All congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses across the world are being encouraged to begin holding in-person meetings during the week of April 1. Ricardo Barrio of Phoenix has been attending meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses since 1987. After decades of learning and association, Barrio views other congregants as family and the Kingdom Hall as a place to kindle love and kindness.

For most of the last two years, buildings for worship have remained closed globally due to the risks associated with meeting in person. Jehovah’s Witnesses in the U.S. also suspended their public ministry on March 20, 2020. Since that time, they have carried on their ministry through letters and phone calls while holding twice weekly meetings in a virtual format. Average attendance at these meetings exceeded 1.5 million each week in the U.S., even though there are fewer than 1.3 million Jehovah’s Witnesses in some 13,000 congregations.

“There is a collective shout of joy among Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world right now,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. Spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “While we have prospered in many ways as individuals and congregations using technology to bring us together, nothing can adequately replace being together in person. We have longed for this moment for the better part of two years.”

The move back to in-person meetings coincides with two global events being held in all 120,000 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The first is a special lecture scheduled in most congregations for April 10 entitled, “Where Can You Find Real Hope?” Additionally, the annual commemoration of the death of Jesus Christ will be held on April 15. Both of these gatherings will be held in person at local Kingdom Halls with live speakers. No collections are ever taken. Guidelines for holding “hybrid” meetings have been sent to all congregations in the United States. Over the past six months, many Kingdom Halls have been equipped with the required technology to hold a productive meeting that allows for in-person and remote attendees, all of whom can participate in the discussions.

As of now, Jehovah’s Witnesses have no plans to resume their public ministry, though their “alternative” ministry continues. In fact, since the start of the pandemic through Nov. 2021 in the U.S. alone, Jehovah’s Witnesses spent more than 400 million hours in virtual Bible studies, writing letters of comfort to their neighbors, and making phone calls. They have released 77 new language translations of the Bible and held two global virtual conventions in more than 500 languages.

For more information on Jehovah’s Witnesses go to jw.org.

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As we approach Easter, many of us think about the meaning of Easter. It is not about bunnies, colored eggs, peeps, or chocolate candy. The Bible gives us the true meaning of Easter: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NKJV).

As I was doing research for a sermon a few weeks ago, I came across a 2020 Pew Research Center survey that said 65% of adults in the United States identified themselves as Christians. I think most of us can agree that 65% of Americans don’t act like Christians. Gallup in a 2020 survey found that 47% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue, or mosque. Other surveys say that 27% of Americans attend church regularly. If we add in those who attend church services on Christmas and Easter, we get 35% who attend church either regularly or occasionally.

Naturally, we wonder why so many Americans who say they are Christians don’t attend church regularly. This reminds me of two of Jesus’ followers on the road to Emmaus after Jesus’ crucifixion found in Luke 24:13-35. These two followers of Jesus had heard his teachings and most likely seen him perform some of his miracles.

As these two followers were walking on the road to Emmaus, we read in Luke 24:15-17: “So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. And He said to them, ‘What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?’”

They told this stranger that they didn’t know was Jesus about the events of the last three days. In verse 21, we see that so many of Jesus’ followers misunderstood his true mission when we read: “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.” When they got to Emmaus, they invited this stranger to break bread with them. It was then that we read in verse 31: “Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him…”

Just like those two followers of Jesus, many Americans who claim they are Christians need their eyes to be opened so they can truly know Jesus. Those of us who regularly attend church need to pray that our family’s, friends’, and neighbors’ eyes would be open. We need to share the love of Christ and share the Gospel message with them.

To those of you who believe in Jesus but don’t attend church, I invite you to come visit my church or any other Bible-believing church for a Sunday Worship service. I pray that your eyes would truly be open to Jesus.

Tim Hammond is the pastor of Oak Street Baptist Church in Kingman, AZ.

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Throughout the Bible, language of family and friendship is used to talk about our relationship with God. Our relationship is spoken about using the language of marriage, using the language of friendship, and using the language of parents and children. Close relationships like these are always covenantal. A covenant is a relationship built on promises.

