BANGOR – Jehovah’s Witnesses each year observe just one holiday: a commemoration of Christ’s last meal with his disciples.

Unlike faiths that celebrate Communion daily, weekly or monthly, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe the bread and wine – the emblems that represent the body and blood of Christ – should be shared just once a year when Passover is observed.

Followers believe that Jesus initiated the practice as a replacement for the Jewish observance of Passover.

So members of the Bangor congregation gathered Wednesday night at their Kingdom Hall on outer Broadway to pass unleavened bread and unfermented wine.

Yet nobody nibbled the flat brown strips or sipped the dark red liquid.

That is because Witnesses also believe that only those told by God they are among the 144,000 who will be raised as immortal spirits to rule with Christ in the heavenly Kingdom of God may eat the bread and drink the wine as the disciples did.

Last year, more than 16 million people around the world took part in the annual commemoration, also called the Lord’s Evening Meal.

As Passover began at sundown Wednesday, Witnesses gathered throughout the world to mark the occasion and hear lay leaders read an identical message.

Scott Pettengill, 29, of Bangor delivered the message during Wednesday’s gathering in Bangor.

It was the third year in a row that Pettengill has given the reading. He described it as a “serious matter” that he prayed about. He also went over the scriptural references.

“I wanted to relay the information in a way people would understand, especially the new people,” he said after the meeting. “Prayer helped me put the message across clearly.”

Pettengill said that giving the message on the memorial was different from a Sunday message because it is slightly shorter and there is no question-and-answer period during the meeting.

“We really present the ideas behind the message,” he said.

Those ideas include the belief that God offered his son Christ as the “ransom sacrifice” for human sins.

Carol Cutter, 85, of Bangor has not missed a memorial since 1947, when she was baptized a Witness.

She said Wednesday that the memorial has special meaning for her.

“It means that we’re reminded of how much Christ gave for us and how important it is,” she said. “We need to be continually reminded that we live in a wicked world with so many things to distract us from the truth.”

Alee Scheidt, 16, of Veazie grew up attending meetings in Kingdom Halls.

“The memorial really brings forth into my head that we really do have hope,” Scheidt said, as she and a group of teenage girls gathered at the back of the hall after the meeting. “God gave up his only son to be killed for us. This brings it into my head like … Wow! It’s very cool.”

Alice Moore, 53, of Bangor grew up in Kalamazoo, Mich. She said she became a Witness in 1978 after praying to find her purpose in life.

“I learned that Christ was representing something for us to follow,” Moore said. “I found the reason why I was on Earth, and it gave me hope for the future.”

A health care worker who has moved frequently in her career, Moore said she liked the fact that, except for the language used, the message of every meeting is the same all over the world.

“Wherever I go, I hear the same thing,” she said.

Jehovah’s Witnesses: Fast Facts

. Witnesses refer to God as Jehovah; the books that form the Christian Old Testament as “Hebrew Scriptures”; and the books of the Christian New Testament as the “Christian Greek Scriptures.”

. Images, including a cross or crucifix, should not be used in worship.

. Taking blood into the body through the mouth or veins violates God’s laws.

. A Witness should keep separate from the world but obey human laws that do not conflict with God’s laws.

. A Witness should not take part in interfaith movements.

. Baptism by complete immersion symbolizes dedication.

. A clergy class and special titles such as “the reverend” or “father” are improper.

Source: www.watchtower.org.