1987 “Trust in Jehovah” District Convention
1 In our times tremendous pressures are brought to bear on everyone. From every direction problems confront us. It certainly takes courage to keep going and it is not in our own strength that we can do this. (2 Cor. 4:7) As experience has shown, it is folly to trust in human wisdom respecting essential matters of life. (Ps. 146:3) To assist all of us in developing our trust in Jehovah and in learning practical ways to demonstrate this trust, the Society has arranged for many three-day “Trust in Jehovah” District Conventions in the contiguous United States during 1987. You will without fail enjoy Jehovah’s rich blessings as you arrange to be in attendance at one of these conventions designed to reinforce your determination to “trust in Jehovah with all your heart.”—Prov. 3:5.
ROOMING ARRANGEMENTS
2 During the announcement period of the Service Meeting for the week of January 4, the letter from the Society dated December 15, 1986, will be read, informing each congregation of the convention it is assigned to attend. Following this Service Meeting, the elders will post on the congregation’s information board the Recommended Lodging Locations list that has been received from the District Convention Committee. This is a list of all the motels presently cooperating with the Society’s rooming arrangement. By cooperating with these arrangements, the congregations will help the convention organization in its efforts to provide sufficient seats, food, literature, and rooming accommodations for everyone. 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 10:20 a.m. on Friday.
3 WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: As soon as your congregation posts the Recommended Lodging Locations list containing the addresses of the motels, their agreed-upon rates, and the phone numbers, you should IMMEDIATELY phone the motel of your choice, identify yourself as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses or as a delegate attending the Watchtower Convention, and make reservations. Doing so will qualify you for the rates listed, which in most cases will result in considerable savings, since the convention has negotiated for a large number of rooms. One night’s DEPOSIT will be required at all locations to hold the room and should be sent directly to the motel AS SOON AS you make your reservations. Do not make reservations you do not intend to use or reservations at more than one motel. (Compare Matthew 5:37.) MOTELS ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO HOLD THE ROOMS OR EXTEND THE SPECIAL RATES BEYOND THE CUTOFF DATE WITHOUT A DEPOSIT. If you must cancel your accommodations, you should notify the motel directly, doing so as far in advance as possible. This makes the room available for other delegates. If the motel you call first is filled, then call your next selection from the list, and so on. The convention Rooming Department will provide the congregation with revised lists as long as necessary, deleting motels that are filled and listing additional motels until everyone has a room. Thus, if the motels on the list are filled, please wait patiently for the next list, and you will be able to obtain a room. Do not accept rooms at a price higher than what is shown on the lodging list, even if the motel says the convention block is full. Try another motel on the list.
4 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 motel listing. Those needing accommodations of this type should follow the instructions on the list that is sent to the congregations by the convention.
5 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 those in full-time service, the elderly, the infirm, the deaf, or others, with them in their own group. They may also care for such ones in other ways. (Jas. 2:15-17; 1 John 3:17, 18) Of course, the convention Rooming Department will endeavor to provide rooming accommodations for publishers with special needs who are unable to care for themselves or who cannot be assisted by those from 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 fill out this form. Afterward it should be returned to the convention coordinator to be checked for completeness, accuracy, and verification of the fact that their circumstances qualify them for special needs consideration. The convention coordinator then forwards the form to the convention Rooming Department and the individual will be notified directly about the accommodations. This should be done well ahead of the convention. Those with special needs should NOT go to the convention and request a room when they arrive, because the convention Rooming Department needs the verification of the congregation’s convention coordinator.
6 Private home accommodations 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. Those receiving such accommodations are to see that they and their children act respectfully toward the home of their host and not damage anything, rummage through the host’s possessions, or enter private areas of the home. If any do so, their congregation’s elders will be advised.
7 DELEGATES ATTENDING FROM OUTSIDE THE ASSIGNED AREA: To reduce travel, district conventions are arranged at many locations. In nearly every case, the convention you are assigned 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 convention other than the one assigned and need accommodations, please see your congregation’s convention coordinator for the address of the convention headquarters where you desire to attend. These addresses are listed on the back of the Special Needs Room Request form. Then write to that convention headquarters and request a copy of the motel listing for that location, sending along a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Upon receipt of this list, use it to make your reservations.
8 YOUR COOPERATION NEEDED: The smoothness and success with which this rooming arrangement functions depends on the cooperation of everyone involved. Thus, we are asking everyone to cooperate with the Society’s rooming arrangement so as to avoid major difficulties in our negotiations.
