Maranatha 4
Sunday, October 7th, 2007
I spent my fourth Sunday morning in the presence of Jimmy Carter, as he taught the congregation at the Plains Maranatha Baptist church a weekly lesson from the Bible, on September 23, 2007. Since I knew that the town was crowded from the Peanut Festival and P.O.W. gathering in the area, I pushed Mom and Bob to rise and shine early and speed into Plains in order for us to get in line and get good seats in the church. After we loaded the car and ate a somewhat leisurely breakfast (although Mom might tell you differently), we were on our way at about 7:10am. Read the rest of this entry »
I crossed the threshold of the Bear Creek Church of the Brethren for the first time in well over year this past Sunday, July 8. It was a homecoming of sorts – and yet a bit strange. Mostly it was great to see all of the friendly faces that I came to know and love over the course of several years of attending the church. Carolyn and I had ‘shopped’ for a church to call our home shortly after we began dating in 2000. We soon determined that despite that fact that it was the furthest church from our house, we simply got the most out of Bear Creek.
For some strange reason, I was hesitant to advance to a full week outdoors at Camp Woodland Altars after my years in the Junior Lodge were done. In 1984, I actually attended the junior high lodge camp…and was one of only three boys. In 1985, I found a great compromise. Eco Adventures was a camp that was based out of the new Sugar Grove Lodge, but centered around activities outdoors (ie. hiking, streaming, climbing, and caving). So this was where I went to camp from July 14-20, 1985. 
I remarked at the last campfire that this was my final year at camp – and rather than going out with a ‘bang,’ I went out with a ‘nice quiet week.’ I’m not sure why this was, but I’m sure it had something to do with the fact that I had aged – so to speak – several years once I became a father, and was facing the future of ‘adulthood’ head on. Also, I recall that there were only two groups at camp and smaller somtimes meant less. This was my tenth and final year at Camp Woodland Altars, having consecutively attended every year since the Summer before fourth grade. 
When you last heard about the Georgia trip from this Summer, Bob, Ashleigh, and I were staying at the Plains Historic Inn. On Sunday morning, July 9, we got up early and headed just up the road about a mile to the Maranatha Baptist Church.