Road Trip: Camp Meeting Sunday

Understanding the origins of a tradition always deepens our appreciation for the events we celebrate. This Sunday, July 19, Northbrook United Methodist Church will host “Camp Meeting Sunday.” This worship service will feature heartfelt music designed to warm the hearts and souls of everyone in attendance. You don’t want to miss this! For some, the service will evoke precious memories of days gone by; for others, it will spark a desire to learn more about the early days of Methodism.
 
A camp meeting is a unique outdoor singing and preaching service that has, unfortunately, been overlooked by more modern historians. Historically, participants arrived on foot, on horseback, or by wagon to camp for days or even weeks, often living in tents. Methodists can trace these roots back to the rather controversial method of outdoor preaching started by John and Charles Wesley in England. Though the Church of England looked upon this with disfavor, it forever transformed the ministry and influence of the Wesleyan movement. While these services were never an official institution of the Methodist Episcopal Church, preachers widely adopted them to gain new converts and revitalize the spiritual life of their congregations. 
 
Bishop Francis Asbury championed the results of camp meetings, encouraging Quarterly Conferences to transition into camp meetings whenever feasible. He once wrote, “Methodists are all for camp meetings.” Asbury documented one of the earliest Methodist camp meetings, held in 1803 near Old Fort, close to Brownsville, Pennsylvania, which drew an estimated four thousand people in a single day.  Preparing the grounds required significant effort: underbrush and fallen trees were cleared, trees were felled and made into rough-hewn pews, and an altar rail was constructed “for the penitents and mourners.” Saw dust was frequently scattered down the center aisle and around the altar, giving rise to the classic expression of sinners “hitting the saw dust trail.” At night, fire stands or elevated posts illuminated the grounds. Interestingly, some camp meetings appointed “runners” - typically young boys tasked with guarding the campsite and chasing away any wild hogs or wolves that might interrupt the service. 
 
Each family chose their own spot and pitched a tent. Through the years, the more loyal attendees would replace these tents with cabins, yet these cabins are affectionately called “tents” today.
 
Having had the opportunity to sing and play at several camp meeting services in recent years, I can attest to how wonderful the experience is and how deeply it connects us to our Methodist legacy. I invite you and your family to take a summer afternoon drive to explore one of these historic sites, where you can still see the tents and the tabernacle.  Two nearby, active Methodist camp meetings are in our area: Marietta Campground (est. 1837) and Holbrook Campground in Alpharetta (est. 1838).
 
Come join us on Camp Meeting Sunday where we will praise the Lord in song and hear the message of the unconditional love of God to all. 
 
With Joy,
 
Dr. Chad M. Hunt
Director of Worship & Music