FROM RUBBLE TO RESURRECTION

The Charlotte Observer September 17, 1988

Bertie Billups, our church secretary was finishing up her Friday tasks when she heard the glass break.  Through her window she saw a man break into the church from Mark Twain Rd. with a double sided fire ax.  She hit the floor and reached for the phone to call 911.  She told the police she could hear him chopping up the altar in the Sanctuary.  "Are you safe? Can you get out of the building?" the operator asked.  She jumped out of her window as the police were arriving.  A mentally ill neighbor, whose family had helped build the church, was in a psychotic rage.  

Word spread fast without cell phones or social media.  Soon Pastor Little and several church members stood behind the police barricade.  A SWAT team took over our parking lot.  Students gathered across the street to watch a real live police drama unfold.  The police scanner had announced a hostage situation, but thankfully Bertie was now among the spectators along the police line.  Pastor Little talked with the police and encouraged them not to use force.  He knew this man, and recognized his mental illness.  His life was more precious than any of our things.

For two and a half hours he wielded his ax against every religious symbol he could find.  Our altar was kindling.  Our organ and piano were chopped into pieces so small they fit into the closet at the back of the church until the insurance adjuster came.  Every chair, hymnal and Bible had an ax chop.  He ended in the Pastor's office, crashing computers, framed photos and books.  Pictures on the news showed him prone on the sidewalk outside the church office in cuffs.  He had finally burned out his rage and we knew he was tired.  Our work was just beginning.

The altar and altar rail were unrecognizable

It was Friday night and our church was in shambles.  David Park is quoted in the paper as saying, "We should have church here on Sunday."  David was voicing what we all felt.  Somehow we must come together in this place, hold each other, grieve, and give thanks for sparing Bertie from the rage.  We prayed for Bertie and we prayed for our neighbor.  The task of rebuilding must begin.  The night before a planning session had been held to begin planning for a new Sanctuary, but that would be two years in the making.  Tonight we needed to organize the clean up and figure out how the congregation could survive.  

We quickly realized that we would need to document the destruction for our insurance claim before and during the clean up.  David Park brought in a new monitor and hard drive for the computer and set up a data base to create the inventory of our destruction.  That night the inventory began. Word was sent out to gather at 10 am on Saturday to begin the clean up.  

Members of the congregation look shocked as they organize the clean up.

As we wielded our brooms against the broken glass and damaged items, we realized that we did not always know some of the folks who showed up to help.  One or two would arrive quietly, pick up a broom and work for an hour to be replaced by other quiet workers.  We learned that the local chapter of AMI (Alliance for the Mentally Ill) was sending folks to help us clean up. Each of these workers had mentally ill family members and knew that "it could have been one of them."  Our ministry suddenly included these kind folks as we reached out to each other to help heal.

Pastor Little's office

As we swept and inventoried damaged items, the phone began to ring off the hook.  The religious community from many surrounding counties began to offer help.  One brought us an organ to use, another an altar,  hymn books arrived and a piano.  We were grateful for the metal folding chairs and would use them for two years until the new sanctuary provided us with comfortable pews.  By mid-afternoon, we knew that we would not only survive, but with community support, would thrive. 

Each chair had 1 or 2 ax cuts. Our paraments, banners, crosses, and candlestick were strewn among the rubble.

The next week we met with our insurance company, and they were bowled over by our pictures and detailed inventory from the hastily composed data base.  We expected to negotiate.  They wrote us a generous check on the spot.  And the  community continued to respond with contributions large and small, often matched by Lutheran Brotherhood (now Thrivent).  We used the money to begin our recovery and as seed money to begin our new Sanctuary.

Just 1 page of a multipage document
thanking folks for their contributions.

We felt as if we had experienced a Resurrection that Sunday morning.  Instead of being the helpers, we had learned to receive help. Each of those uncomfortable metal folding chairs were gratefully filled and the organ praised God mightily.  We even had a congregational picnic afterward in the park to support Habitat.  In three days we had gone from utter destruction within our walls to gathering together to receiving Grace through Christ and community.