Our relationship to God is a covenantal relationship too. He makes promises to us: to love us, to forgive our sins, to give us the gift of salvation, to help us unpack our baggage, to be with us always, to give us eternal life. And, as is the case with any good and healthy relationship, it’s a two-way street. We make promises to Him too. We promise to take our relationship – our life- with Jesus seriously.

That’s how it is with our relationship with God. God has made promises to us, and God is always faithful to those promises. We make promises to God, too. We promise to talk with God – prayer – to listen to God through prayer and scripture, to love God through worship, to help God by helping others.

We make our promises. And, if we don’t act on our promises, if we don’t live into our promises, our relationship with God doesn’t grow, our life with God doesn’t deepen. Allowing Jesus access to our lives is what we call the Means of Grace.

The Means of Grace are simply ways we live out our promises to God. These Means of Grace include what John Wesley called Acts of Piety: praying, reading the Bible, coming to church, and giving. And they include what Wesley called Acts of Mercy: helping others in need, standing up against oppression in whatever forms it may take. The language of Acts of Mercy and Acts of Piety is really just theological talk for the kinds of things that are important to every good and healthy, loving relationship.

When we do the stuff of our covenant, God meets us in our acts of covenant faithfulness, and gives us grace, growing us up in the faith, healing our wounds, alleviating our burden. So here are three simple acts of covenant faithfulness that every one of us can do. Three ways to put our faith in action, and in the process, giving God something to work with as He continues the work of growing us up in faith.

Each day, make the decision to do something for for someone else. Be intentional and specific about it.

Each day, choose one word you would like to focus on in scripture, then look up scriptures that are about that word, such as grace or faithfulness.

Each day, think of five things you are grateful for. And, when you think of your list of things you are grateful for, say a prayer thanking God for those things, offering praise, thanksgiving, and adoration for all that God has done for you.

Three simple practices: doing good, reading scripture, and expressing gratitude through prayer. Three simple practices that help us be more aware of God’s presence, and help us make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. And, grace upon grace, giving God something to work with as God meets us in our covenant faithfulness and grows us up until that glorious day when our lives are no longer defined by the things of this world, but by the extravagant, all encompassing, never ending love of God. Grace upon grace upon grace.

Andrew Devereaux is the pastor of St. John’s United Methodist Church.

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PHOENIX – Several highways carrying significant passenger and freight traffic are targeted for expansion and improvement during the next five years as part of the proposed annual update to the Arizona Department of Transportation’s list of projects that will be available for public comment began Friday, March 18.

The 2023-2027 Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program allocates $571 million for projects that widen highways or improve interchanges, including:

* Widening Interstate 17 north of Phoenix from Anthem Way to Sunset Point, plus adding flex lanes from Black Canyon City to Sunset Point. The five-year plan contains $83.6 in 2022 for a total project cost of $469 million.

* Widening the Gila River bridges between Phoenix and Casa Grande. Work on the $83 million project is set to begin in 2023 and is a key step toward ADOT’s goal of widening I-10 to three lanes in each direction between Phoenix and Tucson.

* Constructing the first phase of the I-40/US 93 West Kingman interchange. The plan includes $125 million for construction in 2024.

* Widening the last two-lane section of State Route 260 in the Lion Springs area. The plan includes $70 million for construction in 2026 and would complete ADOT’s goal of completing a four-lane divided highway along the entire SR 260 corridor.

Additionally, the tentative plan will invest more than $2.5 billion in pavement preservation projects across Arizona over five years, upgrading 400 lane miles of pavement from fair and poor condition to good condition. 

About $463 million would be invested in projects that improve highway safety, efficiency, and functionality, including smart technology or adding shoulders. One of those projects would involve $68.1 million to expand broadband connectivity along I-40 from Flagstaff to the California state line. 

The I-17 and I-10 widening projects are able to advance through ADOT’s partnership with the Maricopa Association of Governments, the regional planning agency that has committed some of the funds for those improvements.

