Jehovah’s Witnesses gather at Albany Civic Center

[Guest Nicole]

More than 4,000 believers converge for two-day assembly in the city

ALBANY — For the past two decades, and twice a year, Jehovah’s Witnesses from across Georgia and the panhandle of Florida have gathered at the Albany Civic Center for circuit assemblies meant to foster fellowship and to bring them closer to God.

They come from hundreds of ethnic and language backgrounds, yet are united by common goals. Above all, they want to honor Jehovah, whom believers call the God of the Bible and the Creator of all things.

This past weekend, more than 4,000 witnesses from two different circuits flowed into Albany for a two-day assembly. On Saturday, the Florida District held its assembly, and on Sunday, Georgia District 1 held its gathering.

“The purpose of these assemblies is to strengthen our faith and bring us closer to God,” Billy Goodman said. “We are all here learning to love God more, and according to God, we must love our neighbor as we love ourselves.”

According to Goodman, there are more than 8 million Jehovah’s Witnesses spread out worldwide.

“We come here twice a year, but we are actively spreading God’s good news around the world every day,” Goodman said.

Goodman added he has been attending assemblies in Albany for more than 20 years and has enjoyed all of them.

“I love this, it’s my life,” he said. “I may go to work every day to pay my bills, but my career is preaching the kingdom of God and the beautiful future he offers to mankind.”

Goodman stressed that Jehovah’s Witnesses have no paid clergy, and the group does not “pass the plate around” in gatherings or assemblies.

“We have always enjoyed coming to Albany because the city has always made us feel very welcome, and we appreciate the hospitality,” Goodman said.

The modern-day organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses began at the end of the 19th century. At that time, a small group of Bible students who lived near Pittsburgh, Penn., began a systematic analysis of the Bible. They compared the doctrines taught by the churches with what they felt the Bible actually teaches.

According to jw.org, among that group of students was a man named Charles Taze Russell. While Russell took the lead in the Bible education work at that time and was the first editor of The Watchtower, he was not the founder of a new religion. The goal of Russell and the other Bible Students, as the group was then known, was to promote the teachings of Jesus Christ and to follow the practices of the first-century Christian congregation.

http://www.albanyherald.com/news/local/jehovah-s-witnesses-gather-at-albany-civic-center/article_ca3e2bc0-0d00-5db5-b3fa-cd950653c117.html