1) Do not make reservations before the congregations receive the Recommended Lodging Locations list from the convention or try to make reservations for the next year while attending the current convention.
2) Do not make reservations with motels not on the list.
3) Do not make reservations at more than one motel, and after arriving, check each one and then take the best one, canceling the others.
4) Do not reserve rooms for others without giving deposits and names for each room.
9 Such abuses are selfish and unloving. They not only make it difficult to negotiate for good rates at the motels but also bring reproach on Jehovah’s name and organization. The convention organization is working hard to save our brothers as much expense as possible, and so it is in the best interests 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 motels that cooperate. Our aim with this arrangement is to help delegates to be accommodated as comfortably and economically as possible so that they will be refreshed and fully able to enjoy the fine spiritual program.
FURTHER SIMPLIFICATION AT CONVENTIONS
10 Starting in 1978 the Society standardized and simplified district convention food service, volunteer service, rooming, and other arrangements, which resulted in the elimination of much work. In view of the pressures and demands made on our brothers by daily living, the Society is seeking further ways to simplify convention operations. Thus, more attention may be given to the spiritual aspects of the convention, and the workers will be able to enjoy more of the program. (Deut. 31:12; compare Luke 10:38-42.) Additionally, as attendance continues to grow, the number of conventions and the resulting work involved in handling them increase. (Isa. 60:22) For these and other reasons that should be appreciated by everyone, the Society is simplifying the food service arrangements even further, along with arranging for three-day district conventions in 1987, as announced in the closing comments at the conventions last summer.
11 A great deal of work and expensive equipment have been needed in the past few years to provide hot foods on the menu for the district convention, and this also required that a number of volunteers in the Food Service Department work during the sessions. Additionally, some health departments have been quite extreme in their requirements for serving hot food, and this has been a burden to the brothers in charge. The Society’s large oven trailers must be fired by gas, and in view of the dangers involved, this has been of great concern not only to the Society but also to fire departments and managements of the buildings used. Oven trailers also require much maintenance, storage, and transportation that involve work, time, and expense. The Society, therefore, feels that it is wise, in view of these and other concerns, to simplify further the preparation of items on the menu at district conventions. This involves the elimination of the three hot items that were served. These will be replaced with appropriate cold items; however, the rest of the menu will be similar to what has been used in the past few years. This means there will no longer be a need for ovens with their gas and electrical hookups, Styrofoam chests to keep the food hot, other related equipment, and much of the kitchen help that was previously used, especially during the program.
12 The Society appreciates very much the fine support you brothers and sisters have been giving over the years to the food service arrangements at the district conventions. This has helped in many ways. It has been possible to rent good buildings and care for the convention expenses, and has enabled those attending to remain at the convention site during the short noon break so as to obtain meals conveniently, be refreshed, and then be present for the more important spiritual program.
13 We realize the adjusted menu may appear to be somewhat limited, but with 14 or 15 items being served, it should provide sufficient sustenance for the morning and noon periods for three days. (Compare Matthew 14:14-20.) In many countries our brothers daily subsist on far less than we do in this country. Interestingly, on most work days, many hardworking brothers and sisters in this country take a cold lunch to work with them and then enjoy a warm meal in the evening. Although a few have brought their own cold food to conventions, it would be well to consider if it is necessary to make such an effort, since all that is involved at the convention would be breakfast and lunch for three days. Inasmuch as the convention site actually becomes a large Kingdom Hall during the convention, it is also wise to avoid developing a picnic atmosphere by eating during the sessions. For the evening meal, brothers can make their own arrangements.
SIGN LANGUAGE SESSIONS
14 As you will note in the February 1, 1987, Watchtower, 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 should 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
15 No provision will be made by the Society for recording the program or the dramas either on audiotape or on videotape. 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: Please read the Society’s convention assignment letter for your congregation, dated December 15, 1986, at your Service Meeting during the week of January 4 and post on the information board the Recommended Lodging Locations list. (NO ONE, INCLUDING THE ELDERS, SHOULD CALL ANY MOTELS BEFORE THIS SERVICE MEETING.) Please read the assignment letter again at your next meeting and then post it on the information board. In this way all the congregations will receive the information the same week.
The elder serving as the convention coordinator should conduct the first of the Service Meeting parts that cover this insert, as well as handle other convention-related material and announcements on future meetings. All elders will want to cooperate fully to ensure the prompt, enthusiastic, and effective handling of convention-related material.]