1985 District Convention Arrangements
1 Our goal in this wicked “time of the end” is to be able to say, as did faithful King David, “Judge me, O Jehovah, for I myself have walked in my own integrity,” and “as for me, in my integrity I shall walk.” (Ps. 26:1, 11) Truly this quality is vitally necessary now in view of the critical times in which we are living. What a joy it is to know that integrity keepers have the assurance of Jehovah’s help and protection during this time as promised at Proverbs 2:7, “For those walking in integrity he is a shield.” (Compare Proverbs 10:9; 14:32.) In view of this, how can we individually resolve to build and also walk in our integrity in practical ways so that we can say as did Job, “Until I expire I shall not take away my integrity from myself”?(Job 27:5) One excellent provision to assist us in maintaining our integrity is our forthcoming 1985 “Integrity Keepers” Convention. Last summer there was an all-time peak attendance of 1,159,898 in the contiguous United States. What a blessing it will be this summer to be in attendance with even more of our brothers and sisters at well over 100 conventions in this country.
2 By now your congregation has received a letter from the Society, dated December 10, 1984, informing you of the convention you are assigned to attend. By cooperating with these arrangements, the congregations will help the convention organization in its efforts to provide sufficient seats and food for everyone. To assist you in making the necessary arrangements, the information that follows is being provided. As you make your plans to be in attendance, lovingly include others who need assistance, especially newly interested ones, so they can attend every session as well. (Gal. 6:10) The program will start at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.
ROOMING ARRANGEMENTS
3 You should make your own rooming arrangements directly with the hotel or motel by using the information provided by the convention through your congregation. In most cases you will pay a great deal less than the regular rates charged by the hotel or motel, since the convention has negotiated for a large number of good quality rooms. These rooms will be assigned by the hotel or motel only to those identifying themselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses, or as delegates attending the Watchtower Convention. By the middle of December 1984 your congregation should have received a list of hotels and motels in the convention city that are cooperating closely with the Society’s rooming arrangement. It shows the address of the facility, its agreed-upon rates, and the phone number to be used in making your reservations.
4 WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: As soon as your congregation receives the list of hotels and motels that the convention organization provides, you should IMMEDIATELY phone the hotel or motel of your choice, identifying yourself as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses or as a delegate attending the Watchtower Convention. Doing so will qualify you for the agreed-upon rates listed. One night’s DEPOSIT will be required at all locations to hold the room, and the deposit should be sent directly to the hotel or motel as soon as you make your reservations. Do not make rooming arrangements you do not intend to keep. (Matt. 5:37) Motels or hotels are not obligated to hold the rooms or extend the special rates beyond the cutoff date without a deposit. If you find it necessary to cancel your accommodations, you should write or phone the hotel or motel directly, doing so as far in advance as possible. This makes the room available for other delegates who need accommodations. The convention Rooming Department will monitor the arrangement and, through the congregation, will provide additional information such as which hotels or motels are filled after a month or two, as well as any additional ones it may find necessary to add to the list. If the hotel or motel you call first is filled, then call your next selection from the list, and so on.
5 DORMITORIES: A few conventions use school dormitories in order to accommodate all those attending. Usually congregations will receive information on these a month or so after the first hotel or motel listing. Those needing accommodations of this type should follow through in accord with the instructions on the list that is sent to the congregations by the convention.
6 SPECIAL NEEDS: Arrangements to care for those with special needs should be made by the congregation where these attend. Elders and others aware of such circumstances can lovingly extend help. This often involves taking others with them in their own group, for example, those in full-time service, the elderly, the infirm, the deaf, or others. Also, they may care for such ones in other ways. (Acts 20:35; Jas. 2:15-17; 1 John 3:17, 18) We are confident that loving concern will be shown to all who need our help. (2 Cor. 6:11-13; John 13:35; Gal. 6:10) However, the convention Rooming Department will endeavor to provide rooming accommodations for those with special needs who are unable to care for themselves, or cannot be cared for by those in the congregation where they attend. These may ask the convention coordinator in their congregation for a Special Needs Room Request Form, discussing their situation with him at that time. Those with special needs are the only ones that should use this form. They should fill it out and return it to the convention coordinator to be checked for completeness, accuracy and verification of circumstances. Even though the convention coordinator forwards the form to the convention Rooming Department, the individual will be notified directly of the accommodations by the Rooming Department. This should be done well ahead of the convention. The publisher with special needs should NOT simply go to the convention and request a room when he arrives, because the convention Rooming Department needs the verification of the congregation’s convention coordinator.
