Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Clumns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on local and regional news you won't find anywhere else

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
      • Steve Metsch
      • Steve Neuhaus
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Toggle search form
  • Police Blotter
    Orland Park Police Department Investigating Fatal Hit-and-Run accident
  • Taste of Orland Park 2025
    Taste of Orland Park Returns to Village Center with Food, Fun and Festivities Events
  • Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge
    Exclusive interview with Orland Mayor Jim Dodge says former mayor left huge debt breaking news
  • Chicago Wovles play the Rockford Ice Hogs, Feb. 23, 2025
    Chicago Wolves hockey unveil 2025-26 Season schedule Chicago
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN Blogger
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Threatening FEMA Employees and Law Enforcement Officers Crime
  • SeatGeek Stadium
    Chivas de Guadalajara and Club Leon to meet in Chicago Bridgeview
  • OFPD Trustee DJ Jeffers, COmmissioner Mohammed Jaber, Events and Safety Coordinator Betsy Dine and McDonalds Manager Doug Kwiatkowski join about 100 kids who participated at the Frozen with a Firefighter event Wednesday, July 9, 2025
    Frozen with an Orland Firefighter at McDonald’s Events
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Chicago dad’s court victory brought kidnapped daughter home Dads' Rights
  • Congresswoman Robin Kelly official photo
    Leading members of State’s Gun Violence Prevention Community endorse Robin Kelly for U.S. Senate elections
  • IAM Union Logo
    IAM Union Members at Arrow Gear Ratify Strong Contract After 9 Weeks on Strike Business
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Seven Individuals Charged in Drug and Firearm Investigation Centered on South Side of Chicago Chicago
  • Donna Miller
    Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller Launches Congressional Campaign Chicago
  • Mohammed Jaber
    Mohammed Jaber takes Oath of Office for Orland Fire Commission Fire
  • The Orland Fire District responded at 6:51 pm to reports of  smoke coming out of the eves of a four unit townhome in the 10500 block of Illinois Court in the Eagle Ridge subdivision on Saturday August 10th, 2024. 
    Orland Fire District reports several 4th of July fires but no injuries accident
Jehovah's Witnesses website at JW.org

Jehovah’s Witnesses Back on the Streets of Chicago After Pandemic Pause

Posted on July 1, 2022July 1, 2022 By Ray Hanania 2 Comments on Jehovah’s Witnesses Back on the Streets of Chicago After Pandemic Pause
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Jehovah’s Witnesses Back on the Streets of Chicago After Pandemic Pause

Jehovah’s Witnesses Resume Public Ministry Two Years After Going Virtual

If you happen to be around Millennium Park soon, you may notice that a pre-pandemic fixture is back on the sidewalks: smiling faces standing next to colorful carts featuring a positive message and free Bible-based literature.

Thousands of these carts will be rolling down the streets of communities in Cook County as well as across the world this week as Jehovah’s Witnesses recommence their global public preaching work some 24 months after putting it on pause due to the pandemic.

“I’m extremely excited!” Gale Blackshear said about returning to the park with a cart full of Bible-based literature. She looks forward to interacting again with people visiting Chicago from all over the world and sharing a message of hope. “After two years, I am ready to go back!” she said.

The Christian organization will return to its public ministry for the first time since March 2020, when all in-person forms of their volunteer work were suspended out of concern for the health and safety of the community.

Jehovah's Witnesses website at JW.org

 

In response to the global decision, 354 congregations across Illinois are now beginning to reopen their cart locations. The site at the southwest corner of Randolph Street and Michigan Avenue is among the many.

 

The local congregations will also resume free in-person Bible studies along with personal visits to those who have invited them back to their homes. This comes two months after the organization began gathering at their Kingdom Halls once again for in-person meetings.

“While we understand that the pandemic is not over, we are entering into a phase of learning to live with COVID,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “We are sensitive to the risks that still face our communities and our volunteers, which is why we will not resume door-to-door ministry at this time. Each volunteer will make a personal choice as to whether their ministry will remain strictly virtual or whether they are ready to make in-person visits again. We are excited that we all have a choice!”

Mobile displays of Bible-based literature have been part of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ public ministry in the U.S. since 2011. While “cart witnessing” began in large metropolitan areas around the world, the practice quickly spread to the tens of thousands of smaller communities, becoming a fixture in rail and bus stations, airports, harbors and main streets.

Since 2012, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Chicago began offering a selection of Bible literature in English, Chinese and Spanish at the carts for morning and evening commuters and on weekends to be accessible to as many community members as possible.

“We share a positive message with our neighbors, a message of hope from the Bible,” Blackshear said. “When they approach us, we give them a contact card that directs them to the website jw.org. Some passing by have told us, ‘You’re doing a good job.’”

