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00:00:02 Planning for the new 00:00:04 Patterson Visitors’ Center began in 2018. 00:00:08 A project development group was formed 00:00:11 with the goal of starting construction, 00:00:13 but unforeseen challenges were about to occur. 00:00:17 In March of 2020, an outbreak of COVID-19 00:00:20 in the New York area 00:00:22 caused Bethel to go into a full lockdown. 00:00:25 How did the design group see Jehovah’s blessing on the project 00:00:29 during this unprecedented time? 00:00:34 Well, when Bethel locked down 00:00:35 and suspended in-person meetings, 00:00:37 so did the town of Patterson. 00:00:39 This created a serious challenge for us to obtain the necessary approvals 00:00:44 and to keep the project moving forward. 00:00:47 So with the threat of falling months behind, 00:00:50 we had to rely on Jehovah and alter our approach. 00:00:53 So a local elder was given permission 00:00:55 to attend the town planning board meetings in person once they opened up. 00:00:59 He allowed us, as a design team, 00:01:01 to make a presentation effectively but remotely. 00:01:05 We saw Jehovah’s hand and his blessing on this entire arrangement. 00:01:10 So through months of meetings, we were able to get the approvals needed 00:01:13 and then get a building permit 00:01:14 to begin construction 00:01:17 —all of this taking place during the lockdown! 00:01:22 Following all the local guidelines, 00:01:23 the branch found a way to bring skilled brothers and sisters 00:01:27 into the “Bethel bubble” safely 00:01:29 so they could work on the project. 00:01:32 Jehovah caused many volunteers to “offer themselves willingly” to help. 00:01:40 Here we are, 00:01:41 building the Patterson Visitors’ Center 00:01:42 during a most unique time in history, 00:01:45 in the midst of a global pandemic. 00:01:49 The brotherhood has demonstrated ‘a heart for the work’ 00:01:52 through contributions 00:01:55 and brothers and sisters offering their skills 00:01:57 —some of which are quite unique. 00:02:00 It’s so encouraging to see 00:02:02 how Jehovah has come to our aid 00:02:04 with supply issues 00:02:06 and how Bethel departments have cooperated 00:02:09 and provided skilled people to help us. 00:02:11 It’s been so encouraging. 00:02:14 All involved have seen Jehovah’s hand guiding the way 00:02:16 through these challenging circumstances. 00:02:19 But some may wonder, 00:02:21 ‘At a time when guests are not allowed on Bethel property, 00:02:24 why is this visitors’ center so important to Jehovah?’ 00:02:29 The physical buildings at Bethel are attractive, 00:02:33 but what’s more valuable to Jehovah is what happens inside. 00:02:37 It’s the spiritual gift that he has in store 00:02:40 for all who come to visit that is so important. 00:02:44 The Patterson Visitors’ Center is designed 00:02:46 to be an immersive theocratic experience for everyone. 00:03:04 The Patterson Visitors’ Center 00:03:06 will feature three museums and a coin display. 00:03:10 Our feature museum will be a first-century Bible village. 00:03:20 The objective is to educate visitors 00:03:23 about what life was like in the first century 00:03:26 and thereby bring Bible accounts to life. 00:03:30 You will get a sense of what things were like 00:03:33 when Jesus walked the earth. 00:03:36 Since the Israelites lived off the land, 00:03:39 the experience begins 00:03:41 with an overview of the annual crop cycles 00:03:44 that formed the core of so much of their daily activities. 00:03:49 Key agricultural tasks, such as threshing, 00:03:52 winnowing, and grinding grain, 00:03:54 will be illustrated 00:03:56 with interactive displays. 00:04:00 We know you will find the exhibit components, 00:04:03 like the functioning olive press and wine press, 00:04:06 very interesting and informative. 00:04:23 The next stop will be a typical first-century market. 00:04:28 Here you will see some of the food and goods 00:04:31 that would have been available 00:04:33 depending on the season of the year. 00:04:37 We next invite you into the residence and workshop spaces 00:04:40 of a typical first-century Israelite family. 00:04:44 The manger, 00:04:48 carpentry shop, 00:04:49 weaving and fabric dying displays 00:04:52 will illustrate a number of Israelite activities. 00:04:56 The residence courtyard area 00:04:58 will show other regular home tasks 00:05:01 like grain grinding and basket making. 00:05:05 We next invite you 00:05:07 into a typical Israelite home 00:05:09 and out onto a rooftop 00:05:11 overlooking the rest of the village. 