Camp Meeting Program, Events, & Summer Fellowship

Look forward to our 2024 summer program!

Camp Meeting 2024 is August 3 – 11, 2024.

 

The Program Committee is working diligently to finalize the program of Bible Study, Worship Services, Vespers, and other opportunities for fellowship and sharing faith during Camp Meeting.  Check back in March as the program is finalized.

What's happening at Camp Bethel

Times are displayed in your local time zone. BoD meetings are held 10am EST.

Check out last year's Camp Meeting 2023:

What is Camp Meeting?

In a world of limited vacation time, relentless summer schedules and the continuing 

challenges of the Covid pandemic… we’d like to propose a truly radical thought. 

Considering coming to the banks of the Connecticut River, to the historic charm and 

simple fellowship found during Camp Meeting Week, which will occur this year, 

between July 30th and August 7th


If you have never been, the term “Camp Meeting” originally referred to meetings first held in the mid to late 19th century in which people gathered in tents and temporary dwellings for a short period of time, to worship and fellowship , particularly in rural areas and natural settings. Eventually, faith communities sought and obtained permanent locations and cottages were built where the tent sites were once located, drawing people from far and near for several weeks, usually toward the end of the summer. Today, “Camp Meeting” might better be described as a time devoted to moving from busyness and productivity to setting apart time for genuine “sabbath” rest. Think of it as the opportunity to have a week to engage in spiritual “self-care”. 

July 28 - August 6, 2023

 Camp Meeting July 29 – August 6, 2023

“Journey of Grace”

 

 We are looking forward to a spiritually meaningful Camp Meeting!  All are welcome in this place.  Come join us!

 

All services will be video recorded and posted to Camp Bethel’s YouTube channel.

 

Although still a work in progress with some events to be confirmed, please check the calendar for specific community events; and the preliminary Program is posted below — check it out!

 

We also will send a schedule with contact instructions the week before Camp Meeting to everybody on the mailing list. Please make sure Sue (BethelBulletin@cox.net) has your current email address.

 

The Program Committee is enthused with a growing sense of community we sensed at Camp Meeting last summer and are looking forward to building upon it as we prepare for Camp Meeting 2023.  


Here are some of the reasons that you should consider as you plan to be with us:


        – Sunday services with sermons from Rev. Dr. Jonathan Malone (American Baptist) and Rev. Dennis TeBeest (Reformed Church of America).

       – Bible study Monday through Saturday mornings:  Dr. Malone will lead us on a journey with Paul through the challenges, the hopes, and the joys of Christian faith in the early days.  It will be a journey of grace.

       – Yoga to start the day (with a Christian spiritual bent, and it is just good exercise with a great instructor and fun people).

       – “A Deeper Faith” discussion after lunch each day as we gather to reflect on the morning’s Bible study.

       – Vesper services most evenings before dinner at Fairview Park, including:

                     * Sunday, Monday and Tuesday:  Rev. Tim Haut, Pastor, Deep River Congregational Church

                      * Thursday, Friday and Saturday:  Pastor Dan Whiney of the Manchester Church of the Nazarene.

                       * A “heroes of the faith” segment by Camp members each evening.

       – Contemporary Christianity presentations, including: 

                        *Archives – historian Bill Fournier on the 1873 Time Movement (huh? Come find out); 

                         *Missions – professionals who are focusing on their communities, both close abroad; and                                           *Genealogy – an exploration of the generations of families of Camp and the fascinating                                                 interrelationships and present diversities of faith.

       – Opportunities to socialize and renew friendships , including a “floating” social on the vessel Betty                         Thatcher out of Goodspeed Landing.

        – A family movie night or two.

       – Daily “Ties That Bind” to renew relationships and keep you in the know.

       – And of course, our annual meeting on the first Saturday of Camp Meeting.


Please come to this special place of faith!

 

Summer Worship and Fellowship

Summer Worship and Fellowship at Camp Bethel

We are excited to provide our latest updates on plans to resume the wonderful legacy of Sunday worship at Camp Bethel and to enjoy a summer filled with fellowship.


