Outreach Stories of Faith Told at Washington Camp Meeting Seventh-day Adventists, primarily from western Washington, gathered in June for 10 days of spiritual enrichment and inspiration, building relationships, and camping. In the midst of camp meeting activities, friends—old and new—shared stories of God's blessings. Even Washington Camp Meeting speakers shared their stories. William Johnsson, Adventist Review and Adventist World editor and first weekend speaker, shared five scenes from his life. “I’m just an ordinary servant who does what God says. The glory isn’t for Bill Johnsson, but for God,” Johnsson said before encouraging the audience of more than 4,000 to share their personal stories. “Every one of us has a great story. Go back…tell people what God’s done for you.” All aspects of camp meeting emphasized "It's All About Jesus," from classes on Sabbath School leadership, to disaster preparedness, to Adventurer/Pathfinder leadership, to daily presentations by Jack Sequeira, retired minister; Randy Maxwell, prayer leader and pastor; Heather-Dawn Small, General Conference women's ministry director; and Dick Duerksen, Florida Hospital assistant vice president for mission development. Besides speaker's stories each evening, Bruce Koch, Washington Conference evangelism coordinator, interviewed new members who joined the Adventist church in the last year. These individuals—a former Methodist minister, a family, a young woman who struggled with depression, and others—all shared how Jesus made a difference in their lives. Jere Patzer, North Pacific Union Conference president, originally scheduled to speak at camp meeting, instead shared a brief message via telephone during the second Sabbath services where Duerksen filled in for Patzer. "Cancer wasn't on my agenda or plan," Patzer said. "[I’ve learned that] I'm not God's coach; I'm His child." Additional evangelism funding will be available for churches and ministries in the coming year to “Tell Everyone: It’s All About Jesus” after camp meeting evangelism offerings resulted in donations and pledges totaling $214,526.86. The final Sabbath morning offering alone was more than $100,000—the largest evangelism offering ever received at one time in Washington Conference history. The conclusion of camp meeting did not signal the end of storytelling. People are still telling everyone about Jesus by sharing their stories online at http://washingtonconference.org.
Outreach
Stories of Faith Told at Washington Camp Meeting
Seventh-day Adventists, primarily from western Washington, gathered in June for 10 days of spiritual enrichment and inspiration, building relationships, and camping.
In the midst of camp meeting activities, friends—old and new—shared stories of God's blessings. Even Washington Camp Meeting speakers shared their stories. William Johnsson, Adventist Review and Adventist World editor and first weekend speaker, shared five scenes from his life.
“I’m just an ordinary servant who does what God says. The glory isn’t for Bill Johnsson, but for God,” Johnsson said before encouraging the audience of more than 4,000 to share their personal stories. “Every one of us has a great story. Go back…tell people what God’s done for you.”
All aspects of camp meeting emphasized "It's All About Jesus," from classes on Sabbath School leadership, to disaster preparedness, to Adventurer/Pathfinder leadership, to daily presentations by Jack Sequeira, retired minister; Randy Maxwell, prayer leader and pastor; Heather-Dawn Small, General Conference women's ministry director; and Dick Duerksen, Florida Hospital assistant vice president for mission development.
Besides speaker's stories each evening, Bruce Koch, Washington Conference evangelism coordinator, interviewed new members who joined the Adventist church in the last year. These individuals—a former Methodist minister, a family, a young woman who struggled with depression, and others—all shared how Jesus made a difference in their lives.
Jere Patzer, North Pacific Union Conference president, originally scheduled to speak at camp meeting, instead shared a brief message via telephone during the second Sabbath services where Duerksen filled in for Patzer.
"Cancer wasn't on my agenda or plan," Patzer said. "[I’ve learned that] I'm not God's coach; I'm His child."
Additional evangelism funding will be available for churches and ministries in the coming year to “Tell Everyone: It’s All About Jesus” after camp meeting evangelism offerings resulted in donations and pledges totaling $214,526.86. The final Sabbath morning offering alone was more than $100,000—the largest evangelism offering ever received at one time in Washington Conference history.
The conclusion of camp meeting did not signal the end of storytelling. People are still telling everyone about Jesus by sharing their stories online at http://washingtonconference.org.
Bruce Koch, evangelism coordinator for Washington Conference, and Paul Coneff, Cedarhome pastor, pray with four people before they share their story of faith during Washington Camp Meeting. (Heidi Martella)
On the final evening, Dick Duerksen challenged camp meeting attendees to share their stories of trust, faith and sharing. A selection of these stories are available online at http://washingtonconference.org. (Heidi Martella)
Dick Duerksen stepped into the Sabbath morning speaking role for NPUC president Jere Patzer, who is receiving intense treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Patzer shared a message of faith and hope during a telephone interview. (Heidi Martella)
When the first telephone connection with Jere Patzer, NPUC president, cut out, Bonney Lake Pastor Ken Parker held a cell phone up to a microphone so Patzer could share his greetings and a message to a crowd of more than 4,000 Adventists at camp meeting. (Heidi Martella)
Washington Conference administrators John Freedman, Doug Bing and Joel Tompkins present the 2006 camp meeting evangelism offering results of more than $214,000 over the $150,000 goal. The camp meeting evangelism offering goal for 2007 is $250,000. (Heidi Martella)
Two Washington Conference pastors interview three candidates for baptism. In all, five people were baptized at camp meeting.
Evangelism coordinator Bruce Koch and Pastor Martin Kim interview Diana Riesenberger about her testimony just before she's baptized at Washington Camp Meeting. (Heidi Martella)
While parents attend the meetings, children also had fun singing and learning about Jesus in their divisions. (Heidi Martella)
