The Librarian

Jehovah's Witnesses walk the walk, inviting guests to 3-day convention in Jacksonville Posted: May 24, 2012 - 8:33pm | Updated: May 25, 2012 - 5:35amJView this story on the All-Access Members site BOB SELF/The Times-UnionThea Johnson holds a copy of the invitation she and her husband, Ralph, were handing out to residents of the Ortega Bluff neighborhood off Collins Road Wednesday afternoon. The public is invited to attend any session of the Jehovah’s Witness convention today through Sunday. About the conference From mid-May through mid-September, Jehovah's Witnesses will hold 385 conventions in 103 cities throughout the United States. The convention theme "Safeguard Your Heart" focuses on the Bible's references to the figurative heart. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the figurative heart needs protection if one is to have a good relationship with God and lasting happiness in life. The public is invited to attend any session or the entire program today through Sunday at Veterans Memorial Arena. The morning sessions will begin at 9:20 each day. Today, the afternoon session will begin at 1:50. On Saturday, the afternoon session will begin at 1:35, and on Sunday the afternoon session begins at 1:25. About the religion Jehovah's Witness is a religious denomination founded in the United States during the late 19th century in which active evangelism is practiced, the imminent approach of the millennium is preached, and war and organized governmental authority in matters of conscience are strongly opposed. Christmas is not celebrated because Christmas and its observances are not mentioned in the Bible, and members will not say the Pledge of Allegiance or donate blood. By Larry Hannan No one was home at the first door Ralph and Teah Johnson knocked at on Broadgate Court in the Ortega Bluff neighborhood. The second door produced a barking dog, but no people. The third door finally produced a man who looked like he'd just woken up from a long nap. "He was nice and we told him about the convention this weekend," said Teah Johnson after walking down the street. "We said we hoped to see him there." The Johnsons were spreading the word about the 2012 Jehovah's Witness "Safeguard Your Heart" district convention that is starting today at Veterans Memorial Arena. The three-day event will be attended by about 11,000 people of the Jehovah's Witness faith, and people who don't practice the religion are also welcome to attend. There is no admission fee. People from Savannah to Palm Coast will be attending the event, with about 70 congregations coming. There are about 6,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in the Jacksonville area, said spokesman Frank Woodcock. Like most members of the Jehovah's Witness Faith, walking door-to-door is nothing new to the Johnsons. Talking about their faith to strangers is an essential part of what they do. And the Johnsons say on most days people are very polite. "If someone says something mean, it does hurt," Ralph Johnson said. "But that doesn't happen very often." And when it does happen he reminds himself that he's a messenger of God, and it's not his responsibility to please the person receiving the message, Johnson said. "If someone doesn't want to here what we have to say we move on," he said. But Mark McCumber, a local Jehovah's Witness who's known to most people as a professional golfer who won the 1988 Players Championship, said the biggest challenge isn't unfriendly people so much as it's people being too busy to talk. "We're here to help people build better families and a better relationship with God," he said. "But nowadays it's a challenge to find the time to talk." Jehovah's Witnesses, who have been around since the 19th century, are probably most well known for their door-to-door evangelism, refusing military service, not celebrating Christmas and declining to say the pledge of allegiance. But McCumber said their religion is more than that. "We're all loyal citizens," he said. "Except when it conflicts with our beliefs." Julie Ingersoll, professor of religious studies at the University of North Florida, said evangelizing is a much higher priority to Jehovah's Witnesses compared to other religions. "You have to remember that the word 'witness' is right in their name," Ingersoll said. While other religions like Mormonism and Scientology have fought for acceptance, and pushed hard against suggestions they are weird, or a cult, Jehovah's Witnesses have never really sought acceptance. http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-05-24/story/jehovahs-witnesses-walk-walk-inviting-guests-3-day-conventionMark McCumber is a professional golfer. He is an active, baptized Jehovah's Witness who attends congregational meetings and engages in field service.

Thank you again @Kurt I will add him to my list:

This is somewhat stunning .... appears he has had a reversal?

The engineers who worked on perfecting facial recognition will now have to live with their creation. Big Brother is now "all-powerful'. Coming soon to a US city near you. Mr. @The Librarian you have exceeded your allotted days away from the NW region. What are you doing here in NYC?

Branch offices of Jehovah’s Witnesses describe their ongoing efforts to provide relief and spiritual comfort to those affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Source

Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Philippines recently completed a major renovation of their branch facilities in Quezon City. See how the work progressed. Source

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That is one serious bank name.... Â Â doing SERIOUS business.Â

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Twitter staff have been caught on camera revealing that the company has direct access to - and monetises - some of its users most private information. Hidden-camera conversations with Twitter engineers were conducted by the undercover journalism group 'Project Veritas'.

@Ann O'Maly I agree @Ann O'Maly I will try to restrain my powers of banning people to a minimum. But at some point it becomes ridiculous.

Avec quel animal as-?tu hâte de jouer dans le monde nouveau de Dieu ? la source

Avec quel animal as-?tu hâte de jouer dans le monde nouveau de Dieu ? la source

Shortly after delivering, the tennis star suddenly felt out of breath and assumed she was having a pulmonary embolism, given her history of blood clots. According to Vogue, “She walked out of the hospital room so her mother wouldn’t worry and told the nearest nurse, between gasps, that she needed a CT scan with contrast and IV heparin (a blood thinner) right away. The nurse thought her pain medicine might be making her confused. But Serena insisted, and soon enough a doctor was performing an ultrasound of her legs. 'I was like, a Doppler? I told you, I need a CT scan and a heparin drip,' she remembers telling the team. The ultrasound revealed nothing, so they sent her for the CT, and sure enough, several small blood clots had settled in her lungs. Minutes later she was on the drip. 'I was like, listen to Dr. Williams!'”

New JW TV Video released called “Our Branch Office is No Longer Hidden!”

Isn't the JW Branch Office Indonesia in this same building?

See much more:

1916_Russell_Death_Letter.pdf

Here is the Watchtower of 1916: w1916_E.pdf I am intrigued by the Roman Toga comment there..... any ideas? Was he considering himself ready to go to heaven and prepared in his white robes for his salvation? @JW Insider might remember the story of A.H. Macmillan standing on the bridge in his white robes ready to be raptured. I forget the details though.  Here is the archive list Â

Bundle up @Anna and @Arauna..... Are they any others of you that will be feeling this?

Every so often we read of a congregation sponsoring immigrants to the USA. Is this a widespread practice? @JW Insider or just individual jw's acting on their own?

Three times as big as Exxon Valdez? Wow.