar words of encouragement. He told Titus that “those who have believed God” ought to “keep their minds on maintaining fine works.” (Titus 3:8) He told Timothy that those who rest their hope on God should “be rich in fine works.” (1 Tim. 6:17, 18) This is excellent advice for all of us! But what will motivate us to perform fine works in our lives? And what specific works might we perform in the days ahead?

• ² The motivation for being rich in right works springs from our belief in and love for Jehovah and from the wonderful hope that he has given us. (1 Tim. 6:19; Titus 2: 11) Especially during this time of the year, we are reminded that Jehovah sent his Son to the earth so that Jesus could vindicate his Father and provide the way to life for all deserving humans. (Matt. 20:28; John 3:16) This will be made very clear at the Memorial observance of Christ’s death on March 28. In response to the hope we have of gaining life everlasting, are we not motivated to do all we can to “be rich in fine works”? Of course we are! What works might we perform now?

• ³ Fine Works to Do in March and Beyond: Certainly, we will attend the Memorial—the most important event of the year for Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide. (Luke 22:19) But we want to share the joy of that occasion with as many as possible. Look at the service report in the 2002 Yearbook, and you will see that last year in many lands around the earth, the Memorial attendance was three, four, five, or more times the number of publishers. Surely it took diligent effort on the part of all in the congregations to make an extensive distribution of Memorial invitations throughout their territory. Therefore, we want to spend as much time as we can between now and March 28 inviting people to the Memorial, helping them learn about the hope of salvation.

• ⁴ By the time April arrives, we may begin to enjoy extra daylight hours and more favorable weather. How can we put these advantages to good use in being “rich in fine works”? By continuing to have an enthusiastic share in the work of preaching the good news, being “zealous for fine works.” (Titus 2:14; Matt. 24:14) If you were not able to auxiliary pioneer in March, can you do so in April and/or May? If you are pioneering in March, can you continue?

• ⁵ Some who work secularly find that they can spend an hour or so in service on the way to work, doing street witnessing or calling on people who work at businesses that are open early in the morning. Others schedule part of their lunch hour to witness. Some have found it possible to conduct a Bible study during that period with a fellow worker. Many sisters who are housewives have been able to set aside time for the field ministry while their children are in school. By getting up a little earlier some days to care for their domestic chores, they have more time during the day for the preaching and teaching work.—Eph. 5: 15, 16.

• ⁶ Even if you are not in a position to auxiliary pioneer, it may be that you can work out a personal schedule to have a greater share in the ministry, doing all you can “to work at good, to be rich in fine works, to be liberal, ready to share” the truth with others.—1 Tim. 6:18.

• ⁷ Remember the Fine Work of Disciple Making: Each year there are interested ones who come to the Memorial. Would it be possible for some in the congregation to give attention to those who attend but who are not now studying? Could return visits be made on them with a view to helping them make spiritual progress? It may be that some of these Memorial attenders are relatives of Witnesses. Others may be individuals who studied in the past and who only need some encouragement to resume studying and to attend meetings on a regular basis. What joy it would bring us to see them become active servants of Jehovah along with us!

• ⁸ With an increased share in the ministry during March and beyond, we are very likely going to find more interested people on whom to call back. Try to leave them with a question. Then promise to share the answer on the next call. When we do this, the way will be paved for a return visit. The sooner we can make the return visit, the better. If we have not been able to start a study on the initial call, we want to try to start one on the very next visit if at all possible.

• ⁹ When we engage in street witnessing, we should be conscious of trying to start conversations with people. Many publishers have been given names, addresses, and telephone numbers by interested people whom they have met while doing street work. If the individual contacted does not live in your territory, obtain the Please Follow Up (S-43) form at the Kingdom Hall, fill it out, and give it to the congregation secretary, who will pass it on to the congregation in whose territory the person lives. If the secretary is not able to do so, he will forward it to the branch office for handling. In this way, the interest can be cultivated.

• ¹⁰ If a telephone number is obtained but not an address, then make a return visit by phoning the individual. Prepare ahead of time what you want to discuss. Have your Reasoning book handy for quick reference. Some are having fine success studying with individuals over the telephone, including those whom they have had a hard time finding at home. A sister started asking for telephone numbers from interested women whom she met in the door-to-door ministry, and as a result she was able to start two Bible studies.

