AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Convention, or an assembly like the one Saturday, the Jehovah's Witnesses group say that it is our hospitality and good nature that keeps them coming back.
"Amarillo has always had that warm personality of welcoming Jehovah's Witnesses in for an assembly and conventions," said Vigil Lowery. "Therefore we have a history that goes back to 1952, that's 60 years Jehovah's Witnesses have been coming back to Amarillo."
During the summer convention, their education and preaching's attract thousands of people that make Amarillo their home for the weekend.
"They're a very big group. Their single weekend is a multi-million dollar event for the city of Amarillo," said Eric Miller. "So it's a very important group to our city and it has been. We love having them here."
Miller says the city sees a lot of financial benefit by having those out of town guest say in our hotels and eat at our restaurants.
While the Jehovah's Witnesses' events may be an economical benefit to us, their focus is on educating others.
"Safeguard your mind is the theme of our assembly this week and we use God's word of the bible to teach us how to safeguard our mind," said Lowery. "Whether we are teenagers, parents, grandparents, youngsters, we find advice there for people of all ages."
The Jehovah's Witnesses host both assemblies and conventions for people across the nation, but Saturday and Sunday's event is the result of nearly 20 panhandle congregations.
"We don't force anything on anybody," said Lowery. "But the truth for God's word of the bible is available to people of all religions and people love the bible especially in places like Amarillo. So we invite people to come and enjoy it with us."
Sunday is the last day of the assembly; it begins at 9:40 a.m. and ends at four.
The group says everyone is welcome to join at the Civic Center Auditorium.
