4,200 Jehovah's Witnesses to gather in Nampa

[Guest Nicole]

TWIN FALLS — Convention is like a big family reunion for Jehovah’s Witnesses.

And for the first time in nearly 20 years, it will be held in Idaho. The last three-day convention in Idaho was at Nampa’s Ford Center in 1997.

Royce Porkert, a regional spokesman, said they expect about 4,200 attendees to the regional convention July 29 through July 31. Delegates will travel from all over Idaho, Nevada and Oregon. Since 1997, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Idaho have been meeting in other states, including Kennewick, Wash., and Ogden, Utah. This year, more than 480 conventions will be held in the U.S., with 1.8 million attendees and conducted in 26 languages.

Who are Jehovah’s Witnesses?

They are Christians known for their door-to-door evangelizing work. Though they are Christians, they are different in several ways from other Christian religious groups. They believe that the Bible teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, not part of a Trinity. They also do not believe the soul is immortal, that there is an everlasting Hell or that those who take the lead in religious activities should have titles that elevate them above others.

“It’s not a title,” said Stephen Partridge, a Jehovah’s Witness, who lives in Twin Falls. “It’s a description of what it is. Jehovah means God. We witness for them. That’s why we go door-to-door. We spread the good news of the kingdom. If you knew your neighbor’s house was on fire, would you want to tell him about it? We care about people.”

Patridge said they do not push their faith on people, but rather make it available. If someone declines, he said he moves on to the next house.

“People in this area are very kind,” Partridge said.

He goes door-to-door a couple of times a week. Others often put in as much as 70 hours of month going door-to-door.

They do not venerate the cross or any other images. Key aspects to their worship include praying to God, reading and studying the Bible, meditating on what they learn from the Bible and meeting together to pray, sing and encourage each other. Their meetings at Kingdom Hall are open to the public.

Jehovah’s Witnesses also do not celebrate birthdays or holidays such as Easter. The Easter holiday celebration is not based on the Bible.

“It’s Bible-based, not church-based,” Patridge said of the religion.

There are more than 8 million Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide. In Twin Falls, there are four congregations of about 400 people. These congregations are made up of three English-speaking congregations and one Spanish. There are also other congregations in the Magic Valley including Wendell, Jerome and Hailey.

Partridge attended his first convention when he was 4 years old. In 1958, his family boarded a train in Shoshone and headed east to New York City. They were part of the largest crowd in Yankee Stadium history — 123,707 Jehovah’s Witnesses — on Aug. 3, 1958.

Patridge was excited Tuesday because the regional convention was returning to Idaho. Patridge and fellow Jehovah’s Witness Bryan Newberry said it’s like a mini-vacation for them.

“I enjoy seeing friends I have not seen in six months or a year,” Partridge said. “Convention is the highlight of our lives.”

The convention’s program will cover the topic of “loyalty” and will feature 49 presentations, 25 video segments and two short films. Patridge said one of his favorite aspects of the convention is where everyone brings their own lunch and they are encouraged to sit with someone they don’t know.

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