Reflections: The final day of Eaton Rapids Campmeeting 2021
This entry is for July 25th, 2021
Campmeeting
I've been attending ERC for most of my life. The short time each year where I've come has lit a fire in my heart, and in the past five years, has emboldened me further. I find healing, reinforcement, teaching, and a glimpse of the kind of peace only brought by the Holy Spirit. Even though I missed a couple days this year, what I've found this year has been remarkable. Before I continue, I'd like to share several images that I took this year.
On the banks of the River Grand...
These grounds are dedicated to the Glory of God.
Galilean service: Candles float down the river during worship.
The peaceful calm of the river.
Towering trees provide ample shade for the many attendees.
The tabernacle was built many years ago and still serves as a place to receive teaching and the good news with open ears and open hearts.
The ice cream shop! :D
Japanese practice
I've been learning the Hiragana writing system using Duolingo, putting in some time each day. When I have a few minutes free, I've been trying to pull out Duolingo instead of wasting my time. I'm delighted to say that I've started recognizing some of what people are writing on Sudo Haiku without machine translation, though not really any of the kanji yet.
Sermon notes
While these are a bit shorter, this was a great message. There was an object lesson at the end where, starting with one person, it was demonstrated how just one person reaching out to share the message of Christ, and then each of those doing the same repeatedly with just one person, can spread rapidly. Rev Coleman started with a simple song: The word Hallelujah repeated four times. I ended up picked second since I was up near the front. For each repetition, we went out and brought another person up until we surrounded the tabernacle. For maybe a hundred people, it only took about 8 times.
Jerry Coleman
Isaiah 6:1-8
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
We start with Isaiah's vision: the whole earth filled with the glory of God!
Story: A company in the 1960s with a vision, a grand vision to have their company's product in the hands of every person in the world! (Coca Cola)
They held rallies, they strategized daily, for years! Now, no matter what, everywhere, there it is! Coca Cola.
How does that company have a greater passion to spread their product than the church does to spread the good news?
"Touch me, Father! So that I may bring the good news of Jesus to every person of every nation!"
How do we reach so many people, as just a few people?
What's the fastest way to transform society?
One person at a time!
After the message...
There's a tradition at ERC at the conclusion of the final service, where we link hands to sing the Lord's Prayer, raising our arms together in a ring around the tabernacle at the end of the song. It was a bit different this year as we were still rather careful about safety, but here is a video I took a few years back (sorry, my voice is a little overpowering due to how the video was taken)
