This year (2019) is the first time my wife Elsie and I have observed the Feast at home, and we’re prayerfully planning to make the best of it. As a result, I’m already much more conscious than ever before about all the people who need to stay home during the Feast. When I say “people,” I’m referring to all of our UCG members and attendees plus our subscribers who have learned about God’s commandments regarding His Feast days and who are trying to obey those commandments.

There are many reasons why people stay home during the Feast and it’s interesting and edifying to think about some of the common reasons. In some situations, it’s impossible for the person to travel to a Feast site. In other situations, it would be possible but obviously unwise. As we contemplate the people and the reasons, hopefully we will have added awareness, sympathy and empathy that will inspire our prayers for one another. And we might want to correspond with some of them.

With the following list of reasons, the sequential order has no important significance.

People incarcerated in a prison or jail. For each of them, his or her present “home” is a prison cell. I learned that as of October 1, 2019, there are 12,092 subscribers to Beyond Today who are in prisons! Isn’t that an amazingly high number?! As a result of receiving and reading our literature, many of them are trying to observe all of God’s Holy Days as best they can. I’m very aware of them since one of my responsibilities is writing replies to the personal letters the inmates write to our church. Hebrews 13:3, NIV, says: “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”

People who have learned about God’s Feast days and want to observe them, but they don’t have enough second tithe saved to attend the Feast this year.

People who are sick or injured or are experiencing some other crisis.

People with serious physical weaknesses and/or a serious chronic (long-term) health problem. (This is Elsie’s category. She has bronchiectasis and traveling has become too difficult.)

People who are regular caregivers for a loved one who needs help.

People in nursing homes and rehab facilities.

People who just had a baby or are about to have one.

People in remote areas of the world with very low incomes, situations making it nearly impossible to travel to a Feast site.

People who have a spouse who is very much against the member going to the Feast. (This reason is usually valid only for the first year.)

People still in their teen years and their parents won’t allow them to go.

People with serious dementia. (This is my category. Just kidding! Not quite there.)

Well, what a blessing that we live in a high-tech world whereby we can tune into church webcasts on Sabbaths, Holy Days, and Feast days!

Sadly, some members don’t have computers and Internet access. They especially will benefit from personal communications from others so they don’t feel so lonely.

Some stay-at-homers might live near enough to other stay-at-homers that they can get together one or more times during the Feast.

Regardless of the circumstances of each of us, may we all make a major effort to feast on the Word of God and to fill our minds and hearts with the wonderful meanings of God’s feast days! Though we are largely missing out on fellowship with fellow Feast-goers, may we all have very precious, intimate and inspiring fellowship with God and Jesus Christ!

-- blog by Don Hooser --