Joseph F. Rutherford, then serving as president of the Watch Tower Society, was present when construction began on the Kingdom Hall located at 1228 Pensacola Street, Honolulu, Hawaii. The year was 1935. This little building would carry the distinction of being the first in the world to be named “Kingdom Hall.” It would also serve as an anchor for tremendous growth over the next eight decades. Today, 85 years later, the Pensacola Street Kingdom Hall is used by four congregations that support meetings held in five languages, including Hawaii Pidgin. a

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, our brothers invited the local community, government officials, and educators to an open house from February 11 to 15, 2020, after completely remodeling the historic building. Visitors were escorted on a tour of the building, viewed historical displays, and listened to presentations by the brothers that highlighted the activities of Jehovah’s modern-day organization. The event culminated on February 16, with a dedication talk by Brother David H. Splane, a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

One sister who helped with preparations for the program said: “Even though the community open house wasn’t about preaching, we feel that a great witness was given to many who may otherwise have never learned about Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

The event helped our brothers and sisters gain a deeper sense of their rich spiritual heritage in the Hawaiian Islands and to personally see the fulfillment of the words, “In the islands of the sea they will glorify the name of Jehovah the God of Israel.”—Isaiah 24:15.