In the face of widespread economic strain, national conflicts and social unrest, surveys indicate that confidence in the future is at an all-time low in many countries including Nigeria.
According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, 24 of the 28 countries surveyed are seeing “all-time lows in the number of people who think their families will be better off in five years.”
Against this backdrop of pessimism, a special global program featuring the theme, “You Can Face the Future with Confidence!” will be held on the weekend of April 1-2, 2023.
The free 30-minute presentation will be hosted locally at the respective Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, with a videoconferencing option available. Please check the “Attend a Meeting” section on the homepage of jw.org for local addresses and meeting times.
“The challenges we face may seem overwhelming, but the Bible holds out a powerful hope for the future that can help us right now,” said Olusegun Eroyemi, spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nigeria.
“This global program is designed to give all those who attend tangible reasons to face the future with confidence.”
Christian Owen’s life seemed hopeless when as a boy his parents got separated. Growing into adulthood and getting married, things got worse when he lost his home and was forced to live in an uncompleted building. “I experienced hopelessness. I began to study the Bible when I felt everything was gone. Christian now has a better view of the future. As he looks forward to attending the memorial he says “Thanks to Jehovah for his love that never fails. I have regained hope.”
The special talk is the first of two free programs that will be held in all 118,000 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses during the first week of April. The public is also invited to join nearly 20 million other global attenders for the annual observance of the Memorial of Jesus Christ’s death, to be held on the evening of Tuesday, April 4, 2023.
2023 Memorial Fact Sheet
Date of Memorial celebration in 2023?
April 4, 2023
How long is the program?
It will last for about one hour.
Will collections be taken?
No. Jehovah’s Witnesses never take collections at their meetings.
What will happen at the Memorial?
The meeting starts and ends with the singing of a song, as well as a prayer offered by a minister of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The main feature of the Memorial is a talk about the importance of Jesus’ death and how we can benefit from what God and Christ have done for us.
Is the Memorial celebration of Jehovah’s Witnesses the same as the Easter celebration?
No. While Easter is a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, the Memorial celebration is a solemn commemoration of Jesus’ death. This is in harmony with the command he gave to his close followers: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) Jehovah’s Witnesses observe this Memorial each year on the anniversary of his death according to the Bible’s lunar calendar. He introduced the observance after sundown on Nisan 14, 33 C.E. Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to observe the Memorial on this date each year, following the practice of early Christians. We determine the date on which Nisan 14 falls each year using the same method as was used in the time of Jesus, rather than applying the method used for the modern Jewish calendar.
Who are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
A Christian religious group whose members worship Jehovah God and actively promote Bible education through various methods of evangelising. The main focus of their Bible education work is to share the good news about God’s Kingdom, or government. (Matthew 24:14) The name distinguishes them from other religions, referring not only to whom they represent but also the ministerial work they volunteer to do in God’s name.
Fast Facts
· Jehovah’s Witnesses are active in 239 lands around the world.
· 2022 Worldwide Memorial Attendance: 19,721,672
· 2022 Congregations Worldwide: 117,960
Admission to both programs is free, and no registration is required. Details on when and where these events will be held locally are available on jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
