Seventh-day Adventists Retreat for Revival

[Key Guy]

From the San Jose Mercury News, California, USA

http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_12888596?nclick_check=1

Quote:

SOQUEL -- Hundreds of RVs and canvas tents formed neat rows around the central meeting hall, transforming the Seventh-day Adventists Conference Center in Soquel into its own mini-society.

More than 5,200 campers hunkered down for the 10-day event, which runs through Saturday. The summer retreat has been held at the conference center since 1948. Ceremonies on Saturdays, the Sabbath for Seventh-day Adventists, draw about 10,000 worshippers to the grounds.

"This is the most campers we have ever seen," said Caron Oswald, vice president of communications for the meeting. "It seems that people are trying to bring more and more family and friends, even when we sell out every year."

See slide show

The theme of the conference was "victory in Jesus," which permeated every activity, from sermons to exercise seminars, concerts to youth activities.

Brianna Barragan, 9, spent most of her time in the "primary tent," an activity center dedicated to educating kids 7-9 about her religion and morals.

"I learned a lot about being an artist, respecting people and fire safety," said Barragan, who attended the conference last year. "I make friends here, and we get to dance and sing in the tent."

Each age-oriented tent has activities coordinated with the main sermons, which allowed parents the leisure to worship and gave kids activities that get them engaged, said the primary tent leader, Amber Hurd.

"It helps reinforce that they are secure in their beliefs," Hurd said. "We give them a chance to get closer to each other and to God."

In addition to special activities for different age groups, the Seventh-day Adventists camp meeting also catered to Spanish-speaking communities.

Nestled at the base of a eucalyptus grove stood the Spanish meeting hall, where the Rev. Keith Mulligan watched the Rev. Inskip Allsop speak to a fraction of the 3,000 Latino camp attendees about "evangelism without fear" at noon Tuesday.

"It is so important for us to be able to reach out to every branch of the community," Mulligan said. "Everyone deserves to know the love of God."

(photos online)

[Woody]

Been to the Soquel campmeeting for many years. As a kid I would slide down the hillsides behind the grounds .... on cardboard.

The best stories were told by Josephine Cunningham Edwards.

Great Memories.

[wayfinder]

Redwood,

I have been to Soquel campmeeting many years ago. I too slid down that same hill on cardboard and had the guy in the location booth speak to me directly to get my... off that hill. My dad was a pastor in central calif. conference and he was gone for a month when campmeeting time came around. Also went to the boardwalk in Santa Cruz. Great memories huh!

[Woody]

lol.

I would have told that guy to get off his duff and tell the 100 other kids what he told you. He just might have a revolt on his hands from the parents. That hill was the best babysitter that Soquel could provide.

[Gerr]

Been to the Soquel campmeeting for many years. As a kid I would slide down the hillsides behind the grounds .... on cardboard.

The best stories were told by Josephine Cunningham Edwards.

Great Memories.

And we may have crossed paths and didn't know it! Been to at least 2 Soquel camp meeting while we were living in Madera back in the 70's. Biggest camp meeting I've ever been to.

[phkrause]

Sounds great, that's probably why you guys have so much in common.

Have a good Sabbath Gerry.

pk

[Woody]

Originally Posted By: Redwood

Been to the Soquel campmeeting for many years. As a kid I would slide down the hillsides behind the grounds .... on cardboard.

The best stories were told by Josephine Cunningham Edwards.

Great Memories.

And we may have crossed paths and didn't know it! Been to at least 2 Soquel camp meeting while we were living in Madera back in the 70's. Biggest camp meeting I've ever been to.

Well .... we we're too far apart. I was living in Fresno in the 70s. But, we've grown apart since then.

[wayfinder]

I was living in Bakersfield in the 60's and attended every Soquel campmeeting until 1970. I still remember the wonderful smells of vegge chicken wafting on the breese from the cook cabins. Ahh those were the days.

[Woody]

The smells I remember were of the sewer problems when everyone had to shower on Friday before the Sabbath. Then the smell of body oder because they didn't shower on Sabbath. The next problem was the garbage that piled up because they couldn't pick it up on Sabbath. The little rodants were happy about it though.

lol ... what pickles we can get ourselves in .... in the name of legalism.

[wayfinder]

I remember the smell of hot canvas when we were staying in the tent section, K32, wow I still remember the number. The last few years though we were in the trailer section, that was a completely different experience.

[LynnDel]

Hardly any tents left now, compared to how it used to be.

LD

[LynnDel]

They still have tents on the terraces, but the meadows are all full of RVs and trailers.