7 Private home accommodations listed by the convention are usually set aside for those who have limited funds and who would experience real hardship if such accommodations were not available. They are not intended for those who want free or inexpensive rooms just to save money. Nor is it proper for delegates to presume upon the hospitality of our brothers by expecting to be accommodated extra days so they can visit vacation spots or do other things before or after the convention. These rooms are for the convention period only.
8 DELEGATES ATTENDING FROM OUTSIDE THE ASSIGNED AREA: To reduce travel, district conventions are arranged at many locations. In nearly every case, the location assigned for you to attend is the one nearest to your congregation. Seating, literature, food orders, and so forth, are planned on the premise that the majority will attend the convention to which they are assigned. However, if for some reason you will be attending a location other than the one assigned, you may ask the convention coordinator in your congregation for the address of the convention headquarters where you will attend. He will find these addresses listed on the back of the Special Needs Room Request Form. Unless persons have special needs, they should not use the Special Needs Room Request Form. Rather, they should write to the convention headquarters where they wish to attend and request a copy of the hotel or motel listing for that location, sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope along with this request. Upon receipt of this listing of hotels and motels, they should proceed just as if they were using the list for their local area.
9 YOUR COOPERATION NEEDED: The smoothness and the success with which this rooming arrangement functions depend largely on the cooperation of everyone involved. For instance, if a number of delegates run ahead and make reservations on their own before the congregation receives the list of facilities that are cooperating with the convention Rooming Department, it can cause a major breakdown in negotiations. The same is true if a number of delegates choose to make their own arrangements with facilities not listed because they have not cooperated with the convention rooming arrangement. As an example, a motel across the street from the convention site may not lower its rates, possibly even raising them for the convention, and so the convention Rooming Department advises the motel management that the motel will not be put on the list and thus will not get our business. However, if brothers go ahead and accept these higher rates and fill this motel, even though it is not listed, then that motel may never lower its rates. In turn, the management of other motels or hotels may be encouraged to hold out for higher prices. The conventions are working to save all our brothers as much expense as possible, and so it is in the best interest of all for everyone to cooperate fully with the Society’s rooming arrangement. The listing is broad enough to give a choice of good quality accommodations and yet give preference to the hotels or motels that cooperate. Our aim with this rooming arrangement is to help delegates to be accommodated as comfortably and economically as possible, so they will be refreshed and fully able to enjoy the fine spiritual program.
SIGN LANGUAGE SESSIONS
10 As shown in the accompanying chart, sign language translation will be provided only at 16 specific convention cities. (No provision will be made at any other conventions for sign language.) We know this will prove to be a real blessing to those with this special need by providing good quality translating and larger groups with which to enjoy upbuilding fellowship. Those who are signers can do much to let the deaf in their congregation know of the arrangements and help them to attend where the sign language provision is made by the Society.
TAPE RECORDINGS
11 No provision will be made by the Society for recording the program or the dramas either on audio or on video tape. Any individuals who make personal recordings for their own use should do so in such a way that it will not disturb or distract others in attendance.
[NOTE TO THE BODY OF ELDERS: Upon receipt of the Society’s convention assignment letter for your congregation, dated December 10, 1984, and the Recommended Lodging Locations list from the district convention committee, please immediately read the letter at the next two meetings. Thereafter, please be sure to post the letter as well as the Recommended Lodging Locations list on the information board, leaving them there until the convention. Thus everyone will receive the information at the same time.
The elder serving as the convention coordinator should conduct the Service Meeting parts covering this insert as scheduled, as well as handle other convention material and announcements on the meetings. When covering this insert, please read all cited scriptures and any paragraphs that have particular application to your congregation. All elders will want to cooperate fully and offer suggestions to ensure the prompt, enthusiastic and effective handling of convention-related material.]
