On Campmeeting, or Not...

So, sometimes we, as people, even followers of Christ - perhaps especially as His followers - have difficult decisions to make. Should I go to this event, or sponsor that one? Should I give here, there, or the other place, or possible all three? Where will my time be spent most wisely? What about my finances, my talents, and other resources?

For those in the Pacific NW, and part of the Church of God (Anderson, IN) movement, this week was Campmeeting, held over at my own alma mater, Warner Pacific College. And over the years, the meetings have changed, shifted, morphed some; we've been three or four different grounds since I began attending even before I was born (though I was close!).

This year, I had to make one of those coach-y decisions: work on researching and writing the book I've begun, go to Campmeeting, or try for some happy medium of the two.

While my aim was this third angle - to research and write but also attend some of the conferences, I found that I was getting more out of what I was researching - related to Christianity and history - than most of the conferences sounded than they would. For the first time ever, I only attended two, and I am thankful for those.

On Monday, I went to hear the man I had known as school chaplain, as well as a ministry partner of his, on a discussion on unity. And today, I had the privilege of listening to, for the first time, listen to a fantastic speaker and theologian on the topic of holiness, and more specifically, as it went on, Wesleyan Holiness, of which this movement is a part.

For me, these two topics are the laces keeping the shoe on, or as some would say, the girdle set. Unity, and Holiness. We really can't have one without the other, can we? Not if we are Wesleyan, and not if we believe that God set us apart to be holy as He is holy.

This week, I set myself apart. I worked on my book - more than a hundred pages of it - and I interacted with others through the process, spending time in conversations, not only about the book, but the movement, about holiness, unity, life. This week was like a full-length examen that didn't stop, and it was wonderful.

So, while this may be the last time Campmeeting is the way I will remember it from the time I was a child, and though they may change the name aside from the format, I will remember this week. I will remember the unity, and the holiness, the fellowship, the writing and research accomplished, and I will remember the faces of loved ones, new and old, who have walked the path of examen with me; the path of life.

To all of you out there, I hope it was a blessed week...