Dedication of the Watchtower Educational Center​—A Festival to Jehovah

SINCE ancient times, joyous festivals have been part of true worship. Some of the festivals held in ancient Israel lasted for days and were attended by many thousands of Jehovah’s worshipers. The inauguration of Solomon’s temple lasted seven days and was followed by the week-long Festival of Booths. This provided the Israelites with an opportunity to reflect on the marvelous way that Jehovah had dealt with them. They returned home “rejoicing and feeling merry of heart over all the goodness that Jehovah had performed.”​—1 Kings 8:66.

What took place at the Watchtower Educational Center in Patterson, New York, U.S.A., on May 17-22, 1999, reminded the visitors of those ancient happy festivals. This was a week of special activity centering on the dedication of a 28-building complex that is designed to promote global Bible education. Provisions were made for all 5,400 members of the headquarters staff at Brooklyn, Wallkill, and Patterson to take comprehensive tours of the Patterson facilities during that memorable week. Among the guests were over 500 former staff members who had shared in the work during the construction of the educational center, representatives from 23 branches of the Watch Tower Society, and others from nearby congregations​—a total of at least 8,100.

Tour Displays Provide an Education

Special displays, educational video presentations, and self-guided tours were arranged to acquaint the visitors with the educational center. In the main lobby, visitors were immediately attracted to a scale model of the temple that existed in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Other displays highlighted the early history of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, historic conventions, congregation meetings, the modern-day development of home Bible studies​—millions of which are now conducted each week—​and the work done by the Legal Department to keep the way open for such activity in obedience to Jesus’ command.​—Matthew 28:19, 20.

In the adjacent auditorium, which seats 1,700 comfortably, those visiting during the dedication festivities were treated to a 33-minute video presentation entitled “Not by Power​—By My Spirit!” This video showed how the Watchtower Educational Center came about. Interviews disclosed incidents clearly indicating Jehovah’s direction in matters and his blessing on efforts to bring this 15-year project to a successful conclusion. Thousands shared in the actual construction work. At one point in 1994, there were 526 workers on site, including 350 full-time volunteers, 113 temporary workers, and 63 who commuted each day to lend a hand. Many more supported the work with donations. All of them realize that this would never have been possible without Jehovah’s spirit.​—Zechariah 4:6.

Those who took the tours could see that the focus of the work being done at the educational center is the promoting of divine teaching. The display at the entrance to Gilead School on the first floor of the school building highlighted the rich spiritual heritage and history of the school. Since its first class in 1943 at the school’s original campus in South Lansing, New York, Gilead School has trained over 7,000 students for missionary service. Displays on the second floor of the school building provided views of the School for Branch Committee Members and the School for Traveling Overseers, both of which hold classes there. Since its beginning in November of 1995, the branch school has provided advanced instruction for 360 Branch Committee members from 106 lands.

As visitors toured, they quickly realized that in most areas, they were able to see more than a display of pictures. They were able to go right into the various departments, visit the offices and other work places, and get an in-depth view of the work being done. A highlight of the tour was the Audio/​Video Services building. What excellent facilities are there being used to promote Bible education! Through a series of informative displays and short videos, visitors were helped to understand how voice recordings are made and how videos are prepared. They learned something about the extensive research that goes into the preparation of props and costumes. They saw how stage sets were assembled with minimal cost but with remarkable attention to detail. They witnessed how music is used to make people feel that they are actually in the scene that they are viewing. Since 1990 the Society has produced ten videos in 41 languages, highlighting a variety of Bible themes, in addition to other videos for those who use American Sign Language.

Many who took the tour went to the Photo Lab, the Art Department, Information Services, which provides computer training and support, the Service Department, which supervises the activity of 11,242 congregations and 572 traveling overseers, and Writing Correspondence, where some 14,000 inquiries are handled each year. They were impressed with the research behind the letters that are sent out and the genuine concern shown for those whose inquiries give evidence that they are trying to cope with serious problems.

