A Worldwide Family Gathers for “Sacred Service” District Assemblies
“A WORLDWIDE family?” you may ask. “Is there really such a thing?”
Well, there are people from all races, nationalities and social backgrounds who have learned to get along well together. And especially when they gather in large assemblies is their close relationship apparent. The Allentown, Pennsylvania, Evening Chronicle of July 8, 1976, observed:
“A feeling of unity, family ties and sincere friendship permeated the air at the Allentown Fairgrounds today as 7,080 Jehovah’s Witnesses were welcomed by smiling ‘brothers and sisters’ who began the festivities of their four-day District Assembly.”
In all the United States alone a total of 94 “Sacred Service” District Assemblies were held this past summer, with a combined peak attendance of 974,039. At the same time, many other members of this worldwide Christian body were meeting in Canada, Europe and Asia, bringing the attendance to over 1,800,000! And hundreds of thousands more persons in this “family” will yet gather to hear this same assembly program in other lands throughout the earth.
A REAL FAMILY?
Yet, is it really right to call this worldwide body of Christians “a family”? Yes, for Jesus Christ himself said: “Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” And the Bible speaks of “God’s household, which is the congregation of the living God.”—Matt. 12:50; 1 Tim. 3:15.
How would you like to be part of such a household, one in which all family members really try to do the will of the heavenly Father? Well, Jehovah’s Witnesses are dedicated to do God’s will, and what a difference it makes!
The Augusta, Maine, Kennebec Journal noted that the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses “were evident. There were no smoke-filled rooms, no rowdiness, no littering of grounds. There wasn’t even one policeman on duty to handle the huge crowd.”
At the Detroit, Michigan, assembly health inspector Peter W. Komer said: “You have been able to do what no other group has accomplished.” And he observed the reason why. “Your people care, they are concerned with others. . . . This is the finest group I have ever worked with.”
How is it that Jehovah’s Witnesses world wide truly function as a united Christian family? What motivates them to love and serve others?
THE EDUCATION RESPONSIBLE
Well, think: What makes for respectful, law-abiding families? It is fine instruction and training, is it not? And at their weekly Christian meetings, as well as at larger assemblies, Jehovah’s Witnesses receive the very best instruction and training—from God’s Word, the Bible. Consider, for example, this year’s “Sacred Service” District Assembly program.
As noted in the Vancouver Sun’s article, “WITNESSES’ CONVENTION IS A REAL FAMILY AFFAIR,” the first day’s program was concerned with the idea of individual families serving God together unitedly. Each member of the family was given helpful Scriptural counsel and encouragement in such talks as: “What Sort of Man Are You?” “The Woman Who Procures Praise for Herself” and “What Does Youth Want out of Life?”
Special attention was focused on teenagers. Helpful instruction was given them to cope with questions regarding sex, dating, drugs, alcoholic beverages and other matters. A free copy of the new 192-page book Your Youth—Getting the Best out of It was given to all who, during this part of the program, sat in a special section up front.
A feature of the second day was the talk “Holy Spirit in Action,” after which a new 192-page book, Holy Spirit—The Force Behind the Coming New Order, was released. During the third day, which stressed a Christian’s responsibility to tell others about God’s kingdom, a new 192-page book to aid in this disciple-making work was made available. It is entitled “Good News to Make You Happy.”
To add to the assembly’s enjoyment, a Bible drama was presented each day that nicely impressed a point of instruction.
The effect of such Scriptural education that Jehovah’s Witnesses regularly receive was apparent to assembly visitors. Judy Hierseman, who entitled her newspaper article “FAMILY-ORIENTED PROGRAM,” wrote:
“Families are the rule rather than the exception. And the presence of all those children, ranging in age from babes in arms to teenagers, does nothing to disturb the tranquillity and quiet dedication of the remainder of the Witnesses.
“Rather it adds a feeling of togetherness, serious, yet lighthearted, that has pervaded the scene of swarming humanity at the Brown County Veterans’ Memorial arena.”—Green Bay Press-Gazette, July 10, 1976.
Family unity was manifested in many ways at the assemblies, as the Oakland (Calif.) Tribune observed: “Family togetherness is evident in many convention activities, from parents and children folding plastic eating utensils into napkins to others peeling vegetables into enormous crocks to feed the assemblage.”
REALLY UNITED FAMILIES
The assembly’s principal talk, “Will Serving God Solve Your Problems?” showed that family-related problems not only can be solved, but actually have been solved when individuals apply in their lives the righteous principles in God’s Word. True experiences were related on the program at some assemblies to illustrate this. For example, at Allentown a person, whose wife became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, told of how he committed crimes that landed him in prison.
“My wife, whom I had treated so cruelly,” he said, “came to visit me in prison. I could see the deep concern in her eyes, and I knew she really wanted to help me. She wrote me every day, and all of her letters spoke of Jehovah. Finally, I began to listen, and even began seriously to examine the Scriptures to make sure of the things she said. In less than six months I was convinced that it was the truth.
“I started working with the prison officials to establish meetings there at the prison that would be open to all the prisoners. In time the institution awarded us one hour every week to meet together for either a Bible talk or a Watchtower study. Eventually, a couple of my charges were surprisingly dropped, and I was released in time for the district assembly that was held in Allentown last year. There I symbolized my dedication to serve Jehovah God by water baptism. How thankful I am for the determination of my wife, and for the privilege of becoming a member of this beautiful and unique family of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses!”
In just the United States 10,181 persons were baptized at the 94 district assemblies, thus publicly expressing their desire to be members of this united worldwide Christian family. Sometimes husbands and wives were baptized together, and, on occasion, their children as well.
You, too, can be a member of this worldwide Christian family. First, it is necessary to learn what the will of the heavenly Father is, and then to obey it. And as you thereafter regularly assemble with others who have dedicated their lives to do God’s will, you will come to experience the happiness that comes with serving as a member of the worldwide Christian family of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
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Mother and son preparing sandwiches for delegates at the Oakland, California, Assembly
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Teen-agers eagerly received their free copy of the new book, “Your Youth—Getting the Best out of It”
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Families were baptized together, as was this father, mother and daughter at the Richfield, Ohio, assembly