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

With the Advent and Christmas seasons upon us, I've been thinking about traditions lately.  As my own family grows and changes, our family traditions evolve.  Some are "cast in stone" and others drop off, and new ones emerge.  That is true of Advent, too. In 50 years we have always had a Christmas Pageant, but do you know about the Valentine's Dinner and Fashion Show, Progressive Dinner, or Palm Sunday Walk?


ADVENT, CHRISTMAS AND EPIPHANY

It is impossible to write about all of the traditions associated with Advent and Christmas. Of course the Christmas Pageant is one of those "cast in stone." But even it has evolved. The wonderful Appalachian Christmas that we experienced this year is great example. When Advent was young, the Christmas Pageant consisted of the retelling of the basic Christmas story by the children, usually with either an older youth or adult narrator. Last Sunday and in recent years, we have incorporated all ages of the congregation, incorporated the choir, and retold the story as a full fledged play set in contemporary times. This is a wonderful evolution that involves more of the congregation and helps us contemplate how the never-changing story of Christ coming among us can be lived out today.

Joyce Fox and I produced a memorable pageant in the late 80's.  While we weren't quite plagued with the foibles of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, we felt there was too much competition over choosing Mary and Joseph.  So one year we cooked up the idea to let each of the children choose whomever they wanted to be, and designed a program so that we could have multiple Marys, Josephs, shepherds, angels, animals, etc.  We coached the kids to come dressed as their favorite character in the narrative or to come early and choose or make a costume before the pageant. We got out all of the costumes and had materials for extras. As we prepared to tell the story, we had adults in the major roles and as the story was told, the adult Mary would gather all of the young Marys and talk to them about what it might have been like for her on that special night.  We planned to do this for Joseph, the angels, shepherds, even the animals! What we didn't count on was  several of the boys wanting to be the Inn Keeper.  At the last minute we added this part and recruited June Porter in the adult role.  June did a great job explaining the census and how his inn was full. He was even having to put people up in the barn!  Then one of the little darlings (I think it was Matthew Fox or Ernie Eich), brought the house down with his probing question:  "I've always wondered, was there a pool in that Holiday Inn?"  June truly "lost it" and luckily Ellen Eich, our choir director, helped us gather our composure by inserting a few Christmas Carols.

During those times, we were a very young congregation.  Most of us had young children and needed a few fellowship opportunities that were "just for the adults."  This produced the Progressive Dinner, a tradition that lived at least 10 years or more.  We would begin at the church with appetizers and then go to folk's homes in groups of 6-10 for the main meal, then gather back at the church for dessert.  As the event evolved, we would sometimes end at one of the member's houses. I remember several years we ended at Kirby and Cherie Strickland's home. As the event neared, we eagerly awaited the list to be published of who was coming to whose home!  I think the organizers of this event  saw this as both a logistical nightmare and opportunity to put folks together that would generate "interesting" conversations!  It definitely let us see the adult side of our fellow parishioners!  

The Christmas season ends with Epiphany.  In the 80's we were not within the city limits of Charlotte but "out in the county".  We would end Christmas and celebrate the light of Epiphany with the "burning of the greens."  Using our real Chrismon tree and several contributed from the neighborhood we would greet the stars of Epiphany with a bonfire, a last round of Christmas carols, roasted marshmallows, and inevitably a few fireworks.  The year that we became incorporated into the city, our celebration was interrupted with the sound of fire sirens.  They came closer and closer and suddenly we realized they were coming for us! We were no longer under the jurisdiction of the volunteer firehouse who was accustomed to our celebration!  While we could of perhaps applied for a religious exemption, we decided that this was one tradition who's end had come.  We also had to purchase an artificial Christmas tree the next year.  It was either that, or forego the lights.  And with a newly paved parking lot, we had lost our temporary fire pit. Urbanization has its price! 

VALENTINES:
DINNERS, DANCES, AND FASHION SHOWS!




In this same vein, the men of the church had a tradition that lasted several decades of sponsoring a Valentines Day dinner, often including dancing, just for the adults of the church. One of the sweetest things I remember about this event was how an extra effort was made to include the single adult women of the congregation with or without a "date". Old pictures record that a few of these dinners were held at the church and the women contributed "themed" fashion shows! These are some of my favorite photos from the archive!!

