My District Convention Last Weekend

by rassillon 29 Replies latest jw friends

rassillon

Well, Iast weekend was my DC. It was at the merrell center in Katy TX.
For those of you not in this district, this is the one which encompasses the Houston, Texas area.
Several years ago we were holding our DC in the Astrodome, the whole district on one weekend. I don't know the exact reasons for the move in venues but I have heard that it was because the price for the dome went up and we were no longer allowed to clean seats with tooth brushes to offset some of the cost.
For the past two years we were move to a college arena about a hour and a half away. In College Station Texas, yep....the town is called college station. Anyway, the arena there was actually nice, comfortable, parking was better than any other place I have been. The DC had to be cut up into I think 3 parts. Each part holding their own convention on consecutive weekends. This was not bad, in fact I think it was better than the Astrodome, even though you did not get to see everyone you were used to seeing. There were enough people to keep you busy and each year they rotated which circuits went with each other so you would get to see "new-old" friends each year. Oh yeah decent enough hotels, resturants, and a nice little town overall.
This year "the powers that be" decided to use a new venue in katy texas, which is about 30-45 minutes from houston. Let me tell you, this place SUCKED the big one. The seats were smaller harder and closer than any place I have ever been. The parking was complete ASS, it took me 3-4 SOLID minutes of walking at a brisk pace to reach the doors from my car. It was 500 degrees out there. I needed to take a new shower by the time I got to my seat. All of my loving brothers had to be warned to walk slowly and not run over the elderly and infirme because on saturday "Jehovah's People" had knocked somebody down. Praise Jah! I wonder why we don't get to hear that kind of experience from the platform?
This year they had to have 4 conventions instead of 3 and everybody had to squeeze in tight, they were putting onsies and twosies whereever there was an open seat. There were even a couple of hundred people sitting in the hallway where they had setup chairs. It was kind of funny going for a stroll around the arena during the talks and walking past about two hundred people just sitting there looking out the window. Like they were being punished ;).
Things were so tight I even got my wife to repeate the comment about how the invite track didn't make much sense because there was no room for any visitors to sit. LOL...
If I can think of more I will add later but this is about all I have time for, got to go to the J.O.B.
-r
Crumpet

The parking was complete ASS, it took me 3-4 SOLID minutes of walking at a brisk pace to reach the doors from my car. It was 500 degrees out there. I needed to take a new shower by the time I got to my seat. All of my loving brothers had to be warned to walk slowly and not run over the elderly and infirme because on saturday "Jehovah's People" had knocked somebody down. Praise Jah! I wonder why we don't get to hear that kind of experience from the platform?
hey sounds like you had a really good time - that spiritual food really stuck in your throat huh?!
blondie

The location of the DC changed here in the last 2 years; farther away to drive, 1 1/2 hours, the rank and file had to stay in hotels or get up early because.........the parking sucked. The facility is run down and the city is not equipped for the influx of JWs in the hotels. Some had to stay an hour away in rat-infested hotels. No parking for the disabled. And jammed packed not like the other facility.
Seems like back are the days where the WTS has to hammer away at the rank and file not to save seats.
***
km 4/05 p. 5 Laud Jehovah in the Big Congregation ***
Seat
Saving: Seats may be saved only for those traveling with you in the same vehicle or living with you in the same home.
***
km 4/04 p. 3 par. 3 "Let Us Exalt His Name Together" ***
When the doors open at 8:00 a.m., consideration for others will restrain us from running, rushing, pushing, or shoving in an effort to get to the seats we prefer before others do. Seats may be saved only for those traveling with you in the same vehicle or living with you in the same home.—1 Cor. 13:5; Phil. 2:4.
***
km 4/03 p. 3 par. 3 Gathering Together to Praise Jehovah ***
Doors will open at 8:00 a.m. each day. Please do not save seats other than for those in your immediate family or car group.
THEN A JUMP TO 1999
*** km 5/99 p. 4 par. 10 1999 "God’s Prophetic Word" District Conventions ***
You may save seats only for those in your immediate family or car group.
***
km 5/98 p. 5 par. 19 1998 "God’s Way of Life" District and International Conventions ***
Seating:
The directions that have been given for a number of years will continue to apply, namely, SEATS MAY BE SAVED ONLY FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS AND ANY WHO MAY BE TRAVELING WITH YOU IN YOUR CAR. It has been good to see fine improvement in this matter, and this has heightened the loving atmosphere displayed at the conventions. At most sites, some seats are more easily accessible than others. Please show consideration, and leave the more convenient seats for the elderly and others whose circumstances require them.
***
km 5/97 p. 3 par. 4 1997 "Faith in God’s Word" District Convention ***
Doors will open at 8:00 a.m. The only ones permitted to enter before that time will be those with work assignments, but they will not be allowed to save seats until the building opens for everyone.—Phil. 2:4.
***
km 5/91 p. 5 pars. 19-20 Arrange Now to Attend the 1991 "Lovers of Freedom" District Convention ***
Please do not reserve seats for others. At times, extra seats are reserved for no one in particular. This is unloving and is misleading to the attendants and others looking for available seats. In harmony with the Bible counsel, we should strive to display brotherly affection and cooperate fully with the approved arrangement for saving seats. No one is entitled to more seats than required for his immediate family or car group.—2 Pet. 1:7.
20 No overnight seat saving is allowed. At no time will any convention facility be opened before 7:00 a.m. to anyone other than the volunteer workers on duty prior to that time. None of these workers will be allowed to save seats until after 7:00 a.m., when others are allowed to enter the building. The attendants will be in their assigned locations prior to that time to monitor what is being done, so as to avoid abuses of the Society’s seat-saving guidelines. Please cooperate fully with the attendants as they fulfill their assignment for the benefit of all in attendance.
*** km 5/85 pp. 4-5 1985 "Integrity Keepers" Convention ***
Despite repeated counsel given on the subject in the past, there is a continuing problem with the saving of seats. Reports received from the field state that when the convention facility opens, many are waiting at the doors to rush in and save the best seats in preferred locations, not only for their family but also for their friends and relatives who often never show up. Thus, many of the preferred seats saved are never used.
Seats have been saved with all manner of items, such as clothing, pieces of paper, handbills, magazines, chains, tape, and rope.
Letters have been received from some interested persons stating that they went to the convention but were not able to find seats. Why? Because so many seats were being saved with something on them. So they returned home, although in reality there were more than enough seats for those in attendance.
Are those days back?
Blondie
drew sagan

