VICTOR CARREIRO
Central California Conference
Soquel for the Young
Pastor Don MacLafferty preaches with Abby Tymn.
The report centered on the collaborative three-day Bridges to Health event in San Francisco and Oakland, which served approximately 3,000 Bay Area residents with free health care. Following a summary video, a panel of event organizers, health care providers, conference leaders and volunteers inspired attendees with multiple behind-the-scenes stories. Cano concluded the discussion by announcing plans to host a Bridges to Health event in Soquel during 2016. The report hit home with those in attendance. “We were reminded of the need to work together to finish the task of spreading the gospel and ministering to people around us,” reflected Driver.
VICTOR CARREIRO
remarked George Johnson, CCC assistant to the president, who conducted several of the interviews. “All camp meeting attendees were reminded again that God Himself meets us, walks with us, and warms our hearts as we partner with Him in ministry.” Two feature presentations highlighted each of the two camp meeting weekends. The first focused on Central’s emphasis on reaching out to the relatively unreached Hmong people group, which has a significant presence in the Central Valley area of California. Ramiro Cano reported the success of a first-of-its-kind evangelistic series for Hmong residents, and a short video followed the life of a Hmong volunteer who is the creative force behind a Hmong evangelistic television program in Fresno, Calif. In addition, Neng Lee, pastor of the Hmong group in Fresno, conducted a special baptism for a new Hmong believer to a backdrop of a couple Spanish tent participants worship together. dozen Hmong members on the platform wearing colorful native dress. The second weekend focused on the Bridges initiative, launched last year by both Central and Northern California conferences in the Bay Area. Soquel En Español MARK BRUNIG In addition to the main auditorium, a tent with seating for approximately 2,000 served Spanish-speaking attendees with a cadre of inspirational programming. Alongside messages shared by various CCC pastors, Jose Esposito, Hispanic coordinator for the Potomac Conference, spoke on the camp meeting theme, while Julian Melgosa, professor of education and psychology at Walla Walla University, shared insights into optimum brain health. Other speakers touched on the issue of healthy living, as well, including Esther Alonso-Neal, who spoke on topics including the original diet and the benefits of exercise. Wilson also shared a message with Hispanic attendees. Perhaps the highlight of the Spanish tent experience was a baptismal service during which 31 people were baptized. While waiting for her baptism, one woman expressed, “I have found what I have been looking for all my life, my Jesus!” The Saturday morning service lasted far beyond its scheduled time-block, yet the tent remained full until 1:20 p.m. for a worship service which was to follow the baptismal service.
Another feature of the Soquel camp meeting is a wide variety of children’s, youth and young adult programming. Throughout the event, sounds of voices learning, singing, praising, laughing and playing echoed from tents situated around the campus. In the beginner’s tent (ages 0-3), children and their parents sang songs, engaged in activities, and learned many Engaging children’s programming drew hundreds to each tent. ways to share Jesus. October 2014
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