An estimated 24,000 delegates from 11 countries, mostly in Asia and South America, are slated to attend an international convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses spanning two weekends this month at the Hawai‘i Convention Center.
The convention will feature talks, demonstrations and dramas that illustrate the faith’s principles of God’s kingdom and aims to help Hawaii families live better and happier lives, said Jehovah’s Witnesses regional spokesman David Fitzgerald in a news release.
The convention’s programs are free, with the first weekend starting Friday and wrapping up on Nov. 16. The second weekend is set for Nov. 21 through 23. The first weekend offers 51 talks, which will be repeated during the second weekend. The event’s hours: 9:20 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 9:20 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. Sundays. Lunch will be available for a small charge.
"The Bible is about government, and that is why this year’s convention theme is "Keep Seeking First God’s Kingdom," Fitzgerald said. Or, he added, "‘Keep Seeking First God’s Government.’"
Convention delegates are making their way to Hawaii from Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Australia, Guam, Japan, Korea, Philippines and the mainland, as well as Oahu and neighbor islands.
Hawaii has 90 Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations, called kingdom halls, with 9,700 members statewide, Fitzgerald said. While the convention is underway, delegates will be visiting neighborhoods to share information about their religious beliefs.
Hawaii Jehovah’s Witnesses last hosted an international convention in 2009. The event at the Hawai‘i Convention Center will be the last of 193 conventions held this year in 71 cities around the world. There are an estimated 7 million Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide.
Fitzgerald said another convention theme will stress faith-based encouragement for everyone, ranging from families struggling to make ends meet and to people dealing with loneliness, health issues or simply a lack direction in life.
"This convention will help everyone — not just JWs — get the tools and encouragement they need to handle life’s mounting pressures," Fitzgerald said.
A keynote address on Friday will spotlight how the kingdom is benefiting people today, and various talks are expected to touch on the significance of its centennial anniversary.
"A core belief of Jehovah’s Witnesses … is that Jesus Christ began to rule as the king of God’s kingdom in 1914," Fitzgerald said. The past 100 years, he asserted, have been shaped by "worldwide catastrophic events unlike any other time in history." Fitzgerald added, "We’re in the last of the last days."
The convention program is available online at honoluluconvention2014.com. For additional information, call Fitzgerald at 554-0545 or send email to david@JWHawaii2014.org.
