“In Community” was the theme for this year’s Gladstone Camp Meeting. Long before the tents were standing, the pronto pups were frying, or the iconic green benches were set up on the lawn, volunteers and staff were hard at work putting that theme into action.
 
One of the early decisions made this year was to increase collaboration between the Spanish and English camp meeting programs, including unified graphic design, a shared theme, and more cross-communication between media outlets, attempting to remind everyone that, while we may speak different languages, we are all part of the same community here in the Oregon Conference. On Thursday, July 13, Spanish programming kicked off with a Latino food festival with free food, live cultural and Christian music, and lots of activities for kids, packing the Holden Center Plaza with people laughing and enjoying the amazing food together.
 
Old favorites like the Reptile Man returned for both English and Spanish services, and many gave their hearts to Jesus through baptism during both weeks. Other community partnerships included a health fair which connected participants to local health resources, offered massages, and more during Spanish language days. During the English language days of camp meeting, the Gladstone Family Fun Run/Walk returned, as well as the Red Cross Blood Drive and local community service projects hosted by Oregon Young Adults and Youth departments.
 
Leading the Plaza Pavilion for English services each night was former Walla Walla University lead pastor, Karl Haffner, who shared powerful messages around the idea of being created for community, and how that shows up when we relate to our families, our faith, and our neighbors. In the Holden Center, Pastor Kevin Wilson (known widely on Tik Tok as “the chai guy”) explored the intersection of creativity, mission, and community. Other notable events included the recognition of the Vancouver Spanish and Hood River Spanish churches as they moved up from company status, a special Veterans Recognition service, and the recognition of former Oregon Conference president Don Livesay, along with his wife Barbara, in the official naming of the “Livesay Boardroom” in the Oregon Conference office. Former President Al Reimche, though not present, was also recognized in the naming of the Reimche Chapel.
 
As the Oregon Conference looks toward the upcoming year, we will be embarking on a major construction project of a permanent outdoor event venue where the temporary Plaza Pavilion is built and torn down each summer. An artist’s render of the project was set up at the back of the main pavilion during camp meeting as a sign of what is to come. But perhaps more important are the plans to continue to grow healthy, Christ-centered relationships with each other and our neighbors as we go about the upcoming years of mission, fellowship, and service in community.
 
To see photos of this year’s camp meeting visit our Flickr album at: https://orad.us/CM2023Photos