Yuba City Jehovah's Witnesses facility reopens after nearly 3 years

Feb. 6—For the first time in nearly three years, the Yuba City Assembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses reopened its doors for large assemblies on Saturday as a way for different populations of people to reunite together following many years of being apart.

Much like other institutions, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down many places of worship, such as the Yuba City Assembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses located at 650 North George Washington Blvd., from in-person gatherings.

It was a difficult time for people of faith to figure out how exactly to worship and find peace with God on a regular basis.

Adrian Barnes, a Gridley/Biggs resident and spokesperson for the Jehovah's Witnesses chapter in Sacramento, said a video stream was set up for virtual sessions during the height of the pandemic. While it was an admirable alternative in the face of health and safety, Barnes said nothing replaces an in-person worship.

"We were not able to associate with our friends, families and be able to welcome the public," Barnes said. "That's why we are so excited to have in-person assemblies."

Barnes said there are 19 weekends of large assemblies scheduled, where different areas of the state will meet to congregate together inside a facility that is nearly 50 years old. Barnes said the Yuba City Assembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses was dedicated in 1974 and has been revamped and changed over the years.

During the pandemic, a number of resident caretakers lived on the property to keep it up while it was closed down, Barnes said.

On Saturday, as he and his wife walked inside the hall for the first time since 2020, Barnes and John Johnson, a public communication representative for Jehovah's Witnesses, first noticed how the facility sparkled with freshly cut grass and clean walls, doors and dining halls that have stood in Yuba City for almost a half century.

Inside, the worship center is equipped with multiple flat screen televisions where individuals can watch any given speaker. There is also a pool adjacent to the main stage where baptisms take place.

The weekend programs are usually all-day affairs, Barnes said, where individuals come in about 9 a.m. to worship, then break for lunch at noon, then return for the afternoon schedule.

Each assembly is broken down into circuits, based on areas where people live, said James VanZant, one of Saturday's speakers and a long-time Jehovah's Witnesses member.

"Circuits are areas drawn up by territory and those congregations within that territory will meet usually twice a year," VanZant said. "It's based on where you live. Each assembly will have a different population."

On Saturday, most who traveled to Yuba City came from Lincoln, Grass Valley, Placerville and El Dorado, Barnes said.

The next day will have a completely different area inside the facility and so on throughout the year, he said.

Barnes said beginning on April 29, the Yuba-Sutter region will be invited to the Yuba City Assembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses also worship in many languages, according to its website, JW.org. Barnes said people can worship in over 1,000 languages online.

For the large assemblies in Yuba City, Fremont and Fairfield, there are English, French, Spanish and Hmong sessions throughout the year, Barnes said, adding that a lot of the Hmong population travels in from Minnesota.

The first Spanish-speaking assembly is scheduled for March 4, Barnes said.

Patty Meredith, a resident of Lincoln who made her first trip to the Yuba City facility since it was shut down, said the beauty of Jehovah's Witnesses is the comfort that the religion provides, not only from scripture but from gathering together.

"The times that we are living in are very tumultuous and so this gives us a respite from that and helps us to continue on," Meredith said.

Her husband, Derek Meredith, said Saturday was a "historic day for us as (a) JW."

Johnson, also a lifelong Jehovah's Witnesses member, said his main takeaway from the reopening of the Yuba City facility was the in-person interactions with his fellow congregants.

"It's hugs, open arms and a very joyous occasion," Johnson said.