00:05:16 Before you leave the residences, 00:05:18 you will also see an upper room 00:05:20 that would have been in some of the Israelite homes. 00:05:26 The next area of the first-century Bible village 00:05:29 that you can explore is the synagogue, 00:05:35 which was the center of worship and study in the Jewish community. 00:05:40 Next, a functioning pottery wheel and kiln 00:05:43 will illustrate how pottery was made. 00:05:46 The last stop will take you to a lakeside 00:05:49 where you will be able to board a first-century fishing boat 00:05:53 similar to the one that Jesus and his disciples used. 00:05:58 Here you can learn what was involved in commercial fishing. 00:06:18 This and so much more 00:06:21 is waiting for you 00:06:22 at the new Patterson Visitors’ Center. 00:06:26 We can’t wait for you to come and see 00:06:29 the beautiful spiritual gift that is waiting for you! 00:06:42 The new visitors’ center and museum are on course to be completed 00:06:45 in the fall of 2023. 00:06:48 When will guests be able to come back to Bethel and tour the new facility? 00:06:53 We are going to have to wait and see. 00:06:56 But one thing is for sure: 00:06:58 When the doors finally do open, 00:07:00 anyone who makes the effort to come 00:07:02 will receive a spiritual gift from Jehovah. 00:07:06 The touring experience will prove to be a spiritual encouragement 00:07:10 to the worldwide brotherhood 00:07:12 and promote pure worship 00:07:14 to Jehovah’s praise and honor in a very unique way. 00:07:18 It will certainly be a must-see. 00:07:22 Well, we’ve seen the blessings on this project 00:07:24 and, really, all the people working hard on it. 00:07:27 The facility is going to benefit thousands of future visitors. 00:07:32 It’s because all of us, 00:07:34 either now or in the new world, 00:07:36 need to be taught about the life and ministry of Jesus. 00:07:39 For this reason, we’re convinced 00:07:41 of Jehovah’s blessing on the project 00:07:43 and his desire to have this facility built. 00:07:46 It’s Jehovah’s desire that people come to his house 00:07:49 and be refreshed and educated. 00:07:52 It is our prayer that this new and thrilling visitors’ center 00:07:57 will accomplish that. 00:07:59 Guests will come, they will be upbuilt, 00:08:02 and they will draw closer to Jehovah God.
00:00:02 Planning for the new 00:00:04 Patterson Visitors’ Center began in 2018. 00:00:08 A project development group was formed 00:00:11 with the goal of starting construction, 00:00:13 but unforeseen challenges were about to occur. 00:00:17 In March of 2020, an outbreak of COVID-19 00:00:20 in the New York area 00:00:22 caused Bethel to go into a full lockdown. 00:00:25 How did the design group see Jehovah’s blessing on the project 00:00:29 during this unprecedented time? 00:00:34 Well, when Bethel locked down 00:00:35 and suspended in-person meetings, 00:00:37 so did the town of Patterson. 00:00:39 This created a serious challenge for us to obtain the necessary approvals 00:00:44 and to keep the project moving forward. 00:00:47 So with the threat of falling months behind, 00:00:50 we had to rely on Jehovah and alter our approach. 00:00:53 So a local elder was given permission 00:00:55 to attend the town planning board meetings in person once they opened up. 00:00:59 He allowed us, as a design team, 00:01:01 to make a presentation effectively but remotely. 00:01:05 We saw Jehovah’s hand and his blessing on this entire arrangement. 00:01:10 So through months of meetings, we were able to get the approvals needed 00:01:13 and then get a building permit 00:01:14 to begin construction 00:01:17 —all of this taking place during the lockdown! 00:01:22 Following all the local guidelines, 00:01:23 the branch found a way to bring skilled brothers and sisters 00:01:27 into the “Bethel bubble” safely 00:01:29 so they could work on the project. 00:01:32 Jehovah caused many volunteers to “offer themselves willingly” to help. 00:01:40 Here we are, 00:01:41 building the Patterson Visitors’ Center 00:01:42 during a most unique time in history, 00:01:45 in the midst of a global pandemic. 00:01:49 The brotherhood has demonstrated ‘a heart for the work’ 00:01:52 through contributions 00:01:55 and brothers and sisters offering their skills 00:01:57 —some of which are quite unique. 00:02:00 It’s so encouraging to see 00:02:02 how Jehovah has come to our aid 00:02:04 with supply issues 00:02:06 and how Bethel departments have cooperated 00:02:09 and provided skilled people to help us. 00:02:11 It’s been so encouraging. 