Exercise Patience
Jehovah’s Witness Convention Returning to Rochester, New York
provided by Joshua Caleb Johnson
Henrietta Assembly Hall to Host the First Large Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses Since 2019
Syracuse, New York – May 1, 2023 – After a three-year pandemic pause, one of the largest convention organizations in the world has once again chosen Rochester to host its global three-day event, the 2023 “Exercise Patience”! Convention.
Prior to 2019, summers in Rochester were marked by Jehovah’s Witnesses filling hotels and restaurants as they attended their annual conventions at the Henrietta Assembly Hall. In 2020, the pandemic interrupted that tradition in Rochester when the Witnesses canceled their in-person events throughout the world and held their convention programs as virtual events in more than 500 languages. Beginning June 2, 2023, the Witnesses will bring that tradition back to Rochester.
“As much as we appreciated the need for our conventions being virtual the last three years, nothing can replace being together in a large group setting,” said Joshua Johnson, spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “While our online conventions were convenient, reached millions around the world and kept our communities safe, we look forward to the joyful fellowship at these large gatherings.”
Some 6,000 conventions will be held worldwide as part of the 2023 “Exercise Patience”! Convention series. In the United States alone, 708 conventions will be held in 144 host cities including sessions in 38 different languages. From Friday through Sunday, six convention sessions will explore the quality of patience, highlighting its modern-day relevance through Scriptural examples. A live baptism will be performed following the Saturday morning session and a prerecorded drama will be featured in two parts during the Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions.
“Patience is a quality that all Christians strive to display daily in their lives,” said Johnson. “Despite our good intentions, life has many challenges that maintaining patience can be a struggle. Spending three days exploring aspects of patience will be very timely for all of us.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses have been holding public conventions in stadiums, arenas, convention centers and theaters around the world for more than 100
years. After resuming smaller in-person meetings and their public ministry during 2022, the summer of 2023 marks the first time they will gather at much larger regional events around the world since the lifting of pandemic restrictions.
The convention is open to the public and no collection is taken. For more information on the program or to find other convention locations and dates, please go to jw.org and navigate to the “About Us” tab.
About the image: Jehovah’s Witnesses around the globe attend the 2023 “Exercise Patience” convention program in person after a pandemic pause. This three-day event is open to the public and will feature six sessions exploring the quality of patience, highlighting its modern-day relevance through Scriptural examples. — PHOTO COURTESY OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
Photo of a man raising his left hand by Luis Quintero from pexels.com
Jehovah’s Witnesses come from hundreds of ethnic and language backgrounds, yet we are united by common goals. Above all, we want to honor Jehovah, the God of the Bible. We do our best to imitate Jesus Christ and are proud to be called Christians. Each of us regularly spends time helping people learn about the Bible and God’s Kingdom. Because we witness, or talk, about Jehovah God and his Kingdom, we are known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. To read the Bible online and learn more about us and our beliefs visit jw.org.
Public Information
900 Red Mills Road, Wallkill, NY, 12589
(718) 560-5600 | pid.us@jw.org
