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Delegates are challenged to “Listen, Laugh, Learn, Lead.”
Cascade Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Judy Smith and a group of Salvation Army doughnut girls welcomed 255 delegates to Camp Kuratli in Boring, Ore., for the 2014 Cascade Family Bible Camp, themed “Listen, Laugh, Learn, Lead.”
Dressed in antique uniforms, a songster brigade opened camp in old-fashioned open-air meeting style–albeit indoors. Everyone joined in on “combat songs,” concluding with “Come join our Army and get a gospel gun; Shoot at the devil if you want to see him run!” The opening program also included histories of some of the division’s officer families.
“[We] were reminded of the rich heritage that we Salvationists have in the West,” said Major John Stennett, Salem Kroc Center corps officer. “Ever since Captain Mary Stillwell fired the first gospel shots in Portland in 1887, the Army in the Cascade Division has continued to grow and to claim souls for Jesus.”
After the opening celebration, the group marched out for the evening snack: doughnuts served by the doughnut girls.
Lt Colonels Doug and Diane O’Brien, territorial secretary for personnel and community care ministries secretary, respectively, led the camp, supported by Majors Jim and Cathi Boyd, territorial risk management secretary and corps mission development director, respectively, and Major Tom Ford, territorial correctional services secretary.
Teaching from 1 Samuel 3:1-10, Diane O’Brien noted that Hannah, Samuel and Eli all listened to God and responded in faith. She challenged delegates to do likewise, that they might experience the intimacy of being used by God to accomplish his will.
Samy Tanagho, an Egyptian Christian who started a ministry to evangelize Muslims in Orange County, Calif., and the world, led a seminar.
“I thought the workshop was amazing,” Major Dennis Trimmer said. “It is a real wakeup call to the church that there are lives to be won to Jesus, and the only way to do it is to reach out to those whom sometimes we are afraid of.”
Other workshops covered the history of the Army’s position on the sacraments (led by Doug O’Brien) and serving the LGBT community (by Dr. Michael Smith and Majors Bob and Rhonda Lloyd).
Attendees enjoyed outdoor recreation time, too, and many participated in Thursday’s Kuratli Carnival and Friday’s Pool Party. The ComedySportz troupe performed competition-based improvisational skits.
The Divisional Youth Band and Divisional Youth Chorus performed at Friday night’s youth-focused meeting, along with several soloists. Three Commissioner Sunbeam awards were announced–Nicole Duran, Kyleeann Wills and Samantha Dean (all from the Roseburg Corps)–and Sarah Ray received her five-year graduation certificate from the corps cadet program. The meeting included a send-off for the division’s five accepted candidates for the officer training college: Larry Carmichael, Amber Ohl, Lisa Marie Richards, Brian Campbell and Joleen Campbell.
More celebrations occurred Saturday, as many junior soldiers, adherents and senior soldiers enrolled over the past year were recognized. Each corps presented its World Services collection, with a grand total of $477,541. In addition, a collection to send a delegate from Lithuania–Cascade’s Partner in Ministry nation–to the 2015 international congress raised $10,635.
Closing the meeting, Doug O’Brien explained how individuals are predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus; this is God’s will. Although people live with an “illusion of the end of history” and imagine that they cannot change; they are changing nonetheless.
O’Brien asked, “As long as you are changing anyway, who do you want to be like?”
