Last week Cathy and I were walking around Belmont Shore (great casual dining, funky shops and Sweet Jills–the best sweet rolls in Southern California!) and I saw two young couples sitting at an outside table in a cafe. One of the women was wearing what I recognized as a JW assembly badge. When I checked online, sure enough there was a District Assembly going on at the Long Beach Convention Center. It actually gave me a jolt of nostalgia.
Jehovah’s witnesses meet together every year for assemblies. Actually for several assemblies; a Circuit Assembly (smaller) and a District Assembly (larger; made up of several Circuits). Mom tells me she’s going to her District Assembly next week. She’s 92 and it’s getting hard for her to get around, plus she can’t hear so well, yet she’s going. She told me she’s looking forward to seeing old friends (although not many are left, she tells me frequently) and being seen. I remember assemblies very well. I’ve told friends that I’ve been to more Major League baseball parks than anyone I knew, but I’d never been to a ball game until a few years ago (most of the District Assemblies were held in baseball stadiums back then). The assemblies were meant to be a “spiritual feast” for the faithful, but as a young male JW they were my major social event of the year (read: a chance to meet girls). The assemblies would be three or four days long, all day. Each day would be a series of talks, a break for lunch, then more talks, another break, and then more talks. Pretty grueling for a little kid, but we were expected to sit quietly during the talk, take notes (which meant write down all the scriptures they cited) and appear engaged. I remember them as uncomfortable (suits or jackets and ties), hot (the seats in the shade were usually taken up early, so we sat in the sun a lot) and incredibly boring. And boy did those seats get hard! When Jim and I got old enough we’d work as attendants; helping people find seats, sometimes handing out programs. Being attendants was fun at least. And we’d get to hang out with our friends between sessions. And meet girls.
Writing this now it sounds like the assemblies were a pain, but I honestly enjoyed them (overall). I sure don’t miss the endless talks, but I have to say I miss that sense of belonging and community.
Not enough to want to go with Mom next weekend though.
About BigBill
Stats: Married male boomer.
Hobbies: Hiking, woodworking, reading, philosophy, good conversation.
It’s District Assembly time
Last week Cathy and I were walking around Belmont Shore (great casual dining, funky shops and Sweet Jills–the best sweet rolls in Southern California!) and I saw two young couples sitting at an outside table in a cafe. One of the women was wearing what I recognized as a JW assembly badge. When I checked online, sure enough there was a District Assembly going on at the Long Beach Convention Center. It actually gave me a jolt of nostalgia.
Jehovah’s witnesses meet together every year for assemblies. Actually for several assemblies; a Circuit Assembly (smaller) and a District Assembly (larger; made up of several Circuits). Mom tells me she’s going to her District Assembly next week. She’s 92 and it’s getting hard for her to get around, plus she can’t hear so well, yet she’s going. She told me she’s looking forward to seeing old friends (although not many are left, she tells me frequently) and being seen. I remember assemblies very well. I’ve told friends that I’ve been to more Major League baseball parks than anyone I knew, but I’d never been to a ball game until a few years ago (most of the District Assemblies were held in baseball stadiums back then). The assemblies were meant to be a “spiritual feast” for the faithful, but as a young male JW they were my major social event of the year (read: a chance to meet girls). The assemblies would be three or four days long, all day. Each day would be a series of talks, a break for lunch, then more talks, another break, and then more talks. Pretty grueling for a little kid, but we were expected to sit quietly during the talk, take notes (which meant write down all the scriptures they cited) and appear engaged. I remember them as uncomfortable (suits or jackets and ties), hot (the seats in the shade were usually taken up early, so we sat in the sun a lot) and incredibly boring. And boy did those seats get hard! When Jim and I got old enough we’d work as attendants; helping people find seats, sometimes handing out programs. Being attendants was fun at least. And we’d get to hang out with our friends between sessions. And meet girls.
Writing this now it sounds like the assemblies were a pain, but I honestly enjoyed them (overall). I sure don’t miss the endless talks, but I have to say I miss that sense of belonging and community.
Not enough to want to go with Mom next weekend though.
About BigBill
Stats: Married male boomer. Hobbies: Hiking, woodworking, reading, philosophy, good conversation.