Memorial Celebration for 1989
1 Wednesday, March 22, 1989, will mark the 1,956th anniversary of the Memorial of Christ’s death. When making our own plans to be in attendance, we need to think of others who may need an invitation or our personal assistance in some way. Now is the time to start making preparations for the Memorial and to think about inviting others.—Please see “Things to Prepare for the Memorial” on page 4.
2 How do we view attendance at the Memorial? We should view it as a privilege and as an opportunity to show appreciation for the sacrifice of Christ. If you know you will be away from your home congregation, be sure that you have the address of the Kingdom Hall in the area you will be visiting so that you can attend there.
USE SPECIAL INVITATIONS
3 You may start using the special Memorial invitations early in March. Remember, they are not to be used as handbills but should be given to interested ones personally. Because people often forget dates and times, it is suggested that we neatly write or type the Kingdom Hall address and the time for the Memorial celebration on the bottom or the back of the invitation. If possible, spend a little time with the person you are inviting to help him understand clearly the significance of the Memorial. Newly interested people may hesitate to go to the Kingdom Hall by themselves. Can you offer to provide transportation or arrange to meet them outside the hall? This will require additional time and effort, but your assistance will be appreciated. Also, a special effort should be made to help those who have known of the truth for some years but who have held back from attending meetings regularly.—Luke 11:23; John 18:37b.
NECESSARY PREPARATIONS
4 Congregation elders will want to be sure that all arrangements for the Memorial have been carefully made well in advance. Be sure to select well-qualified brothers to pass the emblems. These brothers should be elders or ministerial servants, if available. Have a sufficient number of brothers prepared to do this so that the passing of the emblems will not be prolonged unnecessarily. After the servers have served those in the audience, the servers will sit down in the front row and the speaker will serve them. Finally, one of them will serve the speaker.
5 With the passing of each year, we come closer to the day when the Lord’s Evening Meal will no longer be celebrated. Only a comparative few of the anointed brothers of Christ remain. Jesus commanded that his death be memorialized until all of his brothers are with him in the Kingdom. (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:25) Until then, we will obediently and faithfully gather each year for the celebration of the Memorial with the greatest joy and appreciation.
[Box on page 4]
Things to Prepare for the Memorial
(See February 15, 1985, Watchtower, page 19.)
1. Has everyone, including the speaker, been informed of the exact time and place of the celebration? Does the speaker have transportation?
2. Have definite arrangements been made to provide the emblems?
3. Have arrangements been made for someone to bring a clean tablecloth and the required number of glasses and plates?
4. What arrangements have been made to clean the hall?
5. Have the attendants and servers been assigned? Has a meeting been scheduled with them before the Memorial to go over their duties? When? What procedure will be followed to ensure that all are served efficiently?
6. Are arrangements complete to help older and infirm brothers and sisters? Are arrangements made to serve any of the anointed who may be confined and unable to be at the Kingdom Hall?