The parking was complete ASS, it took me 3-4 SOLID minutes of walking at a brisk pace to reach the doors from my car.

It can take over 10 minutes of walking to get from the parking lot to the convention site where I go. But come on man, we need the exercise don't we?
AlmostAtheist

>>this place SUCKED the big one. The seats were smaller harder and closer than any place I have ever been. The parking was complete ASS
This was too funny! I can just picture some elder on the platform prior to the convention saying, "Brothers, we realize these facilities suck the big one, and the parking is complete ASS, but our brothers in TinyCountryYouveNeverHeardOf have to walk through shark-infested waters 200 meters deep with their Bibles wrapped in cassava leaves to get to their convention in a grass hut! So suck it up, you wussies!"
Dave
undercover

The parking was complete ASS, it took me 3-4 SOLID minutes of walking at a brisk pace to reach the doors from my car.

Oh man, THREE or FOUR minutes...the inhumanity of it all.
Maybe if you got there early for the mad dash of seat saving, you could have parked on the front row instead of the tenth row. I mean, not everyone gets to park up front. If you have a 10,000 seat arena, with parking for at least 3,000 cars, face it, somebody has to walk a ways.
It was 500 degrees out there. I needed to take a new shower by the time I got to my seat.
Well, it is summer time and it's hot and humid in the summer, especially in the South. Ya can't blame anyone for that.
What is unreasonable is to expect people to wear suits with jackets on +90 degree days...to just sit and listen. The last several years that I was in, I refused to wear a jacket to meetings or conventions or in service during the warm and hot months. I'd carry one if I had a part, but as soon as it was over, off came the jacket. It's 80 or 90 some degrees, it's too hot to wear a COAT. I never got formally counseled for it, but I did get questioned from time to time, "where's your jacket?" or "leave your jacket in the car?" you know, hints that I should put it back on. I ignored them.
troubled mind

Not to rub it in or anything , ..but our scheduled DC is this weekend . I will be enjoying my weekend from the AC comfort of my own living room Ahhhhhh . When I run out to my car it will be only steps from my front door . Also no one will be pushing or running ahead of me to get to my favorite seat on the couch .
itsallgoodnow

howdy, neighbor. at the risk of giving too much info, I was supposed to be there at the same place last weekend too. what a small world.
Honesty

Things were so tight I even got my wife to repeate the comment about how the invite track didn't make much sense because there was no room for any visitors to sit. LOL...

PRICELESS!!!
rassillon

Just to clarify for some of you, The parking of this place is just stupid, even if you get there early you can't get any closer, I was there early. As for the walk, I am in good shape, I workout almost every day, so the walk in and of its self did not bother me, it was the walk in a suit with books food and seat cushions in tow and it being 90 at 7:30am. Our previous location I only had to walk 1-2 minutes. I know it sounds petty but for that to start off your day, then to be cramped all day long then to make the trek back to your boiling car in 105 temps is not my idea of REFRESHING. I know I sound like a candyass, but I normaly don't vocalize these things I just suck-it-up. But I wanted you guys to know my pain and get the real experience. itsallgoodnow, yo, PM me, we should talk, maybe we know each other or at least know mutual people.

My District Convention Last Weekend

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