CAMP MEETING 1992— REVISITED!

BY R. STEVEN NORMAN III

I“I’m so glad I went to camp meeting. It was so spiritual, and brought so much peace to me that I am going to take my vacation every year at camp meeting.”

This testimony of Judy Thomas of Birmingham is the sentiment shared by many of the thousands who attended the South Central Conference camp meeting at Oakwood College, June 5-13. Using the theme “When We All Get To heaven,” President C. E. Dudley and the Conference staff planned many features that made this camp meeting a success.

Preaching

The preaching was charged with a sense of urgency that everyone seemed to feel. References to this urgency was the table talk at dinner, and the topic of discussion in the shade of Oakwood’s many trees. This powerful preaching came through the ministers of South Central’s team and guest speakers. Dr. E. E. Cleveland preached the first Sabbath sermon, “The Bottom Line,” which caused us to evaluate the depth of our commitment to God. Benjamin Reaves, Oakwood College president, preached “The Power is in the Presence” on the second Sabbath.

He took us to the burning bush experience with Moses and helped us to recognize that all of our power depends on the presence of God in our lives. Guest speakers from the denomination’s radio and television ministries included Walter Arties of Breath of Life, and Lonnie Melashenko of the Voice of Prophecy who brought with him members of the Voice of Prophecy team including Gale Murphy, a member of South Central, from Memphis, Tennessee. Other guest speakers included Willie Lewis, president of the Allegheny East Conference; Deborah Harris; Barbara Jackson Hall; and Laura Smith who spoke on Women’s Ministries Day; S. J. Jackson, stewardship director of the Southeastern Conference; Sandy Robinson from the Review and Herald; Ronnie Vanderhorst who spoke at the youth tent and Robert

Edwards from Southern California, who preached and oversaw the activities at the teen tent.

Youth

As always, the Pathfinder camporee and parade attracted large numbers of youth who participated, and spectators who gathered to watch the drum corps and Pathfinder units march from the youth tent to the Oakwood College church and back led by Dana Edmond, South Central’s youth director, and Allan Williamson, an associate in the Southern Union Conference. A new feature for the Pathfinders this year was a successful Pathfinder Fair.

Michael Faison and his wife Joyce conducted a puppet show entitled, “Urukundo” (a Nigerian for love) each afternoon. This exotic production introduced the children to African culture, helped them respect other cultures and to celebrate global brotherhood.

Seminars

At 9:30 each morning and again at 2:00 each afternoon, people raced to the Moseley Complex where the seminars were offered. Approximately 14 seminars were conducted covering a wide spectrum of interests and needs. The Sanctuary seminar by Dwight Haynes attracted crowds of 100 or more in both morning and afternoon sessions. Other seminars included: Black SDA History, Women’s Issues, Health, Sign Language, Single Parenting, Stewardsship, and Soulwinning. Several seminars were designed to train church officers for more effective ministry.

Baptism

Nine persons were baptized in an early morning baptism service on the final Sabbath of camp meeting. Isador Desouza, a lay pastor, brought two persons for baptism from Stevenson, Alabama. Dorothy Lee, a lady from Huntsville, learned about the Sabbath on Friday and was baptized on Saturday. On Friday she needed some repairs made on her home. She called Aubrey Thompson, a Seventh-day Adventist repairman, who started the job but told her that he would have to finish on Sunday because he did not work on Sabbath. Lee wondered why he did not work on Sabbath. Thompson took the Bible and explained to her why he kept the Sabbath. The Bible study became so exciting, and the answers so convicting that after just a few hours study, they had studied all the doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Then Dorothy asked to be baptized. After a review by one of the ministers at the Oakwood College Church, it was clear that she was ready for baptism. She was among the nine baptized Sabbath morning. God has many people on the verge of salvation who will make decisions for Him when someone opens the word to them. This baptism encouraged other soulwinners to let God lead them to witnessing opportunities.

Ordination

Three ministers were ordained. 0. J. McKinney, ministerial secretary for the Southern Union, challenged the ordainees with a sermon from Ezekiel 33. The three ministers ordained are: Edmund Julius, Michael Ross, and Alonzo Wagner. Julius is originally from South Africa and currently pastors the Natchez, Fayette, and Woodville churches in Mississippi. He is married to the former Averil Fredericks. Michael Ross came to the South Central Conference on the “infiltration program.” As such he was sent to Union Springs, Alabama, and given one year to preach out a church. During the year he raised and organized the First Union Springs church. Ross is currently the pastor of the Franklin and Columbia, Tennessee, churches. He is married to Judy Norford. Alonzo Wagner, Ill, is a third-generation minister and a fifth generation Seventh-day Adventist. Wagner reopened the Adventist church in Covington, Kentucky, and is currently pastoring the Word of Life church in Memphis. He is married to Elizabeth Anne Wagner. t

Elder R. Steven Norman III completed this rich Camp Meeting coverage for Southern Tidings magazine and has recaptured the account for us three decades later. The recently retired, veteran Communication Director for the Southern Union, is making this an active, working retirement.