1985 District Convention Locations
June 13-16, 1985: AMARILLO, TX, Civic Center Coliseum, 3rd & Buchanan Sts. BATON ROUGE, LA (Sign language also), Assembly Center, Louisiana State University. CICERO, IL, Hawthorne Race Course, 35th & Cicero Ave. GREENVILLE, SC, Greenville Memorial Auditorium, 300 E. North St. JACKSONVILLE, FL, Memorial Coliseum, Gator Bowl Sports Complex. MONROE, LA, Civic Center Arena, Civic Center Expwy. NEW HAVEN, CT, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 275 S. Orange St. OGDEN, UT, Dee Events Center, 4600 South 1400 East. PONTIAC, MI, Silverdome, 1200 Featherstone. SAN DIEGO, CA, Jack Murphy Stadium, 9449 Friars Rd. TUCSON, AZ, Community Center, 260 S. Church. WHEELING, WV, Civic Center, Two 14th St.
June 20-23, 1985: BIRMINGHAM, AL, Civic Center Coliseum, One Civic Center Plaza. CICERO, IL, Hawthorne Race Course, 35th & Cicero Ave. DENVER, CO, McNichols Sports Arena, 1635 Clay St. FRESNO, CA, Convention Center, 700 “M” St. GREENVILLE, SC, Greenville Memorial Auditorium, 300 E. North St. LANDOVER, MD, Capital Centre, Beltway Exit 15 E. or 17. MIDLAND, TX, Chaparral Center, Midland College, 3600 N. Garfield. MONROE, LA, Civic Center Arena, Civic Center Expwy. NEW HAVEN, CT, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 275 S. Orange St. OGDEN, UT, Dee Events Center, 4600 South 1400 East. RICHFIELD, OH, The Coliseum, 2923 Streetsboro Rd. ST. LOUIS, MO, The Arena, 5700 Oakland Ave. SOUTH BEND, IN, N.D.U. Athletic Center, Juniper Rd. TACOMA, WA, Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. “D” St. TUCSON, AZ (Sign language also), Community Center, 260 S. Church. WEST PALM BEACH, FL, West Palm Beach Auditorium, 1610 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. WHEELING, WV, Civic Center, Two 14th St. WICHITA, KS, Kansas Coliseum, I-135 at 85th St. N.
June 27-30, 1985: CICERO, IL (Sign language also), Hawthorne Race Course, 35th & Cicero Ave. DENVER, CO (Sign language also), McNichols Sports Arena, 1635 Clay St. ERIE, PA, Convention Center Arena, 809 French St. FRESNO, CA, Convention Center, 700 “M” St. GREENSBORO, NC, Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Lee St. GREENVILLE, SC, Greenville Memorial Auditorium, 300 E. North St. LANDOVER, MD, Capital Centre, Beltway Exit 15 E. or 17. MADISON, WI, Dane County Memorial Coliseum, John Nolen Dr. RICHFIELD, OH (Sign language also), The Coliseum, 2923 Streetsboro Rd. ROCHESTER, NY, Memorial Auditorium, 100 Exchange St. ST. LOUIS, MO, The Arena, 5700 Oakland Ave. ST. PETERSBURG, FL, Bayfront Center, 400 1st St. S. SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Cow Palace, Geneva Ave. SAVANNAH, GA, Civic Center Arena, Orleans Square. SOUTH BEND, IN, N.D.U. Athletic Center, Juniper Rd. TACOMA, WA (Spanish and sign language also), Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. “D” St. WEST PALM BEACH, FL, West Palm Beach Auditorium, 1610 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. WHEELING, WV, Civic Center, Two 14th St.
July 4-7, 1985: ALBANY, GA, Albany Civic Center, 100 West Oglethorpe Ave. BEAUMONT, TX, Civic Center Assembly Hall, 701 Main St. BILLINGS, MT, Yellowstone Metra, Hwy. #10. CHATTANOOGA, TN, U.T.C. Arena, Douglas & E. 5th St. CICERO, IL (Spanish only), Hawthorne Race Course, 35th & Cicero Ave. DULUTH, MN, Duluth Arena Auditorium, 350 South 5th Ave. W. FRESNO, CA (Spanish only), Convention Center, 700 “M” St. GREENSBORO, NC, Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Lee St. HAMPTON, VA, Hampton Coliseum, 1000 Coliseum Dr. LANDOVER, MD (Sign language also), Capital Centre, Beltway Exit 15 E. or 17. LOS ANGELES, CA (Sign language also), Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave. LOUISVILLE, KY, Coliseum, Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center. MADISON, WI, Dane County Memorial Coliseum, John Nolen Dr. MONROE, LA, Civic Center Arena, Civic Center Expwy. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, Myriad, One Myriad Gardens. RICHFIELD, OH, The Coliseum, 2923 Streetsboro Rd. ROCHESTER, NY, Memorial Auditorium, 100 Exchange St. ST. PETERSBURG, FL, Bayfront Center, 400 1st St. S. SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Cow Palace, Geneva Ave. SAVANNAH, GA, Civic Center Arena, Orleans Square. WEST PALM BEACH, FL, West Palm Beach Auditorium, 1610 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd.
