At Family Camp there are many opportunities for folks to sing, pray, and worship together.
This is our main worship center, Bethel Tabernacle. It can comfortably seat 1,000 people, though in past eras when we didn't worry about such things as over heating and hard wooden benches, I believe even more could be packed in there. We had over 1200 people in some of the evening rallies this year.
Bethel is the tabernacle which houses the adult track during seminar hours and the main evening rally.In the summer of 1998 Bill Gaither was looking for a setting to film his "Down By the Tabernacle" Homecoming Video. He sent a search committe out to find the perfect, old fashioned, wooden tabernacle.
They returned and said they couldn't find it - - - they didn't think it existed anymore. Being from Alexandria, Indiana, Bill had spent time in his younger days at our camp and he sent his committee 9 miles down the road where they found OUR Bethel Tabernacle.
I remember the day they came to check it out. We were in the middle of Senior High Teen Camp. There were teens and guitars and water balloons and everything else that goes with teen ministry all OVER the tabernacle. I thought we'd scare them away, but they were THRILLED.
In September they filmed the video there, and I was fortunate enough to be in the audience. In fact, if you know what you are looking for you can even find a split second view of my face - - - and several seconds of Korie's face in the audience.
In the morning during seminar time, the tabernacle isn't full, but for the evening rally - - -
People drive in from all over the northern part of the state, park their cars, - - -
In every available parking space, and fill up the tabernacle.
During the rally we sing, pray,
and worship together. When it's hot - - -
There is overflow seating on the east side - - -
And the west side.
In the mornings several different seminar tracks are offered. This year a picnic shelter was transformed into the young adult tabernacle, and proved to be a very popular venue.
Bethel isn't our only tabernacle. This is the Teen Temple.
Filled in the mornings with teens and youth leaders.
Oooops - - - looks like grandpa and grandma snuck in. Actually, this little couple watched the teen speaker grow up and they came to give him their support, because he is one of their "preacher boys."
Our third tabernacle houses the children's praise events in the mornings as well as during the evening rally.Just look how many "drove" in from their cabins and campers!!!!
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17 comments:
Oh, my! I just know there is some powerful worship going on in those buildings. Those are the types of services where you can feel the Holy Spirit sitting right beside you!
And, think of all the people that are ministered to!
What if every town and community had committed Christians who loved the Lord and LIVED what they believed? Then America really would turn back to God!
I better hush or I'll start preaching myself!
oh how I would have loved being a part of all that. How moving that must be....With your permission I am passing this post onto the worship committee that I am a part of. I just want to show them what we could maybe set as a goal, something, a direction to show where growth could begin. Hats off to you all who keep it going!!!! Amen Sister!!!!
What a totally awesome thing to see! I just love all those bikes!!! Lol! How neat it must be for those kids to be part of something SO BIG!
It's been a long time since I've been in a church group like that - what an incredible place to be, I'm sure. I'm so glad you were able to go this year. Once again, thanks so much for sharing this with your blogging community :)
I love seeing all those teenagers in their own temple -- how very special for them, and how heartening to see young people engaged in this way.
As for our water on Sunday, thankfully we do live on a hill, so it does run off pretty quickly. . . leaving just some damp memories behind in the boiler room! Our foundation is stone -- it's hard to fully waterproof old stone like that, but we'll try one of these days.
Our last house backed up to a river. I loved being on the river and watching it change with the seasons, having swans and heron in my back yard -- but oh mama if the spring rains were really heavy, I did NOT like having water in my basement, and sometimes in my street!
21 years there was enough. This water is amateur stuff in comparison!
Cass
How does that old song go....I remember long ago at old camp meetin time...I like the old time preachin, prayin,singin, shoutin....I like the old time preachin of the God's Word? Something like that anyway! I so well remember these times. It has been so long since I have been able to participate in these events. I look so forward to returning to my spiritual roots and once again experiencing those wonderful worship times! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. It has brought back so many wonderful memories for me!
Many hugs.............
Diane
Thanks Keetha for sharing the campgrounds with everyone. I have grown up on the campgrounds. and now it's fun to see my nephews enjoying it.
I too made it on the "Down by the Tabernacle" video. At one point Sue Dodge comes off the platform and goes into the audience. you see a close up of me and then she shakes hands with my mom.
Another thing I remember is when you were the leader when I was a kid and I learned Psalm 1. I can still quote it wiht the little "reminders" you taught us.
Many good memories and more to come.
Thanks again
Angela Vardamam
I love to see older generations supporting teens and kids!
Love the pictures. Amen to God.
My goodness. There is indeed a great fellowship there.
That's wonderful. One of my favorite things about reading blogs has been discovering how many faithful people there are around the country. It is so uplifting to read a blog about summer church camps or to discover the signs of faith that creep in as I read posts about the ordinary,daily lives of people.
Thanks for these posts!
um excuse me! were you out 'galavainting' and taking pictures during night service!!!! how dare you
LOL Korie!!!
It's the price a good blogger-reporter has to pay.
;-)
LOVE all your blogs about camp...wish we were close enough to attend! Brings back many fond memories of the old days at Burr Camp, Harmony Hall, etc. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Oh, those pictures take me back to camp days at Spencer Lake (Wapaca, WI). You're right when you say "...in past eras ... we didn't worry about such things as over heating and hard wooden benches..." Back then we spent hours in the tabernacle sans air conditioning sitting on those benches and don't forget, we wore dresses and men wore suits. The services were great!
I've seen the Gaither camp meetin' video. Now I will have to watch it again and look for you. (the Gaither Vocal Band is coming to the NW Washington Fair in 2 weeks) I don't think he's going to be filming a Goin' to the Fair Video, but the concert should be great.
love all those bikes :o)
Do they have air in there yet? You know that's where i first met Korie and i think we were about 8 or 9...little did we know we would become good friends and family! :)
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