It’s been one year since Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide adjusted their hallmark methods of sharing comfort and hope from the scriptures due to the pandemic.

For many, the change from knocking on doors to making phone calls and writing letters expanded and invigorated their ministry.

“Witnesses have embraced this shift, finding the good in these trying times,” said Joseph Castano, who reports a 30% increase in the Witnesses’ preaching activity in parts of Virginia and West Virginia.

In March 2020, some 1.3 million Witnesses in the United States suspended their public ministry and moved congregation meetings to videoconferencing.

“It has been a very deliberate decision based on two principles: our respect for life and love of neighbor,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “But we are still witnesses and, as such, we must testify about our faith. So, it was inevitable that we would find a way to continue our work.”

Managing a busy insurance agency in Lone Tree, Iowa, limited Phyllis Peterson’s schedule for the ministry to weekends.

During the pandemic, Peterson began working remotely and now joins virtual ministry groups, writing letters containing scriptural encouragement.

“There’s a lot more time,” she explained. “I can start at 8:00 in the morning, or I can do some in the evening.”

Peterson plans to continue writing letters even after the pandemic is over.

“My family and co-workers know that I do this every morning,” she said. “Nothing is going to change.”

Nearly 51,000 people in the United States last year requested that a Witness contact them, either through a local congregation or jw.org, the organization’s official website. Witnesses respond via letters and phone calls instead of in-person visits.

“Our love for our neighbors is stronger than ever,” said Hendriks. “In fact, I think we have needed each other more than ever. We are finding that people are perplexed, stressed, and feeling isolated. Our work has helped many regain a sense of footing – even normalcy – at a very unsettled time.”

In the bitter winters of Arden Hills, Minnesota, Terri Whitmore normally bundles up for the door-to-door ministry. Now, from the comfort of her home, she makes phone calls sharing the same message.

“Some people feel like they have nothing secure to hold on to,” she said. “The power of God’s word is amazing. You can just share a scripture and you feel like they’re settling down.”

In rural Salina, Kansas, the Milbradts drove for miles to reach their neighbors. Now, instead of buying gasoline, they purchase writing supplies.

Zeb and Jenny Milbradt help their boys—Colton, 8, and Benjamin, 6—write letters to children’s book authors, local police, and hospital workers. They include hand-drawn pictures of the Bible’s promise of a global paradise.

A letter Benjamin sent to one health center was scanned and emailed to 2,000 employees. It “made so many people smile,” the marketing secretary said.

Witnesses have also made concerted efforts to check on distant friends and family—sometimes texting links to Bible-based articles on jw.org covering isolation, depression, and how to beat pandemic fatigue.

“Former Bible students have started studying again,” said Tony Fowler, who helps organize the ministry in Michigan.

“Colleagues at work have now started to show interest. Some have started Bible studies with family members who showed very little interest before the pandemic.”

Castano has been reaching out to Witnesses who had stopped associating with fellow Witnesses. “The pandemic has reignited their spirituality,” he said. Many are attending virtual meetings with some sharing in telephone witnessing and letter writing after decades of inactivity.

Fowler and Castano both report about a 20 percent increase in online meeting attendance. But perhaps the most significant growth is in an area that cannot be measured by numbers.

“I think we’ve grown as a people,” Fowler said. “We’ve grown in appreciation for other avenues of the ministry, our love for our neighbor, and love for one another. We’re a stronger people because of all of this, and that’s a beautiful thing to see.”

For more information on the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses, visit their website jw.org, with content available in over 1,000 languages.