July 11-14, 1985: ALBANY, GA (Sign language also), Albany Civic Center, 100 West Oglethorpe Ave. BISMARCK, ND, Bismarck Civic Center Arena, 6th & Sweet Sts. CHATTANOOGA, TN, U.T.C. Arena, Douglas & E. 5th St. DULUTH, MN, Duluth Arena-Auditorium, 350 South 5th Ave. W. EL PASO, TX (Spanish only), Special Events Center, Baltimore at Mesa. FT. WORTH, TX, Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum, One Amon Carter Sq. FRESNO, CA (Spanish only), Convention Center, 700 “M” St. HAMPTON, VA, Hampton Coliseum, 1000 Coliseum Dr. LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (French only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 44-17 Greenpoint Ave. LOS ANGELES, CA (Spanish only), Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave. LOUISVILLE, KY (Sign language also), Coliseum, Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center. MOBILE, AL, Municipal Auditorium, 401 Auditorium Dr. MONTREAL, P.Q. (Chinese, Greek, Italian, Korean, and Portuguese also), Olympic Stadium, Pie IX Blvd. & Sherbrooke St. PHILADELPHIA, PA, Veterans Stadium, S. Broad & Pattison Ave. PROVIDENCE, RI, Providence Civic Center, One LaSalle Sq. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum, 4590 S. Virginia St. ST. PETERSBURG, FL (Sign language also), Bayfront Center, 400 1st St. S. SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Sign language also), Cow Palace, Geneva Ave. SPRINGFIELD, IL, Convention Center Arena, One Convention Center Plaza.
July 18-21, 1985: BILOXI, MS, Mississippi Coast Coliseum, 3800 W. Beach Blvd. CHARLESTON, WV, Charleston Civic Center Coliseum, 200 Civic Center Dr. DES MOINES, IA, Veterans Memorial Auditorium, 833 5th Ave. FT. LAUDERDALE, FL (French only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 20850 Griffin Rd. FT. WORTH, TX (Sign language also), Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum, One Amon Carter Sq. GREEN BAY, WI, Memorial Arena, 1901 S. Oneida St. HIALEAH, FL (Spanish only), Hialeah Park Race Track, E. 32nd St. at E. 2nd Ave. LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (French only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 44-17 Greenpoint Ave. PROVIDENCE, RI, Providence Civic Center, One LaSalle Sq. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum, 4590 S. Virginia St. ST. PETERSBURG, FL, Bayfront Center, 400 1st St. S. SAN ANTONIO, TX (Spanish only), Convention Center Arena, S. Alamo & Market Sts. SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean also), Cow Palace, Geneva Ave.
July 25-28, 1985: FT. WORTH, TX, Will Rogers Memorial Arena, One Amon Carter Sq. HIALEAH, FL (Spanish only), Hialeah Park Race Track, E. 32nd St. at E. 2nd Ave. HOUSTON, TX, Astrodome, Loop 610 at Kirby Dr. KNOXVILLE, TN, Civic Auditorium, 500 Church Ave. S.E. LINCOLN, NE (Sign language also), Devaney Sports Center 16th & Military. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum, 4590 S. Virginia St. SAN ANTONIO, TX (Spanish only), Convention Center Arena, S. Alamo & Market Sts. SPRINGFIELD, MA (Sign language also), Civic Center, 1277 Main St.
August 1-4, 1985: ELMONT, NY (Spanish only), Belmont Park Race Track, Hempstead Tpk. at Cross Island Pkwy. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum, 4590 S. Virginia St.
August 8-11, 1985: ELMONT, NY, Belmont Park Race Track, Hempstead Tpk. at Cross Island Pkwy.
August 15-18, 1985: ELMONT, NY (Sign language also), Belmont Park Race Track, Hempstead Tpk. at Cross Island Pkwy.
August 22-25, 1985: ELMONT, NY, Belmont Park Race Track, Hempstead Tpk. at Cross Island Pkwy.