Bluewater Camp Meeting Attendees Reminded to Trust God “Amidst the Waves”

Surrounded by fertile fields, flowing rivers and the late-summer leafy trees of central Ontario, members of the Hanover, Harriston, and Owen Sound churches joined together with other guests for the Bluewater Camp Meeting. This year it was held on September 12 at the Elmwood Recreational Centre, near Hanover, Ontario. The theme was “Discipline of Discipleship.” Pastor Frankie Lazarus and Dr. Kevin Benta were the main presenters.

In his morning sermon “Walking on Water,” Pastor Frankie Lazarus retold the story of Jesus’ rescue of Peter amidst the waves of the Sea of Galilee. He challenged listeners to cry out “Lord, save me!” along with Peter. Pastor Lazarus pointed out that the weather was still rough after the rescue, but Jesus saves despite storms and danger that surround us. Pastor Lazarus continued with an afternoon talk about using the principle of “remix,” where he encouraged attendees to contextualize the everlasting gospel for today's world.

To conclude the day’s presentations, Dr. Kevin Benta spoke about Risk Management issues church leaders need to be aware of to protect people whenever or wherever they gather. He noted that Risk Management could turn into the much more difficult and costly “Crisis Management” if steps aren’t taken to prepare for potential safety issues.

Arlene Lanting, a member of Harriston church who attended the meeting, commented, “The sermons were fantastic."

Blue Water Camp Meeting has been held for over 15 years as an annual event involving joint coordination between Hanover, Harriston, and Owen Sound in the Near North Ministerial District in Ontario.

Pastor Andrew Marttinen
Owen Sound and Hanover Seventh-day Adventist Churches