I love this picture for it shows the old Sunday School/Gathering space that is now the Campus Ministry space and June Porter at a table of all women including  Miss Ruth Blackwelder!
(Mabel's seat is empty - I'm sure she was "fixin' something" in the kitchen!)

Diane Wassum as a World Traveler,
dressed in maps and a Polaroid camera!!
(You may have to explain a polaroid to younger members of the Advent family!)

Ann Hess - What was she selling? 

As the event evolved, the men moved it to various restaurants, of which there weren't many back then in the University Area.  The Amber House and a long-gone Chinese restaurant which used to be on North Tryon near the Old Concord Rd. train stop hosted us.  And for several years we drove out to Cabarrus County to Lake Lynn Lodge.  This added dancing to the festivities.  When UNCC added space available to the community in the Cone Center, we moved across the street.  Whether it was dinner, dancing, or a fashion show, I remember the men always gave each woman a rose!

EASTER








Like Christmas, Palm Sunday and Easter hold many traditions. One that has survived 50 years is the making of Palm Crosses. On our very first Palm Sunday, Pastor McKay's parents were living in Savannah, and they sent us palm fronds to make our first crosses.





For many years we joined with St. Thomas Aquinas and other neighborhood churches for a palm walk through the College Downs neighborhood, joyfully singing common Easter hymns. This provided us an opportunity to witness in the community and with other Christian neighbors.











For several years we held a Seder meal complete with lamb and bitter herbs (much to the distress of my son, the picky eater, who now as an adult loves these things!)


Tenebrae Services on Maundy Thursday have had several forms. One of the first I remember included a chillingly beautiful a cappella solo of Were You There by Kuniko Barber as the church went to complete darkness.




Back to school has had several traditions, some new and some evolving. For many years we had a Campus Ministry Committee and we would grill hamburgers and hot dogs on campus to welcome the students back. As with many traditions this one has evolved. Diane Large remembers a recent year when Popsicle and frozen treats were greatly appreciated as students moved in on a hot day, and chocolates have been a big hit too!


Rally Day is also a day when we traditionally kick off our Sunday School year. For many years we would traditionally reserve a shelter at either Frank Liske or Reedy Creek Park. After a congregational picnic, the adults would take on the children in a game of soft ball or volley ball.


A newer tradition that shows our growth in social ministry is the backpack ministry we launch in the summer as Christmas in July.






Fall Festival and Halloween

A few years ago a tradition was added to the Men's Fall BBQ. They joined with Sharon Thrower and Adventure Preschool to add a Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat Event. This has become very successful in celebrating the outreach that the preschool has in the neighborhood and community at large!





WHAT IS A TRADITION?


It has been fun to think about the various holiday traditions at Advent. I looked up tradition in dictionary.com and it said, "the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation". I also "googled" How many times do you have to do a thing for it to become a tradition? The answer varied from 3 to 20 depending who responded to the query. I'm sure I've left out much more than I've written about. It would be fun for you to add your memories of Advent Holiday traditions in the comment section. While our traditions may come and go, evolve, or be "cast in stone", one thread seems to run through them: a sense of spiritual community and a desire to live in a Christian community that "loves God and serves our neighbor". Tradition dictates that we pass this along.

50 YEARS OF BBQ: JUNE AND CHICKEN AND PORK... OH MY!!

June Porter
The Grandfather of our Men's BBQ!

What goes on behind the scenes of the Men's Barbecue STAYS behind the scenes of the Men's Barbecue!  At least that is what several of the men essentially told me.  Getting them to talk was like pulling teeth!!  I got the feeling that most of the "good" stories were not fit to print - at least in a church blog!!  Joe Palumbo summed it up:  "Its a great time for fellowship."  

Joe Palumbo sautes onions for the Men's BBQ

I can't quite back it up with facts, but I'm pretty sure that Advent has had a Men's Barbecue all 50 of its years!  There is a record of one in the first Annual Report and I couldn't document a lapse.  No one seemed to know when they began having two each year, but I know for certain that goes back 35 years or more.  Russ McKittrick recalls that in the late 80's they cooked about 50 pounds of Boston Butts in the Fall and 100 pounds of chicken in the Spring.  They are now approaching 300 pounds of pork and 200 pounds of chicken!