“Governor Ducey’s mission for ADOT has been clear,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Focus on the safety of the traveling public, improve our economy by expanding key commerce corridors and meeting critical preservation needs to protect the $23 billion investment that is Arizona’s State Highway System.” 

The 2023-2027 Tentative Five-Year Program also reaches ADOT’s goal of allocating $360 million per year for preservation of bridges and roadways throughout the state highway system. Preservation projects include repaving and repairing highways, along with repairing or reconstructing bridges. The tentative plan includes $445 million over five years for projects that improve highway safety, efficiency, and functionality, such as smart technology or addition of shoulders.  

The public comment period for the 2023-2027 Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program begins March 18 and ends at 5 p.m. June 2. The State Transportation Board is expected to consider formal action on the program at its June 17 meeting.

The complete report will be available on March 18 at azdot.gov/tentative5year for review and comment. ADOT welcomes feedback via an online form that will be available at azdot.gov/tentative5year, by email at fiveyearconstructionprogram@azdot.gov and by phone at 855.712.8530.

Public comments also may be made at an open public hearing of the State Transportation Board scheduled at 9 a.m. May 20. Meeting information can be found at http://aztransportationboard.gov. 

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BULLHEAD CITY – Mohave Community College is bringing students, community members and businesses together with a focus on building a great future.  

The Connecting the Community event, called ConCom, will be at the Bullhead City campus on Wednesday, March 30 and is free to attend. The atmosphere will be fun and casual with music, food, a job fair, the Show and Shine Car Show and an accident simulation with Bullhead City Fire Department and Tristate CareFlight.  

Residents of the tristate region are invited to join the college, the MCC Foundation and event sponsors ARIZONA@WORK, Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort & Casino, DOT Foods, Anderson Chrysler, Baron’s Services, Vern Lewis Welding, and many others at ConCom. 

“ConCom is so great because people can talk with employers who will also be joined by college employees who help prepare students for a successful future,” said MCC Campus Dean of Student & Community Engagement Dr. Carolyn Hamblin, who is organizing the event with the MCC Foundation. “This is a win-win opportunity for residents and the community.” 

People will learn about the benefits of higher education and see firsthand how it helps lead to higher paying careers and successful futures.    

There will also be information for those who are interested in non-credit, fun, and informational classes offered by the college Community Education division.  

The college offers more than 80 accredited degrees and certificates, and event attendees have the chance to meet with faculty and staff from those educational programs.  

“We’ll have teams from all of our campuses represented at this one event to show how MCC can help you improve your future earning power,” said Dr. Hamblin.  “You’ll also be able to talk with business owners and find out the education and skills they want you to have, and ARIZONA@WORK will be holding a job fair.”     

Many students who earn an associate degree in the MCC general education programs simultaneously complete the first two years of study toward a bachelor’s degree. Those students end up saving an estimated $15,000 in tuition alone by starting at MCC then transferring to one of the college’s university partners to earn a bachelor’s degree.  

MCC will have a team on hand at ConCom to explain how to get the most benefit from the college’s university transfer partnerships.  

Businesses that would like to participate in MCC ConCom are encouraged to contact the college as soon as possible.  Money raised through sponsorships and vendor fees will support local college students. 

MCC ConCom is March 30 from 10:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the MCC Bullhead City Campus – 3400 Hwy 95.  Music provided by Radio DJ Loke Lau.   More information is available online at MohaveConCom.com. You may also contact Hamblin at CHamblin@Mohave.edu or 1-866-MOHAVECC.

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BULLHEAD CITY – The City of Bullhead City and WFW Post 10005 ask you to join them as they honor Vietnam Veterans Day on Tuesday, March 29.

