Jehovas Witness Online

Congregation is growing at Scott and Laird streets location in the city.

By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
Bill O'Boyle on Facebook   |   @TLBillOboyle on Twitter

WILKES-BARRE – Jehovah’s Witnesses opened its new Kingdom Hall at Scott and Laird streets in November, and according to two elders, the congregation there is growing.

click image to enlarge

Congregation elders Gary Edwards, left, and Nathan Newton, both of Forty Fort, describe the two auditoriums inside the new Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

BILL TARUTIS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER

When: Saturday, noon to 2 p.m.; and Jan. 14, 10 a.m. to noon

Where: Kingdom Hall, Scott & Laird streets, Wilkes-Barre

Features: Tour of building; slide show of the construction project

There are two auditoriums in the new building and four services are held each Sunday at 10 a.m. There are additional meetings held during the week.

Nathan Newton, 51, and Gary Edwards, 59, both of Forty Fort, gave a tour of the Kingdom Hall last week and talked about their religion.

“First of all, we don’t think we’re better than anybody else; we respect people and their beliefs,” Edwards said. “We are here to educate people about the Bible.”

Newton agreed, saying Jehovah’s Witnesses aren’t about telling people what to do.

“It’s all about the Bible,” he said.

On the official website – watchtower.org – it states “Jehovah’s Witnesses are members of a worldwide Christian religion who actively share with others information about God, whose name is Jehovah, and about his Son, Jesus Christ. We base our beliefs solely on the principles found in the Holy Bible and view first-century Christianity as our model.

“We believe that in addition to drawing one closer to God, living by Bible principles gives purpose to life, promotes strong family ties, and develops productive and honest citizens.”

To become a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Edwards and Newton said, there are rules: no living together without marriage, no drug abuse, no drunkenness (drinking is allowed, but not to excess), no smoking and no gambling.

People interested in joining a congregation must study the Bible for months to “gain knowledge.”

The new 10,500-square-foot building was built by volunteers – about 500 members from all over the East Coast. Construction began in March.

There are about 270 English-speaking members and 70 Spanish speaking that come to the new location, Edwards said. Services are held in both languages.

In addition to the four congregations that worship in the new building, Newton and Edwards said there are Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations in Dallas, Duryea, Muhlenberg, Mifflinville, Hazleton, Bloomsburg, the Poconos, Tunkhannock and Scranton. Each congregation has 75 to 100 members, they said. Many are second- and third-generation members.

Jehovah’s Witnesses established a congregation in 1906 on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre, Newton said. All members participate in the ministry – going door to door to offer Bible discussions to prospective members. Newton said attendance at Sunday services is usually 100 percent.

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