¹ In 1983 at the “Kingdom Unity” District Conventions in the United States, it was announced that a special fund would be established to support the construction and remodeling of Kingdom Halls throughout the United States and Canada. Little did we realize what blessings would result from such small beginnings. We began to experience more fully what Psalm 92:4 so aptly states: “For you have made me rejoice, O Jehovah, because of your activity; because of the works of your hands I cry out joyfully.”

² We now rejoice greatly in what is being accomplished. Today an accelerated global Kingdom Hall construction program is under way. In one way or another, all of us have the privilege of sharing in this activity. We do so by making large or small monetary contributions to help finance the construction of more places of worship throughout the world.

³ Many branches have followed the pattern originally instituted for congregations in the United States. At Kingdom Halls in many lands, there is a box where publishers put their contributions for the Kingdom Hall Fund. In the United States, Our Kingdom Ministry for March 1997 announced an adjustment in this program. It stated: “Ever since the Society Kingdom Hall Fund was established in 1983, the brothers have contributed generously, thus enabling loans to be made for Kingdom Hall construction. Already some 2,700 congregations in this country have benefited from this arrangement. Many congregations could not otherwise build new Kingdom Halls or renovate those in need of repair. There is now an urgent need to use some of these contributed funds to provide loans to congregations in economically depressed countries. Your continued support of this arrangement is greatly appreciated by the Society and by those congregations that benefit from your contributions.”

⁴ That announcement served as an invitation to participate in an accelerated Kingdom Hall construction program. The Kingdom Hall Fund would be expanded to embrace the needs of our brothers in other lands while continuing to provide loans for Kingdom Hall construction in this country.