Rain threatened to curtail this year's Gladstone Camp Meeting crowds as it began on Tuesday, July 17. People were seen wearing garbage bags as raincoats and creating tarpaulin canopies over and around their tents and RVs.

Though the clouds hung overhead throughout the weekend, people came with their umbrellas, raincoats, and extra sets of clothing for the kids to enjoy the fellowship, speakers and music of the event.

This year's camp meeting explored the theme of inspiration. Speakers this year included Shawn Boonstra, It Is Written International Television speaker/director, John McVay, Walla Walla University president, George Knight, Andrews University Church History professor emeritus, Craig Newborn, Oakwood Ellen G. White Estate office director, and Jud Lake, Southern Adventist University Preaching and Adventist Studies professor.

The Ellen G. White Summit was repeated with added information beginning Wednesday morning and continuing through Friday afternoon.

As one of the additions to the program this year, Thursday was proclaimed Education Day. Banners were posted around campus encouraging Adventist education, and meeting-goers sported school shirts from across the country. Camp meeting also featured an ongoing health seminar. Each day brought morning and afternoon cooking demonstrations as well as health lectures on such things as wine, super foods, and building family values through the time spent eating together. Another change was the Sabbath afternoon concert, which was presented by a range of local talents rather than by a professional musical artist.

Also new to camp meeting was the Commission Culture evangelism tent. During the meetings 300 people signed up as being willing to pray for the upcoming evangelistic series to be held in February by Shawn Boonstra at the Portland Convention Center. Another 300 signed up for training as Bible Workers for the series. According to Paul Johnson, Oregon Conference evangelism coordinator, the "response was very positive" from the people who visited the tent.

Next year Gladstone Camp Meeting will be held July 15–19 at Gladstone Park Conference Center. For more information or campsite reservations, please visit the Oregon Conference Web site at www.OregonConference.org and click on the "Campsite Reservations" link on the left.