What a tremendous blessing it was to be at campmeeting, Lake Junaluska, 2010. Opening night unveiled the theme, "Reflecting God's Love". Karl Haffner, the nightly speaker, set the tone for the entire week as he began to explain the crucial importance of how we are to be used as reflectors of the love of God. Throughout the week he, as well as all the other speakers and seminar presenters unfolded the statement of Jesus, "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another," and how it is actually enacted in the life. And certainly this statement of Jesus is true. Regardless of whatever else we may do in life or how meticulous we may be if we don't demonstrate true love and caring to those around us it is as the apostle Paul put it, "a clanging symbol."

Pastor Shawn Boonstra, speaker/director of the 'It is written' television program concluded the weekend by challenging us to take the Gospel into our own communities and to share the good news of Jesus' soon return. I also want to say a thank you to our music committee for the wonderful music that was provided throughout the week. If you were unable to attend I hope you will take time and watch the evening and weekend services online. I know you will be blessed.

On the final evening the annual Carolina Breakthrough offering total was announced. It was over $133,000. While shy of the goal of $175,000 before I had left the auditorium an additional $10,000 had been donated or pledged. Thank you to the many hundreds of people who are sacrificing to see this last day message go into all corners of the Carolinas.

Next year, 2011, the nightly speaker at Lake Junaluska will be Elder Derek Morris. Derek is currently the pastor of the Forest Lake Seventh-day Adventist church in Apopka, FL. He is also a well know author and weekly contributor for the Sabbath School lesson seen on the Hope Channel. The weekend speaker will be Elder Dwight Nelson, pastor of the Pioneer Memorial church in Berrien Springs, MI. I know both of these will bring a powerful blessing to our camp meeting.

This year, 2010, Eastern Carolina Camp meeting will take a different approach. Our long time facility on Oak Island changed their policy this year relative to lodging and meal plans which increased the cost to those attending several fold. The camp meeting committee felt it made it cost prohibitive for most families to afford. Therefore, we will be having two identical camp meeting Sabbaths for eastern Carolina in October. On Sabbath, October 16 all the churches in the north section of Eastern Carolina are being invited to come to the Greenville, NC church for a full day of worship and fellowship together. On October 23, the same program will take place at the Summerville, SC church for those located in the southern part of Eastern Carolina.

Ty Gibson, well known speaker and author will be delivering three messages each Sabbath. For those of you who have heard Pastor Gibson in the past you know you won't want to miss this high Sabbath. There will also be wonderful music as well as other special presentations that will make the day one not to be missed. So, mark your calendars now for these two important Sabbaths. More information will be coming on the Conference website as well as through your church bulletins as we get nearer to the date.

Many of you are planning on attending the General Conference session in Atlanta, GA beginning on June 24. This is the closest that this convocation has ever been held to the Carolinas. In addition to the business of the church I know we will all be blessed by the worship services that will take place. You can find a complete schedule at the GC website, SDA.org

One of the events that is leading up to the General Conference session is the journey of a special Bible that has traveled around the world and will conclude its journey at the GC session in Atlanta. This Bible will be making a stop in the Carolinas on June 20. In fact, it is the last stop prior to reaching Atlanta. The Arden church is hosting this stop on its journey and invites all of you to come and attend. You can see the days schedule at ardenadventist.org

Tomorrow, I will be in the Marion, NC church and look forward to worshipping with our church family there. My prayer, as always, is that each of you will have a blessed Sabbath as we worship our Lord together.

Your friend,
Jim