Three-day Program Promising Only Good News

When the doors to the GFL Memorial Gardens opened on firday at 8:00 AM, thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses from communities across the north began streaming in as their 2024 “Declare the Good News!” convention.

The annual convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses has become a regular feature of the summer season in Sault Ste. Marie. Frank Veratamo, one of the convention organizers for Jehovah’s Witnesses says this is due to close cooperation with, and support from, city officials.  “We are thrilled to be back in the Soo. We enjoy the support and long-standing relationships with we have with city officials, hotels, restaurants and businesses.”

Mayor Matthew Shoemaker issued this statement regarding the Soo being chosen as a site for one of the 6,000 conventions that Jehovah’s Witnesses will hold this year, “Sault Ste. Marie is an ideal location for events and conferences, with ready access to natural beauty and a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment centre in the GFL Memorial Gardens that has all of the amenities necessary to host a wide range of gatherings”. Mayor Shoemaker says, “The Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses has an estimated economic impact of more than $1,000,000 over three days with 2,547 visitors coming to our community – a foremost example of the benefits of serving as a successful host.”

Ian Russell, local spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses focused his attention on another way the Soo will be impacted, “This convention will have lasting benefit on the thousands who will attend because of the practical value of the program, which features nothing but good news.”  Russell further says, “Every day we hear bad news that can invade our thinking and impact the way we look at life.  This convention is going to help us experience some positivity in our lives.”  Russell says that Jehovah’s Witnesses welcome all members of the community to visit the convention this weekend, regardless of their religious beliefs, “There are approximately 9 million Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world, last year the total attendance at our conventions was 13 million.  People of all faiths will attend all or part of the program because of the practical benefit.”

The “Declare the Good News!” convention will present Bible-based videos, discourses, and interviews on topics such as…

• Lessons From the Land of Jesus – Homelife & Community
• Use the Good News to Defeat Bad News – Current Events
• Why We Don’t Fear Bad News

Saturday spotlights a baptism of candidates from surrounding communities, while a two-part video feature will captivate the audience on Friday and Saturday mornings. Prior to each convention, local congregations are engaging in a campaign to invite community members to this free event.

The convention begins at 9:30 AM each day, Friday through Sunday.  To learn more about this free convention and to find a location near you, please visit jw.org > About Us > Conventions.