“Those who welcomed [Peter’s] message
were baptized, and that day about 3000 persons were
added. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:41-42)
In the early
1800s, the American frontier was an untamed, unruly wilderness. But the Methodists, Baptists, and
Presbyterians soon found a way to reach the rugged frontier people with
God's message of salvation: “Revivalism” with its hallmark, the CAMP MEETING,
soon spread throughout the region.
Hundreds
(often thousands) of people would gather together from all parts of a territory
to shout, sing, pray, and hear rousing preaching and personal testimony. Often all of these would be going on at the
same time in different parts of the camp, and people would drift from one
speaker to another, listening and joining in whenever the Spirit led. People would eat, sleep, and pray together
under a tent or log-cabin often for weeks on end, and masses were turned away
from sin and to Christ.
While it’s
true that there are not as many real “Camp Meetings” around today, our church
is blessed to continue to be part of one (Marietta Camp Meeting) that has been
integral to our very history. In fact,
many years ago, our church actually developed out of one of the great revivals
that took place there, and for many years we were known as “Campground
Methodist Church.”
To honor this
great heritage and tradition, Sunday July 28th we join with our
spiritual “parents” at Marietta Campground to worship under the arbor across
the street in ONE COMBINED 11am SERVICE (no 9:30am service), complete with old
favorite hymns, informal dress, revival-style preaching, and great fellowship.
