Easter camp has rapidly approached and then slowly sailed away. Really, where does the time go?
Down our way, the theme was Amazing Grace, and many of the talks honed in on the miraculous nature of our Holy Spirit experience which is we didn’t deserve, but God gave us anyway. God’s mercy was prophesied to be poured out on all people, and we are the recipients of that grace. Warrnambool Assembly always puts in top effort to host and organise the camp, and so due thanks to them!
On Friday, I led the testimony night again. This night is always an amazing kick off to the camp because it is led by the stories of God’s power in people’s lives. We heard some testimonies from the local western Victorians, heard from some interstaters, and lucky last was a new person who was baptised and Spirit-filled just weeks ago! Pretty spectacular to have that fresh experience talked about from the front as inspiration for everyone listening.
Saturday and Sunday were jam-packed with meetings book-ending each day, whilst there were organised events happening all over town. There was a singing outreach across the road from the Port Fairy Easter festival which brought a lot of eager listeners and some people got to hear about how God can work in their lives. There were organised group walks to the red lighthouse (of course), tennis and late night boardgames at the Lodge in the caravan park. Unsurprisingly, the Youngies did get a light talking-to about their excitable shouting late at night. I’d like to say I wasn’t part of that but, well…
We had a range of items on the two main nights, with grand piano improvisations, oldies singing goldies, youngies singing new things, and I was “volunteered” for a game called “Professor Know-It-All.” Indubitably.
How else might I paint a sufficient picture for you? Port Fairy for Easter is one of those precious places that is cold and windy because while it is near the ocean and the full moon is whipping nature into a frenzy, it is also full of people who are happy to be among good company and share in God’s Holy Spirit which at least makes it metaphorically warm. But really, cold swims to wake you up in the morning and a cool breeze to keep your skin feeling fresh all day are free luxuries in these expensive times.
After all the talks surrounding the topic, I at the very least felt a renewed gratefulness for the forgiveness of God and the gift of speaking in tongues in my life. At most, I felt a feeling to connect more with my spiritual brothers and sisters who share in that mercy. It’s always worth taking the chance to get to know the children of God a little better than before, and never too late to start.