Easter Sunday 2023

Come join us at 6:15 a.m for a Sunrise Service at Fairview Park:  “He is Risen!”


Summer Worship

The focus for our new summer worship series is to invite an opportunity to better know and share our richly diverse denominational and spiritual identities as Christ followers, and to invite preaching, musical offerings and worship experiences that will enrich, inspire and challenge. Here are some of the worship opportunities and themes that have already been confirmed.

We are working on confirming the Summer 2023 schedule of worship and fellowship events, but in the interim below are the events we had in 2022 so you get a flavor of what we do together outside of Camp Meeting.  Come and join us, all are welcome!

Memorial Day Weekend:  May 29, 2022, 10:00 AM, Theme: “The Last Full Measure of Devotion”

 Rev. William (Bill) White and his wife Susan Babcock White will be leading us in worship. Rev. White spent his life in ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America denomination. Susan recently retired from her distinguished legal practice. Her entire family has a long and devoted history of service to the Camp Bethel community.
 The service will include a shared litany from the Book of Worship for the United States Armed Forces, and we will share some poignant remembrances of two of Camp Bethel’s own who earned or received “Gold Star” status in the Second World War:  2nd Lt. Gordon E Thrall AAF, and Marge Stephens Marsh, (known to most of us as our beloved Marge Gephard), Gold star widow of Technical Sgt. Lawrence P. Marsh.

Sunday, June 19, 2022:  Rev. Dr. Eileen Lindner: “A World Made New”

 Rev. Lindner has preached and spoken around the globe, and is a recognized and passionate advocate for the world’s children. She served as an overseas mission associate for the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Egypt and Lebanon. She was appointed by President Jimmy Carter as the US Commissioner for the International Year of the Child, working in the White House on child welfare policy. She served as Deputy General Secretary of the National Council of Churches from 2009 to 2018 where her duties included a variety of national and international ministries including child advocacy, research studies and planning. She served as Dean of the Chapel at the Children’s Defense Fund’s Annual Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry. She was the founder of the Ecumenical Child Care Network serving 18,000 pre-schools of all denominations nationwide, served as Special Consultant to the Middle East Council of Churches, and was in pastoral ministry for 18 years in the Presbyterian Church of Tenafly, New Jersey.  

Fourth of July Weekend: July 3, 2022: Theme: “Founders Day”

A Celebration of Camp Bethel’s Denominational History

 Rev. Adrian Shepard and his wife Joyce will lead worship for the Fourth of July weekend. Rev. Shephard is a 1963 graduate of Aurora College, and a 1965 graduate from Evangelical Theological Seminary (later renamed Garrett). He was ordained in the Advent Christian Church and served for 10 years in pastoral ministry, served as Executive Director of the ACV for 8 years, and was a regional superintendent in the Appalachian Region. Rev. Shephard then returned to his hometown of Wilmington, NC where he served for 17 years as Senior pastor at the United Advent Christian Church there.  He has served on the Boards of Aurora University, Berkshire Christian College and Advent Christian Village, all institutions familiar to the Camp Bethel family.

 Rev. Shepherd and Joyce also have a rich history here at Camp Bethel. Joyce Hathaway Shephard, as a young child and teen attended Camp Bethel and was Carolyn Welkley’s roommate in college. Rev. Shephard has spoken a number of times at Camp Bethel, and served as director of YPI for two years. It was he who delivered the sermon for Rev. Lee Welkley’s memorial service.

 This service will focus on the spiritual and personal legacy that serves as the foundation of the creation of Camp Bethel, and we expect we’ll hear the voices of those who have gone before. We hope to encourage and personally invite those whose families once were part of Camp Bethel to return to Camp that weekend and celebrate our legacy and theirs. Please let us know if there is someone you would like us to reach out to.  

 One of our candidates for membership, Danielle Bush, who serves as a worship leader at her home church Grace Community Bible Church in Venice, Florida , will be providing special music.

