The Locke family watches Jehovah's Witness programming on July 12, 2020.(Photo: Courtesy of the Locke family)

Though it was chosen more than five years ago, the theme for this year's Jehovah's Witness convention is timely always rejoice.

The message came at a perfect time for 17-year-old Tessa Locke, who's been lamenting not being able to go to school or see her friends because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Last weekend was the first of six online sessions she'll participate in as part of the organization's annual convention. They're typically held in massive sports stadiums that can accommodate tens of thousands of worshipers, but now she participates in a more intimate setting her living room, joined by only her family.

Locke said it's "easy to become sad or anxious" because of the circumstancesbut that her faith and the ongoing virtual convention has helped her recenter.

"I liked the point that true joy is a quality of the heart," she said. "Many people spend years trying to find happiness and be happy. This program, and the Bible, lays it out simply for us how we can do that is through Jehovah."

Locke's 55-year-old mother, Lilia Locke, echoed her daughter's statements and called the convention "super encouraging."

She said this year's theme reminds her and others of spiritual truths to help them see hope despite widespread fear.

"He sees the suffering that humankind is undergoing with the pandemic, with people losing their lives because of this virus and it pains God to see these things," she said. "The Bible guarantees us and reminds us that He will act and correct these matters and bring about better conditions so that people can enjoy life to the fullest, enjoy life without dealing with any of these ailments and suffering that we have."

Both Lilia Locke and her husband, Tom, have been Jehovah's Witnesses for most of their lives, with Lilia becoming a member of the organization in 1978 and Tom being baptized in 1982.

They've regularly attended the annual conventions since their respective baptisms, making their shared faith a priority as they raised children together.

"It's helped ... to really cement our bonds as a family together in a spiritual setting and helps us draw closer to the God we worship and each other," he said. "It's really a family tradition that we love and we enjoy every year."

Though the family wishes they could greet, hug and worship in person with other members of the organization, Lilia Locke said the loving atmosphere she's experienced at conventions in years past is transmitted even through this year's virtual format.

"The positive is we still felt the atmosphere of being in a worldwide brotherhood, and in unity with everyone, everywhere," Tom Locke said. "We don't worry about borders, race, skin color, anything we're just all together viewing this."

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He said they still made the first day of the virtual convention a "special day" by having breakfast together as a family and participating in a study of The Watchtower, a Jehovah's Witness magazine, with their congregation via Zoom.

He added that the virtual format of the session allowed them to pause, digest and discuss the message with one another, calling it "really upbuilding."

Tyler Locke, 18, had much of the same takeaways from the convention's opening weekend as his parents and sister.

"The world is so uncertain, people don't know what to believe, what's going to happen, if things are going to get worse or better," he said. "Listening to these programs and having faith in God's word, we know the outcome. We have hope and faith for a better future."

Robert Hendriks, national spokesman for the organization, said this year's convention isa "spiritual shot in the arm" amid a backdrop of widespread fear and distress.

"The message is basically, joy is a product of the heart, if you will," he said. "It's an inside job. It's something that doesn't depend on what's happening externally it really is a quality of the heart."

Hendriks said the convention's topics are selected several years in advance to allow time to develop the videos and other materials necessary, and that leaders consider current events and biblical prophecy when choosing the theme.

"We have a world that's more divided, a world that's more at war than at peace these things are to be expected," he said. "For Christians to be able to walk in this time period, to be able to not only just survive but endure and do it joyfully, that's something we can project some years out because we know we're going to need to have love, to have joy, to be peaceful, to be courageous as the years go on."

Hendriks said the organization canceled all public meetings and conventions back in March. Though he said everyone misses physically being with each other, he said the organization is in no rush to return to its Kingdom Halls or convention venues.

"That sentimentality isn't going to move us to get together physically, because at the end of the day, spirituality has nothing to do with a building or a place it has to do with the connection we have with each other."

Local spokesman Jamie Dunjey said 47,000 Jehovah's Witnesses were set to descend on Phoenix and Tucson for the convention this summer before the pandemic hit.

Convention sessions are free to watch on theJehovah's Witness website.

Reach the reporter at bfrank@arizonarepublic.comor 602-444-8529.Follow her on Twitter @brieannafrank.

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'A spiritual shot in the arm': Jehovah's Witness convention spreads 'Always Rejoice' message amid coronavirus - AZCentral