June "Counsels" Dave Park on Cooking Chicken @ 1982

Joe Palumbo remembers cooking the baked beans in the old church kitchen.  Only 2 small pans would fit in the apartment sized ovens at a time, so the 4 or 5 pans would have to be rotated every two hours, and it was impossible to get everything hot at the same time.  Russ recalls that Mabel Porter would only reveal one or two ingredients per year for her famous baked beans and then she wouldn't tell them how much of the ingredient to use. "I just put enough in so that it tastes right," she would say.  It took Joe Palumbo almost a decade to get the recipe "close" to Mabel's.

Keith Wassum Puts the Smoke in Smoked Pork

If June and Mabel Porter didn't give "birth" to the Advent Men's Barbecue, they were definitely the nurturers of it!  June would buy all of the ingredients for the barbecue and Russ remembers he had a special crooked stick he would use to retrieve them from his truck's bed.  Seeing him poke the stuff around and out of his truck would begin a carefully choreographed ritual.  He would begin by cooking breakfast for all of the men.  Several men would become the designated stirrers of the grits and barbecue sauce pots and they were given strict instructions to stir constantly. Woe be unto him who let either pot stick!!  June was also very particular about chopping the slaw.  It had to be done by hand with his doughnut shaped cutters.  He claimed that food processors "burned" the cabbage and it had to be fine enough so that it "wouldn't bother folks in the congregation with bad teeth."  Sometime during the process, Mabel would show up with peach cobbler for everyone.  The men would always look forward to her coming, and the cobbler rarely lasted more than 10 minutes!  While Mabel truly wanted to nurture the men while they cooked for the congregation, it was also well known that another motivation was to "check up" on June!

June and Mabel Porter Received an Award for their Efforts

June was a tinkerer and a builder and he and some of the men built cookers out of 250 gallon drums.  June then rigged some pulleys and chains and ropes from an A-framed swing set to open the lids to the drums.  It stayed out in the side of the parking lot until rust claimed it a few years ago.

Basting Chicken!

The free will offering for the Fall pork barbecue averages about $250 and is used to pay the State Charter, honorary lifetime achievement awards and subsidize tickets to the Annual Charlotte  Area Lutheran Men's Chicken and Corn Roast.  They also buy kitchen supplies and have a reserve fund.  Not bad for a small group of men!

At some point early on, an auction was added to the chicken barbecue  in the Spring.  Over the last five years over $17,000 has been given to hurricane relief, Via de Christo,the 500 Year Lutheran Celebration, Advent youth mission trips, the Wycliffe Bible Ministry, Juvenile Diabetes Association, supplies for Room at the Inn, Kairos Ministry, and our new electronic sign!  That is just in the last five years!  Imagine all that we have supported over 50 years!

These folks would be sitting in our Sanctuary now!
Paul Eich standing - Eric Sandburg (with beard!) behind him

In the early days of the barbecue and before the gym was built, the barbecue and auction were held outside and as a result, folks would see us and come from the College Downs community.  I remember if there was the slightest lag in the start of the bidding on an item, June would bid $1.  The Lord only knows how many $1 dollar items he bought over the years.  Most of them were recycled back to the auction the next year!!  (And he probably bought them again!)

David Park Auctions Off Advent's Children...
Well, at least their labor!
The youth would often get involved by auctioning off
grass cutting, window washing and babysitting.

One infamous item that made the rounds for about five years was a flaming blue wig.  Bidding wars would result over this item, for the winner of the bid got to decide who would have to wear it to church the next day!  

Another famous bidding war occurred in the 80's when Eric Sandburg decided to auction off his beard.  Martha wanted him to keep it, and she outbid Anita White who wanted him to shave it.  Martha ended up paying about $25 (which is equivalent to $75 today! - I looked it up.) so that Eric did not have to shave!!  As I remember it, nearly the whole congregation was pooling their money to contribute to their view of whether Eric should shave or not shave!

