Jehovah's Witnesses participate in virtual convention

Jehovah's Witnesses in Oklahoma are participating in the faith group's first-ever virtual annual convention.

Paris Sanders, of Ardmore, regional spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses, said the first virtual convention sessions began on July 11 and 12 on the website jw.org, and the sessions will continue for the next five weekends. He said the online programming will culminate Aug. 29-30.

Sanders said Jehovah's Witnesses in Oklahoma have met at the Jim Norick Arena at the OKC Fairgrounds in recent years, and about 10,000 were expected to attend the convention in August. Locally, the convention was scheduled to be held on two weekends in August at the Jim Norick Arena in Oklahoma City. The convention's second weekend would have been the first Spanish-language convention in Oklahoma City in several years.

However, Sanders said local leaders for the church leaders learned in April that all in-person convention gatherings had been canceled for the year in response to the pandemic.

He said it's historic that Jehovah's Witnesses have moved their conventions online, particularly because about 800 of the gatherings are held each year in every region of the country.

Sanders said this year's theme of “Always Rejoice” perfectly captures this moment in time. “During these times, this theme sounds like a platitude, impossible for some or most of us. But the convention will be all about achieving joy even during the worst of times,” Sanders said.

Sanders said families are encouraged to view the weekly convention program as a family unit first then connect with members of their kingdom hall or house of worship virtually to discuss the weekly message. He said his kingdom hall has chosen to gather virtually each Sunday during the convention, and many other kingdom halls are doing the same.

Ministry adjustments

Sanders said Jehovah's Witnesses in Oklahoma have responded favorably to the shift from in-person gatherings to online meetings.

“The response has been phenomenal,” he said.

“Our attendance has pretty much been maintained, and some of it has increased. Those who may not have attended for awhile, now see the urgency of the times we're living in and they see the need to have their hope strengthened. So they are returning to our congregation meetings.”

Sanders also said they have changed the way they minster in the community-at-large.

Jehovah's Witnesses are known for going door-todoor in their communities to share their faith with others. Sanders said they have adapted a different model of ministry because of COVID19, but they haven't stopped witnessing.

“We see the wisdom in social distancing so we do telephone witnessing and letter writing,” Sanders said. “So, you might not see us in a public forum, but we found other forms of preaching.”