Jehovah's Witnesses convention this weekend in Amherst

[Guest Nicole]

Jonathan McLellan, his wife, Claire, and two daughters, Olivia and Sophie, are seen at the 2014 Jehovah's Witness regional convention at the Mullins Center in Amherst. The McLellans have been Jehovah's Witnesses for five generations, and Sophie was baptized at the convention. (submitted photo)

Loyalty is the theme of the upcoming Regional Conventions of Jehovah's Witnesses from throughout New England as they gather this weekend at the Mullins Center on the campus of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst

"We will be learning how Jesus Christ, Job and Israel's King Hezekiah stayed loyal to Jehovah despite severe trials. We'll also learn how we can demonstrate that same loyalty in our modern times," said David L. Ryan of Easthampton, the convention's media services coordinator.

"Loyalty plays an important role in our families and marriages," he added.

The event will take place Friday through Sunday. The theme will be "Remain Loyal to Jehovah."

"We strongly believe that loyalty is an essential part of any healthy relationship," said David A. Semonian, a spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses at their world headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. "Our convention this year features content that will help people develop stronger bonds with friends, family members and, above all, with God."

Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians who seek to honor Jehovah, the God of the Bible and the creator of all things. 

It is expected that more than 12,000 delegates will attend the Amherst convention from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire; hundreds of other conventions will take place throughout the country this summer.

The local convention been at the Mullins Center for 24 years, noted Ryan, a member of the Northampton Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The three-day program will feature 49 presentations exploring the theme of loyalty. 

Witnesses also have prepared 35 video segments specifically for the program plus two short films that will be shown on Saturday and Sunday. Each day, the morning and afternoon sessions will be introduced by music videos recorded for the convention. 

The Watchtower Society's Film Production department in Patterson, N.Y, produced the videos. One is a full-length feature film on Sunday about King Hezekiah and the attack on Jerusalem in 732 BCE. (See the video trailer at 
jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/conventions/drama-movie-trailers-2016)

A discourse on Sunday at 11:20 a.m. will focus on the topic "When Will Loyal Love Triumph Over Hatred?" The public is invited to attend; attendees do not need to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

"Bible prophesy and the Apostle Paul tell us that our loyalty to God (Jehovah) would be tested," Ryan said. "The program will answer three questions: Why does God expect us to be loyal? How can being loyal improve our lives? How will God act in loyalty toward us?"

The conference begins each day at 9:20 a.m. There are no admission fees, and collections are not taken.

Another gathering will take place July 15-17.

There are more than 8.2 million Witnesses in more than 118,000 congregations worldwide.

For more information, visit jw.org

Source: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/07/jehovahs_witnesses_convention.html