My wife just went to what she called a Special Assembly (or something like that), what are the assemblies or conventions and what is the intended audience and the length of each?
Circuit Assembly, District Assembly, Special Assembly Day....what is the difference?
by insearchoftruth 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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blondie
Special Day = 1 day (2x yearly)
Usually "special" speaker brought in from Bethel (sanctioned by Bethel)
1 circuit = approx 20 congregations
Circuit Assembly = 2 days (2x yearly)
approx 20 congregations
Can have an A, B, or C part of same circuit (less so now due to reduction in numbers)
District Assembly = 3 days (sometimes 4 if international, not for some time) (1 x yearly during summer)
New publications released now
Some have speakers from the GB
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penny2
The Circuit Assembly and Special Assembly Day are both gatherings of the congregations that make up a "circuit" (usually about 5 or 6 congregations). A Circuit Assembly is an annual 2 day event, the Special Assembly Day is an annual 1 day event.
The District Convention (not Assemby) usually goes for 3-4 days (also once per year) and depending on facilities available and the number of witnesses in the area, may attract 1,000 - 30,000 people.
penny
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blondie
As to how many people come, it obviously varies. In this area special days and circuit assemblies attract 1,000 jws. The distrcit assemblies attract about 5 to 8,000. Since the circuit overseer has approximately 52 weeks a year to visit congregations twice a year, subtracting the assemblies/conventions, pioneer school, CO training, and vacation, that leaves approx 40 weeks, approx 20 congregations or a little less. It would be unusual to have a circuit with only 5 or 6 congregations.
Except for the public talk (which has been reduced to 1/2 hour I think even at conventions/assemblies now) all the parts on the program are for jws only. If there are any non-jws there, they are non-jw spouces, "advanced" students, unbaptized minor family. Few are non-jw walk-ins.
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insearchoftruth
The special assembly was at a JW Assembly hall, is this just a big Kingdom Hall??
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blondie
No it is not just a KH which usually holds 150 to 200 depending on when it was built. The AH here holds 1500 or 2,000 on "big" day and is a big auditorium (like 10 KHs). Many AH have space for congregations to meet. The one near me has 2 congregations meeting in a separate space connected to the AH. Some AHs have more space dedicated to KHs/congregations.
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winstonchurchill
Like District Assemblies, Special Assembly days are held once a year. Circuit Assemblies also once a year. That gives you three Assemblies per year.
Some additional details:
Parts for CirAss and SAD are assigned by the CO, based on a program WT supplies. Parts for DistAss are directly assigned by WT.
The CO presides over the SAD, and has a Bethel Speaker. Circuit covers travel expense for him; sometimes, to avoid expenses, a nearby District Overseer is assigned to serve as Bethel Speaker. Public Talk by Bethel Speaker at the SAD is 1 Hour long (Although it feel way longer!)
DO presides over CirAss.
DistAss is a bit different in that regard: A Convention committee oversees the organization. This committee is formed by three men, appointed directly by WT; one of them is Assembly Overseer, who is really the guy in charge. WT also appoints a President or chairman (Typically a CO) who is in charge of the program itself (i.e. rehearsals, etc.)
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sir82
Good answers above, but the real difference?
How numb your butt gets, after 1, 2, or 3 days of sitting and listening to drivel.
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JustHuman14
Interesting the Assembly Hall with the Masonic emblems!!!
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ssn587
Other than amount of days attended, wouldn't it also be the amount of $$$ taken in? For those in the know do the sad two dayer and da taken in $$$ for each attendee or is it a set sum for the whole thing per person?