Last year an item returned to the auction after almost 20 years.  When we downsized in 1999, we brought David's Granddaddy's scythe to the auction and Tom Miller bought it.  Last Spring he brought it back and Dave cued me to bid on it and buy it to display at our mountain house.  Keith Wassum had the same idea and he began bidding on it to give to Dave!  As a great charity auctioneer, Dave just let us bid each other up!  The scythe now has a revered place at Park's Peak.

Now the men have partnered with Adventure Preschool and the barbecue coordinates with the "Trick or Trunk" and Fall 
Festival.  It remains a big outreach to the community.

Jake Thrower Checks Out
 the Activities for the Fall Festival

Many other stories may remain in the secret lore of the men's fellowship, but through the barbecues, the men have bonded and become a group that nurtures each other and many activities in our church.  The barbecue truly nourishes our bodies and souls!!

Pastor Hess (far right) Enjoys BBQ with Parishioners 

FROM 3 TO 100 WALKERS WALKING TO END HUNGER!

Colette Hishon and Cheri Strickland with "Shoey"

When I first walked in the CROP walk in the late 80's the slogan was "We walk because they walk".  The idea was that in the 3rd world many folks had to walk over 10 miles to get water and food every day.  We would seek pledges for a 10 mile walk and collect money for both hunger in the 3rd world and hunger at home.  The walk really was 10 miles!   We started at Memorial Stadium near CPCC and walked uphill through the city (that's one reason its called "UPtown"!) to Johnson C. Smith.  This was considered the half way point.  Their band would play for us and there would be water and candy stations along with the most-needed port-a-johns!  Then the route would wind through "food-desert" neighborhoods back to Memorial Stadium.  For many of us it was the first time we had encountered neighborhoods in Charlotte where hunger is an issue.  Cheri Strickland vividly remembers the last year the walk was 10 miles was 1990, for she was very pregnant with Mary Faith.  She still made it all 10 miles!

Cheri also remembers the first year Advent participated (1987) we sent just three walkers - Marilyn Burns, Martha Sanburg and her!    Pastor Little got the congregation and especially the youth group behind their efforts and our participation began to grow.  A few years ago we had over 100 walkers! For many years Advent raised the most money in our category (based on the size of the church), and for several years we out-raised all churches  - even the BIG ones!  I think this was due to Cheri and Kirby Strickland's dedication and hard work as organizers.  Cheri soon joined the city-wide CROP Walk board and during her tenure, Charlotte became the largest CROP Walk in the country!  She appeared one year with other Advent members in a commercial (PSA) for the CROP Walk with Harvey Gantt.  

CROP walkers eat lunch before going to Memorial Stadium

While serving as a city-wide organizer, Cheri remembers one year when a hurricane blew through the city the Saturday night before.  The steering committee met early Sunday morning and considered postponing the event, but decided against it when someone pointed out that the hungry must walk and search for food no matter the weather.  About an hour before the walk was to start, the rain quit, a rainbow appeared and it felt as if the city had been "washed clean".  They knew they had made the right decision.

Cheri and Kirby received the Sam Ryburn Walker award, given annually to individuals who have shown extraordinary spirit and dedication to inspire others in the fight against hunger.  A few years later Keith and Diane Wassum also won the award.  Keith says the biggest honor of receiving the award was having Cheri and Kirby nominate them for it and be part of the presentation.

Keith and Diane remain Advent's top walkers and are already listed as one of the city's top walkers this year on the CROP website.  Keith remembers that Advent raised as high as $12,000 in years past and we've averaged around $10,000 the past five years.  The Wassums raised $4875 of that amount last year and have raised almost $64,000 since they began walking when Diane was pregnant with Allie!

From this year's CROP Charlotte website
as of October 5th...

Keith sent me this memory from one of his walks:
"One of my favorite remembrances was the year we were going to be out of town and couldn't walk in the Charlotte walk.  We made arrangements to walk in the CROP Hunger Walk in Lexington, NC a week or so earlier.  Dale (his nephew), Diane and I drove up and joined the walk.  We were welcomed like we were honored guests from Charlotte!  What a hoot!  The Lexington walk was smaller but they were just as passionate!  At the time they had painted pigs displayed throughout the town and it was fun to see many of them during the walk."

