Religion
Posted on Mon, Jun. 09, 2008
reprint or licenseprintemail Digg itdel.icio.usAIMJehovah's Witnesses to gather on six weekends in Fort Worth
By TERRY LEE GOODRICH Star-Telegram staff writer
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More than 42,000 Jehovah's Witnesses from the North Texas/South Oklahoma district will converge on Fort Worth over six weekends, with the first of the three-day events this weekend. The Guided by God's Spirit District Convention sessions will be at Fort Worth Convention Center from Friday through Sunday. About 7,000 people are expected at each weekend's events.
"We focus on the Bible teaching, not on policy or politics," said Robert Miller of Denton, news service director for the convention. "We've been doing this since the 1800s."
While the gatherings are designed to provide encouragement, biblical instruction and training for Jehovah's Witnesses to share their faith, the free conventions can also help others, he said.
"We want to help people understand how the Bible benefits their lives," he said.
Congregations have elders and are instructed by traveling ministers and overseers.
Cities in the district include Fort Worth, Dallas, Abilene, Denton, Weatherford and Wichita Falls.
The first three conventions will be in English and the last three in Spanish, Miller said.
On Friday, the keynote address will be given by David Wilson, a representative from the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based United States Branch office of Jehovah's Witnesses. The topic is the Holy Spirit's Role in the Outworking of Jehovah's Purpose.
Afternoon symposiums will focus on living the faith at school, work, home, church and social activities.
Saturday's program theme is Sowing With a View to the Spirit. It will include sessions on fighting temptations and coping with discouragement, persecution and peer pressure.
It also will focus on baptism and include an opportunity to be baptized.
Sunday's theme is Keep Walking by Spirit. It will conclude with a Bible drama.
Convention
When: This weekend; June 20-22 and 27-29; July 4-6 and 11-13; and Aug. 29-31
Times: 9:20 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 9:20 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays
Where: Fort Worth Convention Center, 1111 Houston St., Fort Worth
Information: Call 817-348-8155 beginning Thursday.
Learn more:www.jw-media.org
The numbers
268 congregations invited to the North Texas/South Oklahoma District convention
305 conventions in 76 United States cities this year.
1.6 million projected national attendance.
7 million members worldwide in 101,000 congregations in 236 countries and territories
12 million number of people who attended 3,200 conventions in 2007
Source: Jehovah's Witnesses' Awake! magazine
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TERRY LEE GOODRICH, 817-685-3812
I don't know how long I'll last--but, it strikes me as an interesting idea.
I want to see how these conventions have changed since the last one I attended in 1969!
It will certainly give me a more up to date perspective.
I'll even shave off my ungodly facial hair!
What steps should I take to avoid looking like an Apostate? (I know, I know, no sandwich board signs!)