A constant stream of those on tour visited Translation Services. They were surprised to learn that during the past five years, 102 more languages were added to the number in which the Society provides Bible literature. Worldwide, some 80 percent of Jehovah’s Witnesses read the Society’s publications in languages other than English. To provide for their needs, there are over 1,700 volunteers working in the translation field in 100 countries. Displays showed The Watchtower in the languages of the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Visitors could see the New World Translation of the Bible in the 31 languages in which it has been published. They learned that Watch Tower publications are now available in 332 languages and that the brochure What Does God Require of Us? has been published in 219 of these.

Visitors to the Legal Department were shown the diverse fields of activity that require legal attention worldwide. In a video, they saw an actual court hearing in which a Witness attorney was arguing a case involving blood transfusion. They also learned what is being done to keep the way open for public preaching of the good news. (Philippians 1:7) Attention was drawn to the decision in March of this year, by a federal district court, directing the borough of Oradell, New Jersey, U.S.A., to change its laws so as to remove permit and badge requirements for Jehovah’s Witnesses who want to share in their public ministry from house to house in that community.

This was by no means all that the visitors saw. They examined construction displays in the Precast Shop and toured Wastewater Treatment facilities, the Powerhouse, the Water-Softening Facility, and the numerous maintenance shops, among others. It was the chance of a lifetime.

Dedication Program Emphasizes Divine Education

The actual dedication program was held on Wednesday, May 19, beginning at 4:00 p.m. The joyous crowd of 6,929 included members of the headquarters staff, Society guests, and 372 assembled at the Canada branch, which was tied in electronically.

The audience was pleased indeed to hear heartwarming words of welcome by Milton G. Henschel, the president of the Watch Tower Society. Theodore Jaracz, a member of the Governing Body and chairman for the occasion, next introduced William Malenfant. In presenting “Highlights of the Building Program,” he interviewed three brothers who had important roles in the development, design, and construction of the Watchtower Educational Center. In the course of the interviews, it was stated that during the years of the actual building work, over 8,700 temporary workers had come at their own expense to work on the project. What fine testimony to the unity and generosity made possible by divine teaching!

Next came a symposium entitled “Divine Education on a Global Scale.” It was presented by four Governing Body members. John E. Barr stressed that divine education finds its basis in God’s Word, the Bible, which encourages Christians to “go on bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the accurate knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:10) Daniel Sydlik discussed how divine education is organized theocratically from the head of the Christian congregation, Jesus Christ, on down to every member of the worldwide brotherhood. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) The final two parts of the symposium, developed by Gerrit Lösch and Carey Barber, showed how divine education qualifies ministers to reach people everywhere and instruct them so that they too may walk in God’s way.​—Isaiah 2:1-4; 2 Corinthians 3:5.

To acquaint the audience with the various schools that function at this educational center, interviews and discussions were conducted with the instructors as well as others involved in their operation. The role of each school in carrying out the divine educational program on a global scale was shown. It was pointed out that Gilead School focuses on a study of each book of the Bible, on the modern-day history of Jehovah’s people, and on preparation for missionary service. The branch school is a marvelously comprehensive study of the numerous fields of activity in which Branch Committee members are involved. The School for Traveling Overseers is designed not only to fill the needs of the traveling brothers but also to equip them to provide the sort of spiritual help that will especially benefit the congregations.

To conclude the fine program, Lloyd Barry of the Governing Body delivered the dedication talk on the subject “Building With Our Grand Creator.” He pointed out that the Creator, Jehovah, takes delight in all of his creations and invites us to rejoice with him. (Isaiah 65:18) Since “he that constructed all things is God,” to Jehovah God goes the ultimate credit for all of this construction. (Hebrews 3:4) Having expressed such thoughts, the speaker said a heartfelt prayer, dedicating the Watchtower Educational Center to Jehovah, our Grand Creator.a

There is no doubt that the entire week’s festivities will long be remembered by those who attended. Why not arrange to visit the Watchtower Educational Center? We are sure that visiting and touring it will be an encouragement to you in your efforts to learn more about our loving Creator and to live by his righteous standards.

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A packed auditorium and an overflow audience in the dining room

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The tours were an especially joyous feature