First District Convention of 2003 in Rockford, Illinois

by blondie 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  blondie

  http://www.rrstar.com/localnews/your_community/rockford/20030525-5467.shtml

  Baptism questions

  6/1/85 WT page 30

  1. On the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have you repented of your sins and dedicated yourself to Jehovah to do his will?
  2. Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association with God’s spirit-directed organization?

  The article says

  After the baptismal candidates officially declared that they have repented and understand that baptism means becoming dedicated to God

  And remember the WTS sanction against buying food from the vendors at the assembly?

  Some of them brown-bagged it or ate from meals packed in coolers, but the line for Quizno’s was 35 deep, spilling out of the sandwich shop.

  20-plus take big plunge into life as Witnesses By EDITH WEBSTER, Rockford Register Star >> Click here for more about Edith ROCKFORD — With the laughter, tears and flashing cameras, it looked like graduation Saturday. The emotion and cameras instead were focused on the baptism of more than 20 Jehovah’s Witnesses, a highlight of “Give God Glory,” a three-day district convention concluding today at the MetroCentre. “I am very happy,” said Khaylan Brown, 11, who was all smiles. “I’ve wanted to get baptized for a very long time.” While Khaylan expressed her pride with giggles, Arnetia Rader of Kenosha, Wis., broke out in tears after seeing the excited face of a friend who was baptized. “She’s an older person, 67, and she decided this is what she wanted to do,” Rader said. “Her family is not Jehovah’s Witnesses, but maybe knowing her will help them to come into the knowledge of the truth.” The annual convention drew nearly 4,500 Jehovah’s Witnesses from northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and eastern Iowa to downtown Rockford. With the men dressed in suits and ties and the women in dresses, they came for Bible instruction, motivation and fellowship. Before the ceremony of baptism, or immersion, as they call it, the crowd of families listened attentively, flipping Bible pages, as a speaker directed them from one Scripture to another. They shared serious testimony of persecution; for example, the firefighter who was pressured to recite the pledge of allegiance, which is against Witnesses’ beliefs. They also shared joy, singing from hymnals and praying. After the baptismal candidates officially declared that they have repented and understand that baptism means becoming dedicated to God, everyone prayed and sang from their hymnals. “This is a very happy and yet solemn occasion for all of us,” said Vernon Rhoades of Tipton, Iowa, who addressed the baptismal candidates. “By being baptized, you become Jehovah’s property. What a privilege!” Family and friends, some with video cameras, gathered around the pool, while others looked down from vantage points around the civic center’s upper levels. The candidates were escorted down wooden stairs into the inflated pool. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in baptism by immersion. Candidates, dressed in shorts and T-shirts or bathing suits, covered their noses while their bodies were pivoted at the waist, dunked and then lifted out of the water to applause. During the convention’s midday intermission, people filled every table and bench on the pedestrian mall. Some of them brown-bagged it or ate from meals packed in coolers, but the line for Quizno’s was 35 deep, spilling out of the sandwich shop. Similar conventions are held in 60 cities across the country. This weekend’s is the first of four this summer in Rockford. Dates for the other three, which will be in Spanish, are June 13 to 15, July 18 to 20 and July 25 to 27. All of the conventions are free and open to the public. Contact: [email protected]; 815-987-1394 E-mail to a friend

  Rockford 20-plus take big plunge into life as Witnesses County reports drop in cases of syphilis Diversity question delays jail project No Bush for Memorial Hall gala Shooting-assault inquiry continues Board: Cohn loses firing power Board approves diverting Perryville Road funds Man, 18, gets 35 years for 2001 fatal stabbing 2 men shot, 1 pistol-whipped Showdown ahead on county firings Friends remember Richardson’s humor Speech continues to draw national reaction Democracy, civility debated at college Graduation story gains interest Y coordinator had gift for working with kids, families Trial set for sexual assault allegations Crash injures police dog By the numbers * 1,300-plus: Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Rock River Valley * 9: Congregations in Rockford * 6.3 million: Witnesses worldwide * 25 million: Circulation for The Watchtower, the official journal Core beliefs * They get their name from the Bible, in which Jehovah is the personal name of God. * They believe in a government by God only; therefore, they do not vote, pledge allegiance to any flag or serve in the armed forces. * The only holiday they observe is the commemoration of Jesus’ death. * They evangelize by going door to door. View full-sized photo
• 

  Faraon

  Blondie,

  I wonder what made them change the assembly [plant for robots] from Chicago to Rockford.

  Does anybody have any idea?
• 

  blondie

  If I remember, last year the weather was very bad in Chicago and the convention was in an outdoor facility.

  Plenty of JWs didn't go and went to nearby conventions in Illinois and Wisconsin.

  I think this is an indoor facility.

  Blondie
• 

  rocketman

  The 11 year-old said she's "wanted to baptized for a long time". I hope she knows what she's getting into.
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  rocketman

  And remember the WTS sanction against buying food from the vendors at the assembly?

  Some of them brown-bagged it or ate from meals packed in coolers, but the line for Quizno’s was 35 deep, spilling out of the sandwich shop.

  I remember well being admonished to stay ob the assembly stadium grounds and being told not to seek food elsewhere.

  I also wonder how the Quizno's employees felt about the sudden rush. Though I'm sure Quizno's appreciated the business, it would seem to have been too much to handle at one time.

  When sporting events go on at stadiums, they open the vendor shops inside. Of course, jws don't do that (can't have the "worldly" element there). So it seems that Quizno's bore the brunt of the rush of jws not willing or able to brown-bag it.
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  Gopher

  That 11-year-old who wanted to get baptized "for a long time" doesn't even know what a long time is. But she's about to find out.

  The JW's were 35-deep in line at the nearby sub sandwich shop? Totally cool ! I'm glad they're thinking / acting for themselves, instead of following the orders of the tax-evading selfish dunderheads in Brooklyn.

  I attended part of the 2000 convention at Comiskey Park in Chicago, and we got rained on big time. We were huddling in the walkway area. How fun that was!
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  Reborn2002

  Being a former Jehovah's Witness from Illinois, perhaps I can address some issues for you.

  There are two series of District Conventions in Illinois. The conventions you refer to take place in Rockford, Illinois (extreme northwest of the state, 3+ hours from Chicago) at the Rockford Convention Center, now named the MetroCentre I believe. These often occur simultaneously with the conventions in Chicago.

  Regarding the conventions in the city of Chicago, only in the last 3 or so years were conventions held at Comiskey Park, and prior to that conventions for those assigned districts were at Hawthorne Race Track in Cicero, Illinois. (a near-west suburb of Chicago within minutes of the city) Yes, many JW's did choose to attend conventions other than their own when assigned to Comiskey Park, because it is an outdoor facility and in the summertime you either got sunburned badly or rained out. When you consider that Hawthorne Race Track was a building that accommodated over 20,000 people, was indoor, had air conditioning and plush seating (anyone remember the Gold Cup Room?), even had tinted windows for where the sun came in during the day, etc. That is why people were upset.

  Does anyone have a recent Watchtower magazine which outlines the 2003 Convention Schedule giving locations and dates?

  Just shows how the WT is getting cheaper and cheaper by the year.
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  mattnoel

  So its another exciting line up for all and of course its not just the same as every other year is it !
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  JT

  once again we see growth among jw kids not really "New" folks and for a 4500 attendance the Service dept considers 1% or about 45+ to be right on tarket with growth, they got less that a "Half of a %"

  once again we see the downhill slide- so much for Jah Speeding things up and folks flocking to the House of Jah
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  worldlygirl

  The entire schedule for the 2003 conventions is online at their media website, www.jw-media.org.