Is this the new Jehovah's Witness District Convention venue ? Only 2,500 at an assembly hall ?

by Balaamsass 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Balaamsass
    Balaamsass

    This Staten Island, New York City news article came up on "google alerts" this AM. Is New York City leading the way...tiny Conventions at Assembly Halls ?

    Jehovah's Witness convention next weekend

    Published: Saturday, August 18, 2012, 5:41 AM Updated: Saturday, August 18, 2012, 5:42 AM

    Maura Grunlund By Maura Grunlund Staten Island Advance
    Follow 0

    Share close Digg Stumble Upon Fark Reddit ShareEmailPrint STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The free 2012 “Safeguard Your Heart!” District Convention of the Jehovah’s Witness will begin Friday in the Jersey City Assembly Hall.

    An estimated 2,500 people from Staten Island, Bayonne and Jersey City will meet at the hall over four weekends for the Bible-based convention given in English, Spanish and Romanian.

    Throughout the United States, there will be 385 conventions in 103 cities. Worldwide, there are over 7.6 million Witnesses in more than 109,000 congregations.

    The convention theme “Safeguard Your Heart!” is based on Proverbs 4:23. Strengthening one’s spirituality will be the focus of discussions, dramatic Bible readings and presentations and a play.

    The event, supported by free-will donations, will begin at 9:20 a.m. on Friday. 

  • OUTLAW
    OUTLAW
    The event, supported by free-will donations, will begin at 9:20 a.m. on Friday. 

    The event, supported by Begging from the Stage, will begin at 9:20 a.m. on Friday. 

    ........................ ...OUTLAW

  • Finkelstein
    Finkelstein

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL1QtyQ_U6g

    Thats pretty small attendance for a DC, possibly a mis-quote from someone thinking it was CC .

  • Finkelstein
    Finkelstein

    The article should have been a bit more truthful and stated yes its free but if you like to donate to the WTS. there will

    be ATM machines set up for just that purpose. Bring your debit and credit cards $$$

  • Gayle
    Gayle

    2011 avg.pubs. 1,145,723 divided by 385 conventions = almost 3,000 avg. Doesn't include non-pubs. of course.

  • Gayle
    Gayle

    Couldn't the 48 assembly halls now, aside from location issues (like Alaska), with 52 weeks a year, handle all U.S, pubs. for all 3 (special, DCs, CAs) assembly days? Of course, some would have to travel further than others.

  • rather be in hades
    rather be in hades

    are we sure it's 385 conventions? maybe the article is mixing up conventions and assemblies? nless that's the theme of the dc this year.

    if it is a dc and the district is just union city, bayonne and staten island...i think i could see it being 2500...

  • nuthouse escapee
    nuthouse escapee

    Maybe it costs the Borg too much to hook up those ATM's at Big DC's in non-JW venues. Assembly Hall=permanent money siphoning location. Insert wallet...er....debit/credit card here.

  • rip van winkle
    rip van winkle

    The Assembly Hall in NJ. is called The Stanley Theatre. Before the WTS purchased - was a dilapidated small concert venue in 60's/70's . Prior to that a movie theatre/or concert hall. It has landmark status.

    This is where they used to have Gilead graduations.

    In the NYC/NJ area there are many KH's that are used for both weekly meetings and for Assemblys.

    From Wikipedia-

    "The future of the building was in question until it was purchased in 1983 for $800,000, becoming an Assembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses . At that time some basement sections of the stage area were flooded under two feet (60 cm) of water. The original brass and copper on doors and windows was covered by layers of paint and dirt, the picturesque Italian façade was obscured by 50 years of nicotine and dust, and the seats were stained, torn, and ripped. The theater's huge chandeliers had lost their brilliance under layers of grime. Thousands of volunteers, Jehovah's Witnesses, worked over a nine-month period to renovate and clean the theater back to its original beauty and splendor, for its first assembly in August 1985.

    Description

    A glittering copper marquee spans the entrance, overhanging the solid brass doors. Over the marquee are three large arched windows. Building materials include marble from Italy, Vermont and Texas, limestone from Indiana, and granite from Maine to face the Corinthian columns.

    The interior has a three-story lobby adorned with columns, a broad center staircase with trompe l'oeil alabaster handrails and balusters, lamps, velvet drapes, and stained glass windows of faux "Chartre Blue" in the foyer. Allegorical paintings by Hungarian muralist Willy Pogany originally adorned the ceiling and walls.

    The larger of two crystal chandeliers, suspended from the second floor, is from the New York 's original Waldorf Astoria of the 1880s; it is thirteen feet tall and ten feet wide, and illuminated by 144 bulbs that reflect onto 4,500 hanging crystal teardrops.

    The grand staircase is the main feature of the three-story lobby. During the day, sunlight streams in, illuminating the lobby. An immense crystal chandelier shines after the sun sets. On three sides of the lobby, stands a formation of marble columns topped by a balcony. A nearly celestial ceiling actually had machine generated clouds and points of light that twinkled like stars.

    Movie palace architect John Eberson contributed the design for the auditorium. Here theatergoers enter the environment of an evening in Venice with a replica of the Rialto Bridge spanning the stage. Above the seating is an eighty-five foot ceiling that permits an open sky effect with stars and moving clouds originally effected by a projecting device called a "Brenkert Brenograph," costing $290 (in 1920's dollars). Lighted stained glass windows line the walls with grottoes, arches and columns simulating the courtyard motif.

    [ edit ] See

    It's actually a beautiful hall that was used for the Gilead graduation.

    1. Stanley Theater (Jersey City) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Theater_(Jersey_City) Stanley Theater in 2006. The Stanley Theater is a theater venue near Journal Square in Jersey City, New Jersey. The theater opened to the public on March 24, ... Images for stanley theater jersey cit
    2. - Report image
  • ziddina
    ziddina

    Hah!!

    Yeah, I remember being dragged to those stupid circuit and district assemblies when I was a kid - pre-1975...

    Comparing the teeming sports stadiums of that time to what they have now -

    Way back then, they'd get enough people to practically fill the arenas - even up in the nosebleed seats...

    Nowadays?

    Heck, I saw a YouTube video of a fairly recent assembly, and they didn't even fill 1/3 of the stadium.

    I guess the goad of "Armageddon's coming!" isn't working as well, post-1975...

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