Virtual Camp Meeting Brings Chesapeake Members Together

Members from around Chesapeake Conference tuned in online for this year’s virtual camp meeting, “The Gathering: Empowered to Share,” which aired from June 15 to 19.  The Gathering featured more than 40 hours of original content and included on-location broadcasts from each region of the conference.

The featured speaker was Carlton Byrd, senior pastor of the Oakwood University church (Huntsville, Ala.) and speaker and director of Breath of Life Ministries, whose six messages focused on personal revival. Throughout the week, viewers could access seminars on topics such evangelism, health and last day events, as well as a nightly family worship program for kids and additional programs for juniors, youth and young adults.

“The Camp Meeting experience is an annual high point for our conference,”  says Andre Hastick, executive secretary of Chesapeake Conference and camp meeting coordinator. “We were determined to not let the pandemic prevent us from experiencing the joy of The Gathering. Through a virtual format, we were able to stay connected in worship, seminars and activities for every age group. Even in this unique time, the evidence of the Sprit moving across our conference remains, as testimonies of changed lives inspire us to continue to pursue the mission together throughout the four regions of our conference.”

The Gathering included broadcasts from the Park church in Salisbury, Maryland, the West Wilmington church in Wilmington, Delaware, the Washington-Spencerville Korean church in Silver Spring, Maryland and the Martinsburg church in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The Sabbath morning and evening services were broadcast from the campus of Highland View Academy in Hagerstown, Maryland.

“What a great blessing camp meeting was this year, especially considering how it was all virtual,” says Jerry Lutz, president of Chesapeake Conference. “While we had hoped to be together on the campus of Highland View Academy, this was the next best thing. I can’t wait for camp meeting next year when we will, Lord willing, be able to gather in person again after two, long years of being apart.”

Chesapeake Conference’s next camp meeting is scheduled for June 14-18, 2022 and will feature Ty Gibson, director and speaker for Light Bearers, as the featured camp meeting speaker.