Off to a Great Start!

Why have we come to the 2026 Carolina Camp Meeting?

To enjoy the beauty and refreshing atmosphere of Lake Junaluska and its many activities?

To meet friends we have not seen in a while or make new friends?

To listen to and learn from Spirit-gifted preachers and teachers, or to preach and teach?

To work or support someone who works for the Carolina Conference?

Your reason might be different from these, but despite that, all of us are invited this week to add one more reason to be here: to behold Him, the Lamb of God.

The theme “We Shall Behold Him” was selected for this year’s Camp Meeting to encourage us to reflect and meditate on Jesus’ power and love, His invitation to find rest and peace in Him, and to renew our hope in the promise of His soon return.

We began experiencing each one of these blessings at Sunday’s opening meeting at Stuart Auditorium.

Pianist Kwadeo Brenya reminded us of Jesus’ soon return by skillfully playing “Jesus Is Coming Again.”

The praise team reminded us that Jesus is calling sinners to come home through the song “Softly and Tenderly.”

Speaker Jill Morikone directed our minds to Jesus’ forgiveness, a demonstration of His power and love in cleansing us from all our sins and giving us the merits of His perfect life so that we may present ourselves before God as if we had never sinned.

The night ended with two appeals:

First, to accept Jesus’ invitation to be cleansed by responding to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, repenting of our wrongdoings, and receiving Jesus’ forgiveness by faith.

Second, to stand in the gap for children and grandchildren who are away from God so that they also may respond, repent, and receive God’s salvation.

Yes, there are many reasons for us to be here this year, but the most important one is to behold God and God alone, as beautifully sung by young Sophia Cwiklinski.

Our prayer today:

May the Lord be with us during these seven days of intentional “beholding of Jesus Christ.” May each song, message, seminar, and activity lead us to reflect and meditate on His power and love, find rest and peace in Him, and renew our hope in the coming of our Lord and Savior. Amen!

­—Mauricio Schiavenin