If you’ve noticed quite the bit of traffic around Osceola Heritage Park the last couple weekends, know that it will continue for a few more Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
So, what’s the commotion? The annual convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses is back in town. While they’ve been descending on Osceola County — and filling the Silver Spurs Arena over summer weekends — for nearly a decade, they’re back for the first time since 2019. The pandemic interrupted their tradition, and held convention programs as virtual events in more than 500 languages over the last three years.
The weekend conventions began Aug. 4 and will occur over weekends through September. This year’s convention series is entitled “Exercise Patience.”
Some 6,000 conventions will be held worldwide as part of the “Exercise Patience” Convention series. In Florida alone, 44 conventions will be held in six host cities. In Kissimmee, six sessions (a morning and afternoon each) will be held over every weekend.
Keith Barros is a member of Jehova’s Witnesses public information team. While many witnesses will be attending from places across the state — some of the speakers will be coming from the JW world headquarters in Warwick, N.Y. — and filling local hotel rooms, Barros and his wife moved from New York to St. Cloud in 2016, so they’ll get to sleep in their own bed during the convention.
“The virtual format with which we conducted our conventions for the past three years reached millions around the globe and, at the same time, kept our communities safe. Now that we have the opportunity to be back together, well, there is nothing quite as wonderful,” Barros said. “It feels wonderful to be back.
“Patience is one of those beautiful qualities that all Christians desire to display. Sadly, though, life’s pressures can make that a challenge. Spending three days exploring aspects of this quality will, doubtless, help all of us in that regard. Patience is linked to joy. When you learn to exercise patience, it can really impact your joy.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses have been holding public conventions in stadiums, arenas, convention centers, and theaters around the world for more than 100 years. While the congregation is invited to their particular sessions, the convention is open to the public and no collection is taken.
While the convention has been coming to the area for about two decades, The Kingdom of Jehovah’s Witnesses has a presence in the area dating back multiple generations. The first Kingdom Hall temple in the area was built around 1955 on Ocean Street in Kissimmee by congregation members. Lifelong resident and fellow Witness Sherry Marcoe said that center was on the front of her family’s property, and watched it get renovated a number of times over the years, before it was sold to another church and replaced by a new one on Thacker Avenue about 25 years ago. She even married her husband Bill in a Kingdom Hall on Old Tampa Highway. They’ve been to conventions across the state together over the years, and she’ll also be attending portions of the convention at OHP.
“People don’t realize how many Witnesses there are, just around here,” she said. “There are a lot of small circuit assemblies, like in Daytona every year, but it’s nice to know the regional one is in our town.”
