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Saturday, July 26, 2008 3:00 AM Jehovah's Witnesses head to convention By Janet Conner-Knox | Times Staff Writer Scores of Jehovah's Witnesses from Wilson are planning to go to the RBC Center in Raleigh Aug.1, for an annual three-day convention, where they will meet with thousands more people to learn more about helping others with Bible lessons. "Lots of people don't realize we help others -- that is what we are here for," said Robert Fulcher, overseer of the Wilson congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. "Most people think that we are out to convert people," he said. "That's not what we do. We try to help people with everyday problems by using the Bible." Floyd Norris, an elder in the congregation, said helping other people is one of many reasons he will be attending the conference. "At the conference, we will be learning how to be better ministers in our community that we love so much," he said. "Those conventions are packed with information and teachings of the Bible for every one of those that attend. So we go to also get built up spiritually." Fulcher said that although most of the people who attend will be Jehovah's Witnesses, others who want to learn about how to apply Bible lessons in their lives and learn more about being a Jehovah's Witness also come. "Anyone can come and join us at the convention and learn something," Fulcher said. "The examples that are learned at the conventions tackle everyday life that we all live." Fulcher said topics include learning to deal with tragedies and how to get along better as a family. Jehovah's Witnesses deal with the same life problems as everyone else, said Fulcher, but he said they just learn to look biblically for the answers. "Everything we deal with, we have learned there is biblical direction," said Fulcher. "That is what we hope to teach when we go out into the community. We want others to study the Scriptures, and they will get answers and help too." During the convention, Fulcher said, there are live Bible dramas that show how Christians cope with problems they face today. "You should see the costumes," Fulcher said. "But most important are the lessons that are learned during the dramas, and that there is a solution found in the Bible." Organizers are expecting more than 8,000 people at the convention. "The cities that we visit know that when we come there will be a lot of people, but we are orderly and organized," said Fulcher. In fact he said they try to leave wherever they travel in better shape than when they came. "We clean up wherever we go," said Fulcher. "It is not just good enough for us to learn about the word of God. The buildings are always cleaner when we leave than when we came in, and owners are always glad we came." The cost of renting the RBC or any facility Jehovah's Witnesses hold conventions is covered by contributions, so admission to the conventions are free. There are no collections taken at the conference. All of the work done in operating the conventions is also done by Jehovah's Witnesses. Food is not served. Each family makes its own arrangements for meals. Norris said that all of the conventions are always well attended, no matter what language is being spoken. Earlier this month a Spanish Jehovah's Witness convention held in Winston-Salem, Norris said, and more than 8,000 Spanish-speaking people attended that convention also. He said 133 people were baptized at that convention. In Wilson there is a Spanish group of Jehovah's Witnesses who hand out tracts in the Latino community, just like the English speaking congregation. "They have their meetings in Spanish, but the Gospel learned is the same in every part of the world," Fulcher said. janet@wilsontimes.com | 265-7847 |
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