Announcements

◼ Literature to be used during October: Copies of The Watchtower and Awake! will be featured. Subscriptions may be offered on return visits. November: New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures with the book The Bible​—God’s Word or Man’s? December: The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived. January: Any 192-page book published prior to 1982 that the congregation may have in stock. Congregations that do not have the older publications in stock will offer True Peace and Security​—How Can You Find It? NOTE: Congregations that have not yet requested the above-mentioned campaign items should do so on their next monthly Literature Request Form (S(d)-14). Older publications referred to above are not available in Brooklyn.

◼ The insert in this issue of Our Kingdom Ministry is the “Theocratic Ministry School Schedule for 1995.” It should be kept for reference throughout 1995.

◼ Congregations should begin requesting Examining the Scriptures Daily​—1995 with their October literature request. The booklets will be available in Arabic, Chinese, Chinese (Simplified), Croatian, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Iloko, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. Until these booklets are available and shipments are made, they will appear as “Pending” on congregation packing lists. Examining the Scriptures booklets are special-request items.

Using the New Brochure Effectively

¹ At our recent district convention, we were very pleased to receive the new brochure When Someone You Love Dies. It should appeal to people in all walks of life, since so many have grieved over the loss of a loved one. Its eye-catching photographs and illustrations should make it easy to place. On page 29 the dramatic painting of Lazarus being raised from the dead shows Jesus’ “intense desire to undo the ravages of death.” The next full-page illustration depicts a joyful resurrection scene in the new world. How this should warm the hearts of those who grieve!

² This brochure can be a tremendous help in comforting the bereaved. It is designed for conversational discussion. Questions to bring out the highlights appear in a box at the end of each section rather than at the bottom of each page. You can use these “Questions to Ponder” in whatever way you feel will be most helpful to your student.

³ When making calls, be selective in discussing points that are found in the brochure. You might feel that it would be appropriate to show the table of contents on page 2 and ask the householder to indicate what interests him. Be sensitive to the needs of each individual. Let him express his feelings, and then show how the brochure offers comfort. Every section makes liberal use of Bible texts that provide the basis for our hope.

⁴ The subheading on page 5, “There Is a Real Hope,” highlights the comforting Bible-based hope for the dead. This should whet the appetite for discussion of “A Sure Hope for the Dead,” found on pages 26-31. The box on page 27 supplies further “Texts That Comfort.” A grieving householder will soon see that Jehovah is indeed “the God of all comfort.”​—2 Cor. 1:3-7.

⁵ In a sensitive way, the intervening sections cover different reactions to the death of a loved one. They show how to cope with sorrow and how others can help in such distressing times. There is a box on page 25 entitled “Helping Children Deal With Death.” This should be a real help to parents who have to cope with this problem.

⁶ Keep an extra copy at hand, and use it for informal witnessing. You may wish to visit local funeral homes in your territory to see if they would like to have copies on hand to comfort bereaved families. Or you might tactfully approach grieving ones in cemeteries on occasions when they return to visit the grave of a loved one.

⁷ We rejoice that Jehovah is the God “who comforts those laid low.” (2 Cor. 7:6) We count it a privilege to have a share in ‘comforting these mourning ones.’​—Isa. 61:2.

We Will Study the Revelation Climax Book Again

¹ The title page of the Revelation Climax book quotes Revelation 1:3: “Happy is he who reads aloud and those who hear the words of this prophecy.” The happiness of Jehovah’s people today has certainly been enhanced in great measure by the modern-day fulfillments of the prophecies contained in the Bible book of Revelation. Our present-day understanding of happenings in this, “the Lord’s day,” is set out in Revelation​—Its Grand Climax At Hand! (Rev. 1:10) Through a study of it, we have gained insight into significant world events, especially those that involve the world empire of false religion and the onward march of nations to Armageddon as well as Jehovah’s dealings with his people.

² For many of us, a study of this publication will not only refresh our minds on points previously considered but also sharpen our spiritual view of current developments leading up to Jehovah’s day of triumph over all his enemies. The thousands who have joined our ranks during the past two to three years will certainly benefit from this third consideration of the Revelation Climax book in the Congregation Book Study.

³ Be sure to prepare well, to be present, and to participate in a meaningful way each week, starting October 3, 1994. You will be richly rewarded and blessed as you discern more clearly the meaning of unfolding world events in the light of prophecy recorded in the book of Revelation. Surely, we need to consider seriously such material, since it is even more timely now than ever before. May we enjoy the promised happiness as we read, listen to, and meditate on this thrilling prophecy about our times!