• ¹¹ Cooperate With the Elders in Helping Inactive Ones: The elders are very interested in giving loving attention to these. Quite a number of such ones, on their own initiative, have already resumed attending congregation meetings. They realize the need to seek close association with Jehovah’s organization in order to have the spiritual security described in Psalm 91. Some of these are now ready to share in the field service again. If others who are inactive attend the Memorial this month, they may welcome having a personal Bible study. Should that be the case, the elders will work out the arrangements for someone to study with those who desire help. If you are invited to assist in this way, your cooperation will be greatly appreciated—Rom. 15:1, 2.

• ¹² Keep “Maintaining Fine Works”: Many who have shared in auxiliary pioneer service for a month or more have found that their field activity increased in succeeding months. They met interested people on whom they felt the need to call back. This motivated them to put forth extra effort to get out in field service more often in order to contact the interested ones again. Some started studies, and that helped them to have an even greater share in the ministry.

• ¹³ Still others found so much joy in doing more in the preaching and disciple-making work that they were motivated to analyze their priorities. As a result, some were able to cut back on secular work and become continuous auxiliary pioneers. Others have been able to enter the regular pioneer service. They were able to rest their hope more fully on God and not on things the world has to offer. They found that being “liberal, ready to share,” brought rich blessings from Jehovah and strengthened their hope of enjoying “the real life.” (1 Tim. 6:18,19) Of course, as more take up the pioneer service, the whole congregation benefits. Pioneers are prone to talk about their experiences and invite others to share in the ministry with them, and this generates a heightened spiritual atmosphere in the congregation.

• ¹⁴ May all of us “be rich in fine works” during this Memorial season and beyond by increasing our share in the Christian ministry. Let us show our appreciation for what Jehovah has done in giving us the hope of living forever in a righteous new earth. —2 Pet. 3:13.

“Gifts in Men” Eagerly Shepherd God’s Flock

• ¹ What a loving provision Jehovah has made through his Son in providing “gifts in men”! (Eph. 4:8, 11, 12) They have multiple responsibilities, including actively and eagerly shepherding the flock of God. (1 Pet. 5:2, 3) All of us benefit from this much-needed provision. Whether some are encountering difficulties, are newly associated, have certain weaknesses, or have gone astray, these men have a keen personal interest in the spiritual welfare of all.—Phil. 2:4; 1 Thess. 5:12-14.

• ² When disturbing world events cause a measure of apprehension, these undershepherds prove to be “like a hiding place from the wind and a place of concealment from the rainstorm.” When we are weary or loaded down and feel the need for comfort, they refresh us, “like streams of water in a waterless country” or “like the shadow of a heavy crag in an exhausted land.”—Isa. 32:2.

• ³ Encouraging the Inactive: The elders make a special effort to encourage those who have become irregular or inactive, helping them to return to regular participation in all congregation activity. Loving shepherding calls have helped many to attend congregation meetings regularly and become built up spiritually to the point where they are sharing again in the field ministry. All such efforts on the part of the elders reflect Jehovah’s loving care and the active leadership of Jesus Christ. He set the pattern of showing such concern for any of his sheep who may have strayed or got lost. —Matt. 18:12-14; John 10:16, 27-29.

• ⁴ The undershepherds look for signs that indicate when some may be faltering spiritually. Any who show signs of discouragement, who become irregular in attending meetings, or who slow down in field service are likely in need of spiritual assistance. The elders are eager to help any who begin to display a tendency toward worldly dress and grooming or who develop a critical attitude toward the congregation. With genuine interest and tender affection, concerned overseers willingly ‘impart their own souls’ in efforts to help such ones rekindle their love for Jehovah.—1 Thess. 2:8.

• ⁵ In the past, some dedicated Christians have lost contact with the congregation, lapsing into spiritual inactivity because they have become overwhelmed by health problems, economic setbacks, or family pressures. Without being critical, the elders kindly give assurance that Jehovah cares for all his sheep and will sustain them through hard times. (Ps. 55:22; 1 Pet. 5:7) Alert shepherds of the flock can help them to realize that if they ‘draw close to God, he will draw close to them,’ giving comfort and refreshment.—Jas. 4:8; Ps. 23:3, 4.