00:02:14 All involved have seen Jehovah’s hand guiding the way 00:02:16 through these challenging circumstances. 00:02:19 But some may wonder, 00:02:21 ‘At a time when guests are not allowed on Bethel property, 00:02:24 why is this visitors’ center so important to Jehovah?’ 00:02:29 The physical buildings at Bethel are attractive, 00:02:33 but what’s more valuable to Jehovah is what happens inside. 00:02:37 It’s the spiritual gift that he has in store 00:02:40 for all who come to visit that is so important. 00:02:44 The Patterson Visitors’ Center is designed 00:02:46 to be an immersive theocratic experience for everyone. 00:03:04 The Patterson Visitors’ Center 00:03:06 will feature three museums and a coin display. 00:03:10 Our feature museum will be a first-century Bible village. 00:03:20 The objective is to educate visitors 00:03:23 about what life was like in the first century 00:03:26 and thereby bring Bible accounts to life. 00:03:30 You will get a sense of what things were like 00:03:33 when Jesus walked the earth. 00:03:36 Since the Israelites lived off the land, 00:03:39 the experience begins 00:03:41 with an overview of the annual crop cycles 00:03:44 that formed the core of so much of their daily activities. 00:03:49 Key agricultural tasks, such as threshing, 00:03:52 winnowing, and grinding grain, 00:03:54 will be illustrated 00:03:56 with interactive displays. 00:04:00 We know you will find the exhibit components, 00:04:03 like the functioning olive press and wine press, 00:04:06 very interesting and informative. 00:04:23 The next stop will be a typical first-century market. 00:04:28 Here you will see some of the food and goods 00:04:31 that would have been available 00:04:33 depending on the season of the year. 00:04:37 We next invite you into the residence and workshop spaces 00:04:40 of a typical first-century Israelite family. 00:04:44 The manger, 00:04:48 carpentry shop, 00:04:49 weaving and fabric dying displays 00:04:52 will illustrate a number of Israelite activities. 00:04:56 The residence courtyard area 00:04:58 will show other regular home tasks 00:05:01 like grain grinding and basket making. 00:05:05 We next invite you 00:05:07 into a typical Israelite home 00:05:09 and out onto a rooftop 00:05:11 overlooking the rest of the village. 00:05:16 Before you leave the residences, 00:05:18 you will also see an upper room 00:05:20 that would have been in some of the Israelite homes. 00:05:26 The next area of the first-century Bible village 00:05:29 that you can explore is the synagogue, 00:05:35 which was the center of worship and study in the Jewish community. 00:05:40 Next, a functioning pottery wheel and kiln 00:05:43 will illustrate how pottery was made. 00:05:46 The last stop will take you to a lakeside 00:05:49 where you will be able to board a first-century fishing boat 00:05:53 similar to the one that Jesus and his disciples used. 00:05:58 Here you can learn what was involved in commercial fishing. 00:06:18 This and so much more 00:06:21 is waiting for you 00:06:22 at the new Patterson Visitors’ Center. 00:06:26 We can’t wait for you to come and see 00:06:29 the beautiful spiritual gift that is waiting for you! 00:06:42 The new visitors’ center and museum are on course to be completed 00:06:45 in the fall of 2023. 00:06:48 When will guests be able to come back to Bethel and tour the new facility? 00:06:53 We are going to have to wait and see. 00:06:56 But one thing is for sure: 00:06:58 When the doors finally do open, 00:07:00 anyone who makes the effort to come 00:07:02 will receive a spiritual gift from Jehovah. 00:07:06 The touring experience will prove to be a spiritual encouragement 00:07:10 to the worldwide brotherhood 00:07:12 and promote pure worship 00:07:14 to Jehovah’s praise and honor in a very unique way. 00:07:18 It will certainly be a must-see. 00:07:22 Well, we’ve seen the blessings on this project 00:07:24 and, really, all the people working hard on it. 00:07:27 The facility is going to benefit thousands of future visitors. 00:07:32 It’s because all of us, 00:07:34 either now or in the new world, 00:07:36 need to be taught about the life and ministry of Jesus. 00:07:39 For this reason, we’re convinced 00:07:41 of Jehovah’s blessing on the project 00:07:43 and his desire to have this facility built. 00:07:46 It’s Jehovah’s desire that people come to his house 00:07:49 and be refreshed and educated. 00:07:52 It is our prayer that this new and thrilling visitors’ center 00:07:57 will accomplish that. 00:07:59 Guests will come, they will be upbuilt, 00:08:02 and they will draw closer to Jehovah God.