A “Welcome Home” celebration will be held at the VFW Post 1005 located at 1611 E Marble Canyon Rd. from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. to recognize and thank all Veterans, especially Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice to our country. The event will begin promptly at 11 a.m. with an Honor Guard Salute followed by a short ceremony featuring Mike Beard, Past President of the Vietnam Veterans of America, and Bullhead City Mayor Tom Brady. A free hot dog or hamburger lunch will be provided. The event will also feature live entertainment by national recording artist Tyler Halsey.

The City of Bullhead City’s Area Transit will provide transportation to any veteran that may need a ride to and from the event. Please reserve your ride today by calling Bullhead City Transit Dispatch center at (928) 704-2287.

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No need to worry if you saw smoke billowing from the Hualapai Mountains southeast of Kingman Wednesday and Thursday. It’s a planned activity coordinated by the Bureau of Land Management. It’s part of a program to establish fire breaks to protect Hualapai Mountain communities. Officials say the burning of slash piles also improves the ecosystem for the benefit of wildlife.

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KINGMAN – The Arizona Cardinals Caravan is in Kingman! It’s an off-season promotion tour that rolls mostly through communities where radio stations such as KGMN 100.1-FM broadcast their NFL games.

Team mascot Big Red, cheerleaders, some former Cardinal players, and various officials with the organization spent time at St. Vincent de Paul earlier today where they stuffed supply bags, stocked shelves and engaged in other support activity.

The public is invited to the big meet and greet from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Thursday, March 24, at Centennial Park. Director of Marketing and Broadcasting Orlando Avila said he hopes to see everyone connect with the Cardinals at the event.

Games for kids and photo taking opportunities are part of the fun!

Dave Hawkins

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US Park Rangers of Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Special Agents with the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB) are seeking information from the public to help locate a missing Reno, Nevada woman. Park officials say 64-year-old Gayle Stewart was last seen on March 14, 2022, in the Bypass Bridge parking area near Hoover Dam. Stewart had traveled to the area to take photographs and did not return to her vehicle.

Stewart has blonde hair, blue eyes, is 5’08” tall, and weighs about 125 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black long sleeve shirt, black leggings, and black shoes. She did not have her phone or any identification on her at the time.

Though no further details for this ongoing missing person investigation are available currently, information from other visitors is often very helpful to investigators. If you have information that could help locate Gayle Stewart, the park asks you to call or text the ISB Tip Line at 888-653-0009, use the online Tip form at go.nps.gov/SubmitATip.

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OATMAN – With the cold winds of Winter fading away, the much-anticipated volume two of the “Walter, the Orphaned Donkey” series has arrived, and a book signing is scheduled for Saturday, April 9 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Burro Flats in Oatman.

The second book, in a series of ten, saw numerous production delays that unfortunately resulted in the cancellation of book signings and the delivery of pre-orders, said Anne Z. Smith, CEO of Armagno Press.

“It is regretful that our fans had to wait this long for this highly anticipated book that promises so many surprises fans will find heartwarming and poignant,” said Smith. “So many problems developed because of COVID and then with the supply shortage. It was out of our hands and all we could do was wait.”

Smith pointed out that midway through the production, some of the content and design had been changed from the original that was submitted, which in turn created a delay in printing, due to it needing to be changed back. Although everything was eventually done as originally submitted, a couple of errors ended up in the final content.

“We decided to leave it rather than delay the release of the book by making another correction at the last minute,” she said. “I am sure when people read the book they will be overwhelmed by the emotions and overlook the problems we encountered.”

In keeping with the true-life adventures of the orphaned burro that continues to capture the hearts of fans world-wide, Walter’s Desert Adventure also expands the story into the Blake family with their four, energized German Shepherd dogs!

In Walter’s whimsical journey throughout the desert, he experiences a special spiritual encounter from his past that promises to be a tearful, but uplifting, moment for Walter that he shares with his fans in this heart-tugging story.

Fans can see Walter in person, Saturday, April at Burro Flats in Oatman. Autographed copies of “Walter Finds a Home” and “Walter’s Desert Adventure” can be purchased online at www.walterthewonderdonkey.com or in person at Jackass Junction and Burro Flats in Oatman.

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