 The service will be followed with our traditional “Tent Fellowship” under the Preachers Tent, to offer welcome and thanksgiving.

First Congregational Church Day at Camp Bethel: July 17, 2022 10:00 AM

 Camp Bethel will welcome back our good friend Rev. Tim Haut, who we hope will bring with him the entire congregation of our neighbors from First Congregational Church in Deep River, a United Church of Christ, to join us in worship. We are excited to celebrate the warm and growing relationship we are enjoying with this wonderful congregation. From our history of enjoying Rev. Haut as poet, writer, and preacher at Camp Meetings to the exciting week this June with their youth volunteering here at Camp, we have a lot to celebrate with our neighbors! 

 The service will be followed by our traditional “Tent Fellowship.”

Labor Day Weekend Closing Worship: September 4, 2022, 10 AM

A service of Thanksgiving for a Summer of Blessings, “How can I keep from singing”

 While we are awaiting final confirmation of our preacher for that Sunday, our service will be a gathering of Thanksgiving with a special focus on music. Our former Camp Meeting Minister of Music, Kay Healy Wedsworth, will be joining us to share her gifts and perhaps direct some of us in some special musical offerings.

How you can help?

 Would you like to participate in any of these worship services? Would you like to share in reading scripture, offering prayer? Singing? Playing an Instrument? Would you be willing to provide flowers for our chapel? Could you help out with bringing a snack for our Tent fellowship, or making coffee? We can use everyone to make our summer worship series something special while enjoying the blessings of hospitality and fellowship.

 We are already planning for Worship Series 2023.  Do you have someone you would like to recommend to come to preach, or lead worship? Please let us know! Our vision of celebrating our spiritual diversity is only possible when we are willing to share it.

 Next year, look for a “Prayer and Praise Sunday”, and a “Retreat on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola” among other wonderful ideas for our Summer worship Series.  

Summer Fellowship Events

Memorial Day Weekend: May 28 and May 30

  • Dessert Pot Luck, Saturday, May 29, 2022, 7:30 p.m.  Come for an informal Dessert Pot Luck under the Preacher’s Stand.  Bring something sweet to share, or just bring yourself!
  • Memorial Day Flag raising and observance: 10:00 a.m., Fairview Park. Special Music to be played by the DeGuilo family. Memorial Flag from the Naval Reservist and late CBA President Chester Apy.

Founders Weekend: July 2 -4th

  • Family Mini Golf Tournament:  Saturday July 2, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Family and “like-family” groups will have a mini golf tournament. Various prizes given for different “categories” (best golf outfit, youngest golfer, oldest golfer). Children of all ages welcomed. Sign up will be posted. 
  • 2nd Annual S’mores Campfire Get-Together: Sunday July 3, 2022, 7:00 p.m.  Members are invited to bring ingredients for “gourmet smores.” Expect some music and conversation around Memorial Hall Camp fire. Rain date July 4th.

Labor Day Weekend:

  • Garden Walk and Cottage Tour, Saturday, September 3.  Camp Bethel Cottage owners (particularly those with “historic” feel) are encouraged to sign up to welcome visitors as they are invited to walk the grounds of Camp Bethel . A self-guided map of open cottages will be provided, and members will be invited to be present in and around our historic buildings to answer questions. Exact  time TBD.
  • Labor Day Campfire Concert, Sunday, September 4, 7:30 p.m.  We’ll be inviting members of the Camp Bethel family and extended family to share their musical talents at a concert to be held outdoors at the Memorial Hall Camp fire. Early rumored talent includes the wonderful Lauren Allen and “The Apy Brothers.”  We welcome others to join in this wonderful musical gathering.

For more information or to assist in ANY of our upcoming activities, please email Tricia Apy, Cottage #22 (Purple Cottage) papy@parasapyreiss.com.

A final word… most of all… pray for us, for Camp Bethel, and for all those who will come to our beautiful community this summer that they may see Christ.

Tricia Apy, CBA Worship & Fellowship Committee