“Remain Close to Jehovah!”
District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses
● Thousands of these three-day conventions, scheduled to begin in the United States on the weekend of May 21-23, will also be held throughout the world in the months to follow. In the United States, sessions will begin each day with a musical program at 9:20 a.m. Friday’s theme, based on Psalm 73:28, is “The Drawing Near to God Is Good for Me.” The chairman’s address will be followed by the talks “Conventions Help Us to Stay Close to Jehovah” and “The Son Is Willing to Reveal Him.” Then the symposium “Imitate Those Who Maintained Intimacy With Jehovah” will consider how Abraham, Ruth, Hezekiah, and Mary did so. The morning program will end with the keynote address, “How Jehovah Draws Close to Us.”
The first part on Friday afternoon is “Answers to Questions About Jehovah,” followed by the talks “Let Jehovah’s Discipline Mold You” and “Never Become ‘Enraged Against Jehovah.’” Next will be the five-part symposium “Communication Helps Families Stay Close to Jehovah.” These parts are entitled: “Jehovah, the Great Communicator,” “Husbands, Communicate With Your Wives!,” “Wives, Communicate With Your Husbands!,” “Parents, Communicate With Your Children!,” and “Children, Communicate With Your Parents!” The afternoon session will end with the feature “Creation Reveals ‘the Living God’!”
Saturday’s theme is “His Intimacy Is With the Upright Ones,” based on Proverbs 3:32. The five-part symposium “Help People ‘Become Reconciled to God’” will include the parts “Alienated and Hopeless,” “He Put the Question to Them,” “Fulfill Your Role as an Evangelizing Assistant,” “Win Them Over by Fine Conduct,” and “Zealously Persevere in Your Efforts.” After the talks “Full-Time Service Strengthens Your Relationship With Jehovah” and “For Those Loving Jehovah, There Is No Stumbling Block,” the session will conclude with a baptism talk, after which opportunity will be provided for those who qualify to be baptized.
Saturday afternoon’s program will feature an eight-part symposium, “Allow Nothing to Distance You From Jehovah”—“Satan’s Subtle Efforts,” “Pride,” “Money,” “Health,” “Career,” “Recreation,” “Family,” and “Technology.” A special sound drama entitled “Do Not Give Out When Corrected by Jehovah!” will follow. The day’s session will end with the talk “Stay Close to Jehovah, as Jeremiah Did.”
Sunday’s theme, based on Joshua 23:8, is “To Jehovah . . . You Should Cleave.” After the morning song and prayer, the symposium “Appreciating Jehovah’s Endearing Personality” will review eight of these qualities—“Approachable,” “Empathetic,” “Appreciative,” “Generous,” “Impartial,” “Forgiving,” “Reasonable,” and “Loyal.” The public talk “How Can You Draw Close to God?” will follow. The morning session will end with a summary of the weekly Watchtower Study.
A special feature Sunday afternoon is a full-costume drama set in the first century. It is about the flight of Christians from Jerusalem and is entitled “Walk by Faith and Not by Sight.” After the drama, the convention will conclude with the talk “Remain ‘in the Secret Place of the Most High.’”
Make plans now to attend. To find the location nearest you, contact the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses or write the publishers of this magazine. The March 1 issue of The Watchtower, our companion magazine, and the Web site www.jw.org list convention locations in the United States.