As many begin preparing for their trip to Gladstone for camp meeting, Gladstone Park is alive with the sounds of construction, the smell of paint, and the familiar sight of tents and benches. This year, camp meeting will focus on the theme, In Community. Gladstone Camp Meeting 2023 will invite each of us to embrace the profound truth that our faith journey was never meant to be walked alone, but alongside fellow believers and our neighbors in a rich tapestry of shared experiences, encouragement, and spiritual growth. This year’s camp meeting will be a great opportunity to explore what fellowship and relational connection really means, as we walk through our lives together, and this year is packed with inspiring workshops, social events, community service opportunities and, of course, Pronto Pups!

When it comes to camp meeting, this is your ultimate guide!

Speakers

Leading the nightly program in the Plaza Pavilion this year is a familiar face to the PNW, Pastor Karl Haffner. Pastor Karl served for many years as the senior pastor at the Walla Walla University Church and is an award-winning author of 13 books including titles like No Experience Necessary, Are You More Spiritual Than a 5th-grader?, and The Cure for Soul Fatigue. He has written hundreds of articles for a variety of journals, and currently serves as vice president for Student Experience and Enrollment Management at Loma Linda University Health.

Over two dozen dynamic speakers will be leading workshops, seminars, and special events each day before the nightly meetings, including Seth Pierce, a communications professional, podcast host, and the new lead pastor of the Sunnyside Adventist Church, Pastor Kessia Reyne Bennett, lead pastor of the Pleasant Valley Church, Karen Glassford, digital evangelism manager for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, John McVay - president of Walla Walla University, Benjamin Lundquist - director of Oregon Conference Young Adult Ministries and leader of the Growing Young cohort program, Patricia Vasquez, a local health ministries leader, and many, many more! Make sure to download the Gladstone Camp Meeting app for Apple or Android so you can create your own custom camp meeting schedule and never miss the things you care about!

Special Events

In addition to workshops and seminars, this year’s camp meeting event will feature several special events. Here are a few of them:

• Gladstone Family Fun Run - a local favorite, the Fun Run will be held on Friday, July 21st, at 7:00 AM! All participants in this 5k event should complete the free registration before the event. We’ll gather on Friday morning near the InfoCenter on the Gladstone Park campus. If you want to participate in the fundraising aspect of the event, the monies will be used to benefit the annual Follow the Star walk-through nativity event. You can find more information about the Fun Run here.
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• Gladstone Community Service Projects – Oregon Young Adults and Oregon Conference Youth Ministries will be partnering for six local community service projects this year around the City of Gladstone. To sign up and learn more about these projects, visit the campus InfoCenter on Wednesday morning, July 19th!
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• American Red Cross Blood Drive – on Thursday, July 20th from 11:00 AM-4:00 PM and Friday, July 21st from 11:00 AM-4:00 PM, the American Red Cross Bloodmobiles will be on campus next to the Snack Shack. Donors must be at least 16 years old (with signed parental consent form). You can save time by pre-scheduling your preferred appointment time by visiting www.redcrossblood.org and entering SDAconference in the “Find a Blood Drive” section, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
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• Watermelon Feed – On Friday, July 21 from 3:00-5:00 PM, free watermelon will be available at three locations on the Gladstone Park campus. You can find these locations by looking at the map on the back of your printed camp meeting guide or on the Gladstone Camp Meeting app! Supper will still be available in the cafeteria and at the Snack Shack.
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• Veterans Recognition – a special event honoring our armed forces personnel and their families will be held on Friday, July 21 at 2:30 PM, led by Dr. Terry Johnsson, who is a retired U.S. Air Force Presidential Honor Guard. Refreshments will be served.

The Gladstone Park Campus

As you walk around Gladstone Park this year you may notice several updates and points of interest! The Grounds team has been hard at work installing beautiful new landscaping and renovating the Garden of Prayer! A state-of-the-art speaker system and lighting updates at the Plaza Pavillion are just a small preview of what is to come as they will be installed more permanently in the outdoor event pavilion that is coming between this camp meeting and camp meeting 2024! The Gladstone Gazette, our daily camp meeting newspaper, will return this year as well, so keep an eye out for Gladstone Gazette stations all around campus for breaking news, heartwarming stories, and important information each morning!

The City of Gladstone, Oregon

Gladstone, Oregon is our generous host each year as we gather for camp meeting. It is a very small city––only about four-square miles––but it has a lot to offer, if you find yourself wanting to stretch your legs, plan a family outing, or grab a summer treat! Cool off while tubing or kayaking down the Clackamas River from Cross Park, enjoy a wide array of shaved ice flavors at 808 Cheesecake & Hawaiian Shave Ice, or take the kids over to the Max Patterson Spray Park – all just a short drive across the street from camp meeting! As we enjoy the fellowship with our friends and Oregon Conference Family, let’s find ways to give back to the little city that has been so gracious and welcoming to us year after year!

The Ultimate Camp Meeting Guide - Right in Your Pocket!

This information and much more can be found on the Gladstone Camp Meeting App thanks to the OC Communications team! You can download the Gladstone Camp Meeting app for free right now on Apple or Android, so you never miss your favorite workshops, food menus, or social events! Camp meeting season has officially begun! And we can’t wait to see you!