To learn more about Jehovah’s Witnesses, their history, beliefs and activities, visit their official website jw.org, featuring content in more than 1,000 languages.

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Orland Park Police Department Investigating Fatal Hit-and-Run - July 12, 2025
  • Taste of Orland Park Returns to Village Center with Food, Fun and Festivities - July 12, 2025
  • Exclusive interview with Orland Mayor Jim Dodge says former mayor left huge debt - July 12, 2025
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
General Topics, News, Religion Tags:back on the street, Coronavirus, COVID, Jehovah's Witnesses, Pandemic, religion

Post navigation

Previous Post: County Executive David Crowley to Sign Legislation Funding McKinley Beach Restoration & Safety Improvements
Next Post: Cook County Comr Donna Miller lists district 4th of July celebrations

Related Posts

  • IAM Union Logo
    IAM Union Members at Arrow Gear Ratify Strong Contract After 9 Weeks on Strike Business
  • A Sauk Village man has been charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty and violation of owner’s duties after three emaciated horses were found on his property, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today.
    Sauk Village Man Charged with Animal Cruelty, Other Misdemeanors Cook County
  • School District 230 celebrates student achievements Education
  • Ceiling damage from fire at Life Time Fitness, 16333 LaGrange Road at 7:18 pm April 16, 2021. Photo courtesy of the Orland Fire Protection DIstrict
    No injuries, minor damage at Life Time Fitness fire in Orland Park Cook County
  • Home fire at 7300 block of 157th Street, Orland Park. April 21, 2021. Photo courtesy of the Orland Fire Protection DIstrict
    Fire damages bathroom and attic in Orland Park home, no injuries breaking news
  • Democratic endorsed candidate Marie Newman at rally Sept. 4, 2020 hosted by the American Arab Chamber of Commerce and American Palestine Club. Photo courtesy of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce
    Labor endforsements for Congresswoman Newman in 6th District race grows Chicago

More Related Articles

Chicago Wolves take second game of playoffs against Iowa Wild. Photo courtesy of Chicago Wolves. May 2019 Weigel Broadcasting to Televise all Chicago Wolves Calder Cup Finals games News
Front page story on the Illinois Attorney General's decision slamming the actions of the Hubacek-led school boards in denying parents to address the board on Oct. 22, 2019 calling it a violation of the Illinois Open Meetings Act Illinois Attorney General slams District 103 Open Meetings Act Violation breaking news
Chicago Wolves elevate Mahoney, Sata to team Presidency Business
Chicago Cultural Alliance offers wide range of ethnic programs Chicago
Rockford IceHogs beat Chicago Wolves Oct. 10, 2019 by a 3-2 score Rockford IceHogs stop Chicago Wolves in Friday Hockey competition Entertainment
Nicholas Aguirre, charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon. David Aguirre-Gonzalez charged with firing the weapon and one count of First Degree Murder. Photo courtesy of the Cicero Police Department First Degree Murder charges filed against gang member in Cicero shooting death breaking news

Comments (2) on “Jehovah’s Witnesses Back on the Streets of Chicago After Pandemic Pause”

  1. Pingback: The Driver's Side" – News From The Motorist's Perspective | theexpiredmeter.com
  2. Pingback: Jehovah's Witnesses Back on the Streets of Chicago After Pandemic Pause - Suburban Chicagoland - Nachrichten Circuit

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN
    July 12, 2025
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    Chicago parents and other community leaders must work together to make sure this summer isn’t deadly for our children
    July 3, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    How Technology Changed the Cook County Treasurer’s Office
    June 27, 2025
  • Attorneys Jeffery Leving Arthur Kallow
    Honoring Fathers: A Father’s Day Reflection
    June 13, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Understanding Cook County Property Taxes: A Guide for Homeowners
    June 13, 2025
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Two Guys on Politics Podcast on Elon Musk, Trump’s Parade, LA Riots, and Middle East ban
    June 12, 2025
  • NEWS
  • Police Blotter
    Orland Park Police Department Investigating Fatal Hit-and-Run
    July 12, 2025
  • Taste of Orland Park 2025
    Taste of Orland Park Returns to Village Center with Food, Fun and Festivities
    July 12, 2025
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • SPORTS
  • Chicago Wovles play the Rockford Ice Hogs, Feb. 23, 2025
    Chicago Wolves hockey unveil 2025-26 Season schedule
    July 12, 2025
  • SeatGeek Stadium
    Chivas de Guadalajara and Club Leon to meet in Chicago
    July 12, 2025
  • NEWS RELEASES
  • Taste of Orland Park 2025
    Taste of Orland Park Returns to Village Center with Food, Fun and Festivities
    July 12, 2025
  • Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge
    Exclusive interview with Orland Mayor Jim Dodge says former mayor left huge debt
    July 12, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme