Janesville assembly hall to host convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses throughout July and August
JANESVILLE, Wis. – After a three-year pandemic pause, one of the largest convention organizations in the world has chosen Janesville, Wisconsin to host its global three-day event: the 2023 “Exercise Patience”! Convention.
Prior to 2020, summers were marked by Jehovah’s Witnesses filling hotels and restaurants as they attended their annual conventions at various locations. In 2020, the pandemic interrupted that tradition when the Witnesses canceled their in-person events throughout the world and held their convention programs virtually in more than 500 languages. Beginning July 7, 2023, the Witnesses will bring that tradition to Janesville for the first time.
“We are very excited to be in Janesville for the 2023 summer convention. While our online conventions reached millions globally and kept our communities safe, we long to get back to our joyful in-person fellowship at these large gatherings,” said Richard Borden, spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “As much as we loved the convenience of the high-quality virtual conventions, nothing compares with being together in a large group setting.”
Some 6,000 conventions will be held worldwide as part of the 2023 “Exercise Patience”! Convention series. In the United States alone, more than 700 conventions will be held in 144 host cities. 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 beautiful quality that all Christians desire to display in their daily lives,” Borden said. “Despite our good intentions, however, maintaining patience in the face of life’s many challenges can be a daily struggle. Spending three days exploring aspects of this quality will be very timely for all of us.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses held public conventions in stadiums, arenas, convention centers and theaters for more than 100 years until March 2020. After resuming their smaller in-person meetings and public ministry in 2022, the summer of 2023 marks the first time they will gather at larger regional events around the world since the lifting of pandemic restrictions.
The convention is open to the public, and no collections are taken. For more information on the program or to find other convention locations and dates, please visit jw.org and select the “About Us” tab.