TEMECULA – The building of the 10,000 sq. ft. double auditorium Kingdom Hall is well under way. The architectural design and planning of the Kingdom Hall is derived from the residential architecture in the surrounding community. The goal of the overall design is to contribute to Temecula’s community development plan and sustainable vision. Site work and street improvements began in October of 2011 with actual building construction beginning May 11. A set date for building completion is anticipated to be around July 8.

In the cities of Temecula and Murrieta there are over 2,000 people who regularly attend meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The new Kingdom Hall is centrally located in an area convenient for families to attend and will support the ever increasing interest in Bible education and worship.

The new double auditorium Kingdom Hall will provide places of worship for 7 Congregations (4 English and 3 Spanish). Each congregation holds meetings on a weekly basis that are free and open to the public. Meeting times vary for each congregation, and the varied days and times are posted on the outside of each respective Kingdom Hall. Witnesses extend invitations to these meetings when they engage in their community service, which is a house-to-house ministry.

There are 7,659,019 Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide, in over 236 lands. Locally, 2,000 of that number reside in Temecula and Murrieta. The most important event of the year for Jehovah’s Witnesses is the Memorial of the death of Jesus Christ. On April 17, 2011, they saw a worldwide attendance of 19,374,737. Of that number, here in the United States, 2,563,518 attended. This is noteworthy because it was the largest number ever recorded for the over 13,309 congregations that are located in this country. Here, locally, in the Temecula and Murrieta area, over 2,300 Advertisement

[ Carrington Home Loans ] attended. Across the globe there are over 109,000 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses and those in the Valley are pleased to add a new Kingdom Hall to aid in the growing demand for places of worship.

All Kingdom Halls are constructed by volunteer workers. On the local build, over 1,000 individuals from the Temecula Valley as well as other parts of the Inland Empire have volunteered to work on this project. Many are skilled tradesmen who give their time, energy, and resources. However, the majority are unskilled volunteers who receive on-site training in the trades associated with this project.

There is a large emphasis put on safety awareness. Prior to working, all volunteers receive safety orientation training. These newly-trained volunteers are then able to work on local and other regional projects. In the United States alone, there are approximately 100 new Kingdom Halls built and over 200 remodeled every year. Many volunteers work behind the scenes, such as in connection with clean-up, administration, and food preparation. During all phases of construction, there are three meals prepared and served each day to all volunteer workers. It is estimated that approximately 10,000 meals will be served during the main construction phase, beginning in May.

Kingdom Halls are used exclusively for worship. In keeping with this objective, each work day on the construction site begins with a 15 minute scriptural discussion and prayer. Jehovah’s Witnesses are appreciative of the support they have received from the City of Temecula and its personnel. Meetings in the newly-constructed Kingdom Hall are estimated to begin in July. An Open House will be held and that date will be released shortly. Neighbors as well as the community will be invited to tour the new facility.

Kingdom Hall is located at 31640 Calle Girasol in Temecula.