• ⁶ Valuing the Infirm: Loving undershepherds are also concerned about those who could be overlooked. Associated with every congregation are some who are infirm, confined to nursing homes, or otherwise incapacitated. Their share in proclaiming the Kingdom message is understandably limited because of their circumstances. Perhaps their opportunity to speak out may come only through contacts with visitors, other patients, or caregivers. Nevertheless, whatever they are able to do is viewed as a valuable contribution to the overall preaching work. (Matt. 25:15) Even if they witness for just 15 minutes, this should be reported, and they will continue to be counted as regular Kingdom publishers.

• ⁷ The “gifts in men” are especially aware of the spiritual needs of their brothers at this time of the year—Memorial season. What a fitting time for the elders to make a special effort to help all who have strayed to experience once again the joy and peace of mind that come with warm association in the congregation! We rejoice when we see such ones “related to us in the faith” present at congregation meetings and out in the ministry, reaffirming their faith in the ransom sacrifice.—Gal. 6:10; Luke 15: 4-7; John 10:11, 14.

  New publications Available

  
  

■ New Publications Available:

A Satisfying Life—How to Attain It

—Albanian, Armenian, Bulgarian, Cambodian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, Finnish, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Polish, Romanian, Serbian, Sinhala, Slovak, Swedish, Tamil, Ukrainian

Bible Topics for Discussion

—Maltese

Does Fate Rule Our Lives?—Or Does God Hold Us Responsible? (for Muslims) (Tract No. 71) —Bam-bara

Do You Have an Immortal Spirit? (Tract No. 25) —Albanian, Bulgarian, Cebuano, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Faeroese, Finnish, Hungarian, Iloko, Indonesian, Japanese, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Persian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Swedish, Tagalog, Thai, Ukrainian, Yoruba

Enjoy Family Life (Tract No. 21)

—Sango

From Kurukshetra to Armageddon —And Your Survival —Kannada Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for All Mankind I—Large Print —Czech, Dutch, Hungarian, Japanese, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian

Is There a Creator Who Cares About You?             —Afrikaans

Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life —Marshallese, Telugu My Book of Bible Stories —Luganda My Book of Bible Stories (Small size) —Estonian Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy!

—Bulgarian

Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work —Tigrinya

Reasoning From the Scriptures

—Amharic Revelation—Its Grand Climax At Hand!           —Armenian

What Does God Require of Us?

—Afrikaans, Fijian, Kinyarwanda, Marathi, Twi

Who Really Rules the World? (Tract No. 22)             —Tongan

Why You Can Trust the Bible (Tract

No. 13)              —Tongan

Will This World Survive? (Tract No. 19) —Kurmanjl Kurdish (Roman script), Lingala, Tongan

Would You Like to Know More About the Bible? (Tract No. 26)

—Albanian, Amharic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Ukrainian, Urdu

■ New Audiocassettes Available:

Album of Greek Scriptures (18 cassettes)            —Norwegian

The First to the Corinthians (single cassette)            —Korean

The Second to the Corinthians, To the Galatians (single cassette)

—Korean

The Secret of Family Happiness—On Audiocassette (four cassettes in an album)           —Dutch

What Does God Require of Us? (single cassette) —Afrikaans

Why Respect Theocratic Arrangements? (Drama, single cassette)

—German ■ New Braille Publications Available:

2002 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses (three volumes)

-Grade-two English

A Satisfying Life—How to Attain It (one volume) -Grade-two English, Grade-one French, Grade-two French, Grade-two German, Grade-one Italian, Grade-one Spanish

Do You Have an Immortal Spirit? (Tract No. 25) (one volume) -Grade-two English, Grade-one French, Grade-two French, Grade-one Spanish

Examining the Scriptures Daily —2002 (four volumes)

-Grade-two English Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for All

Mankind I (four volumes)

—Grade-two English, Grade-two French, Grade-two German

Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for all Mankind I (six volumes) -Grade-one French, Grade-one Italian, Grade-one Spanish

Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for All Mankind II (four volumes)

—Grade-two English, Grade-two French, Grade-two German

Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for all Mankind II (six volumes)

—Grade-one French, Grade-one Italian, Grade-one Spanish

Jehovah’s Witnesses—Who Are They? What Do They Believe? (one volume)     —Grade-two English,

Grade-one French, Grade-two French, Grade-two German, Grade-one Italian, Grade-one Spanish

Jehovah—Who Is He? (Tract No. 23) (one volume) -Grade-one French, Grade-two French, Grade-two German, Grade-one Italian, Grade-one Spanish

Jesus Christ—Who Is He? (Tract No. 24) (one volume) —Grade-one French, Grade-two French, Grade-two German, Grade-one Italian

Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life (three volumes)

-Grade-one Russian Theocratic Ministry School Schedule for 2002 (one volume)

—Grade-two English When Someone You Love Dies (one volume) -Grade-two English, Grade-one French, Grade-two French, Grade-one Spanish

Would You Like to Know More About the Bible? (Tract No. 26) (one volume) -Grade-two English, Grade-one French, Grade-two French, Grade-two German, Grade-one Italian, Grade-one Spanish

You Can Be God’s Friend! (one volume) —Grade-two English, Grade-one French, Grade-two French, Grade-two German, Grade-one Italian, Grade-one Spanish

Note: Braille publications should be requested through the congregation. A separate Literature Request Form (S-14) is to be submitted for Braille material, including the name and address of the Braille reader. Please mark it ATTENTION: BRAILLE DESK.

■ New Videocassettes Available: Our Whole Association of Brothers

—Japanese, Spanish The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived —OnVideocassette, Volume 6

—American Sign Language Transfusion-Alternative Health Care —Meeting Patient Needs and Rights               —English

Young People Ask—How Can I Make Real Friends?          —Polish

Announcements

■ Literature offer for March: Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life. A special effort will be made to start Bible studies. April and May: The Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Publishers should inform householders that they may contribute to the worldwide work if they so desire. Where interest is shown, offer the Require brochure, making a special effort to start Bible studies. June: What Does God Require of Us? or Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life. When householders have these publications, offer an appropriate brochure that the congregation has in stock.

■ Publishers who wish to serve as auxiliary pioneers in April should make their plans now and turn in their application early. This will help the elders to make necessary field service arrangements and have sufficient magazines and other literature on hand. The names of all who are approved to auxiliary pioneer should be announced to the congregation each month.

■ The Memorial will be held on Thursday, March 28, 2002. If your congregation normally has meetings on Thursday, these are to be switched to another day of the week if the Kingdom Hall is available. If this is not possible and your Service Meeting is affected, the parts that are particularly applicable to your congregation may be incorporated into another Service Meeting.

a The branch office does not fill individual publisher’s requests for literature. The presiding overseer should arrange for an announcement to be made each month before the congregation monthly request for literature is sent to the branch so that all interested in obtaining personal literature items may advise the brother handling literature. Please keep in mind which publications are special-request items.

■ It is important that groups of 20 or more persons planning to visit the branch office facilities first correspond by mail with the Central Tour Desk at 100 Watchtower Drive, Patterson, NY 12563-9204. The Central Tour Desk will care for groups that will be visiting the facilities at Brooklyn, Patterson, and Wallkill, New York, or the Assembly Hall at Jersey City, New Jersey. Please send information on the number coming and the dates and times for visiting each location. The branch office will provide a description of the tours that are available as well as a map giving directions to each location. LODGING INFORMATION HAS BEEN SENT TO THE CONGREGATION ELDERS AND MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE CONGREGATION SECRETARY. Before your visit, please review the March 1998 Our Kingdom Ministry Question Box regarding proper dress and grooming when visiting Bethel homes.

■ A packet of legal material is available to assist publishers who are involved in lawsuits over child custody and visitation matters in which our religion is under attack. The packet should be requested by the body of elders only in a case in which it is evident that the publisher’s religious beliefs will be at issue. For those facing secular issues on child custody or visitation, helpful information can be found in Awake! of December 8, 1997, pages 3-12; in Awake! of October 22, 1988, pages 2-14; and on the chart found in Awake! of April 22,1991, page 9.

■ The Watchtower is now available as a large-print edition in Efik, Igbo, and Yoruba.

■ All future publications in Azerbaijani will be published using Roman (or, Latin) script. For a time, some will still be available in Cyrillic.

Memorial Reminders

The Memorial observance this year falls on Thursday, March 28. The elders should give attention to the following matters:

■ In setting the time for the meeting, make sure that the emblems will not be passed until after sundown.

■ Everyone, including the speaker, should be informed of the exact time and location of the observance.

■ The appropriate type of bread and wine should be obtained and made ready. —See the February 15, 1985, Watchtower, page 19.

• ■ Plates, glasses, and a suitable table and tablecloth should be brought to the hall and put in place in advance.

• ■ The Kingdom Hall or other meeting place should be thoroughly cleaned ahead of time.

■ Attendants and servers should be selected and instructed in advance about their duties, the proper procedure to be followed, and the need for dignified dress and grooming.

■ Arrangements should be made to serve any of the anointed who are infirm and unable to be present.

■ When more than one congregation is scheduled to use the same Kingdom Hall, there should be good coordination among congregations so as to avoid unnecessary congestion in the lobby or entryway, on the public sidewalks, and in the parking lot.

Increase Your Joy in Preaching

• ¹ The joy of sharing the good news—are you experiencing it in your ministry? If we are not careful, the wicked world around us could make us timid about preaching, causing us to lose our joy. Working in unresponsive territory could also dampen our spirit. What practical steps can we take to increase our joy in preaching?

• ² Be Positive: Maintaining a positive attitude really helps. One way to do that is by meditating on our grand privilege of being “God’s fellow workers.” (1 Cor. 3:9) Jesus too is with us in accomplishing this work. (Matt. 28:20) And he backs us up with an army of angels. (Matt. 13:41, 49) We can be assured, then, that our efforts are divinely directed. (Rev. 14: 6, 7) So despite how some humans may react to our work, the heavenly response is one of great rejoicing!

• ³ Prepare Well: Good preparation also contributes to our joy. Getting ready for the ministry need not entail a lot of work. It takes just a few minutes to consider a talking point from the current magazines or the month’s literature offer. Pick a presentation from “What to Say About the Magazines,” in Our Kingdom Ministry. Consult the January 2002 insert, “Suggested Field Service Presentations,” or look in the Reasoning book for an effective introduction. If you are stymied by an objection that householders commonly raise, prepare a reply that will acknowledge their comment and direct attention to an interestarousing subject. The Reasoning book is very helpful in doing this. Using these aids will give us the confidence we need to preach with joy.

• ⁴ Pray Earnestly: Prayer is essential for lasting joy. Since we are doing Jehovah’s work, we need to beseech him for his spirit, one fruit of which is joy. (Gal. 5:22) Jehovah will give us strength to continue preaching. (Phil. 4:13) Praying about our ministry can help us keep the right perspective when we have negative experiences. (Acts 13:52; 1 Pet. 4: 13, 14) If we feel intimidated, prayer can help us to persist boldly and cheerfully.—Acts 4:31.

• ⁵ Create Opportunities: Of course, our ministry is more joyful when we are able to find people and witness to them. Altering your schedule to call from house to house at a different hour, perhaps in the late afternoon or early evening, may result in more success. You encounter people every time you walk down the street, go shopping, ride a bus, or stroll in the park. Why not prepare a brief conversation starter and take the initiative to approach those who appear to be friendly? Or you may work at a secular job or go to public school, where you converse daily with others. You might get a chance to give a witness by simply raising a Scriptural subject that stirs some interest. Good suggestions are found on the first page of the January 2002 Our Kingdom Ministry insert. Any of these efforts could do much to increase one’s level of joy in preaching.

• ⁶ Since joy helps us to endure, how vital it is to maintain it! By doing so, we will reap a large reward when this never-to-be-repeated work comes to its conclusion. That prospect in itself can increase our joy in preaching.—Matt. 25:21.

™Watchtower Mar. 15

Announcing Jehovah’S Kingdom

“Would you agree that righteous rulership would make this earth a better place to live? [Allow for response.] Please note what the Bible promises. [Read Psalm 37:11.] We can enjoy such peace, which will be a reality under an ideal Leader who is identified in these articles.”

Awake! Mar. 22

“Earthquakes can cause untold death and destruction. Survivors are often left homeless, with no means to recover. This issue of Awake! shows how victims have been able to cope with the aftermath of an earthquake. It also explains how earthquakes figure into a very important Bible prophecy.”

Watchtower Apr. i

Announcing Jehovah s Kingdom     ■

“Let me share with you a heartwarming thought from the Bible. [Read Matthew 22:37.] What do you think that means? [Allow for response.] Notice this article, ‘Search for God With Your Heart and Mind.’ Is true faith simply a matter of the heart, or should it also involve the mind? The answer is enlightening.”

Awake! Apr. 8

“As you know, caring for a family is a challenge these days, and being a mother is a demanding job. This issue of Awake! has an interesting discussion on the subject ‘Motherhood —Does It Take a Super-woman?’ I’d like to leave this copy with you.”

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