In the years David and I haven't walked, we have continued to participate by contributing to those who do walk.  For many years we would give Kate and Allie Wassum  a quart of quarters  (about $400) which we would accumulate from our spare change over the year just for the CROP Walk.  Their memories of counting and rolling the quarters are vivid if not exactly  cherished!  When Allie walked in a charity walk up in Boston two years ago, I sent her a pint of small change for "old times sake".  I think it cost me almost as much to send it as there was in it (it was not all quarters)!  

Advent continues to contribute leadership to the Charlotte CROP Walk as our own Jennie Henderson has joined the steering committee.  While helping other churches organize their walks, she also is Advent's point person for CROP Walk.  She remembers that Advent was invited a few years ago to help hold the banner that leads the walk through the city.  When asked for other memories, she laughed and said it has become a joke that the only time the walkers see Eddie Efird is at the beginning of the walk, for he takes off walking faster than everyone and almost always finishes first, at least among Advent's walkers!  I guess he has earned the nickname, "Fast Eddie"!

Last year's walkers

Competition with other charity walks, Panther games and maintaining enthusiasm over time has been hard on Charlotte's CROP Walk.  It is no longer 10 miles, but 4.1 miles and last year it was moved to the 2nd Saturday (vs. Sunday) in October which most believed contributed to a decline in the number of walkers city-wide.  Instead of Memorial Stadium, walkers now begin and end in Independence Park.  Jennie knows that involving the youth is the key to our (and the city's) success at raising money for world hunger and would like to see more youth involved. While the CROP walk might be smaller, the need to help the hungry has only grown.  Wouldn't it be great if Advent could once again top 100 walkers and raise more than the mega-churches?!  It's not too late to contribute to a walker.  Contact Jennie Henderson or the church office!!

READERS:  Someone pointed out that the "comment" section wasn't working.  I think I have that fixed.  Please leave comments and start a conversation about Advent's Jubilee year!  If you have stories to contribute email me or call me.  Deb at 704 335 0984 or debdavepark@gmail.com

CAMPING WITH ADVENT FRIENDS

Potluck at an Advent Camping trip in 1982
Sanburgs, David Park, in chairs
Elizabeth Sanburg and Clay Park at picnic table

Potluck is often associated with church suppers, but at Advent it has had a completely different definition!  In the  Eighties and early Nineties there was a robust camping group at Advent.  Sometimes as many as ten families would gather at a campground and enjoy a unique potluck.  To join this potluck, each family would contribute not just a covered dish but a jar of the designated pot-dish of the camp.  Often it was spaghetti sauce, but pots of chili, beef stew, and soup were also devoured.  Each family would add their “special recipe” to the pot and everyone’s seasonings would blend together to make the most unique and delicious sauces, soups and stews ever consumed around a campfire! 

Peter and Ernie Eich, Bryan and Kevin Strong ready to gather firewood!

Of course large boiling pots require copious amounts of firewood to keep them going and to provide the spark for many a toasted marshmallow!  At most campsites, the rangers would allow you to pick up branches and wood that had fallen on the ground.  As soon as our tents were set up, the guys would lead a scavenger party of kids out into the woods to retrieve wood for the fire.  I can still see David Park, William Fox and Lewis Barber coming out of the woods with their rag-tag-pied-piper group of children, hatchets in hand, carrying branches (some with green leaves still attached!) just as the ranger was making his rounds to collect fees.  Luckily he just smiled and chose to “look the other way.”  After that we had a no green leaves rule!

Bob Strong, Martha Sanburg and Anita White by the campfire

One of our favorite places to camp was Black Mountain Campground near Mt. Mitchel and Burnsville, NC.  With campsites surrounding a grassy meadow, it was easy to keep the kids entertained and corralled. The South Toe River provided both a swimming hole and a waterfall.  We almost always hiked to the bottom of a great double waterfall, but on one memorable camping trip David Park and Kuniko Barber set out with a half dozen children up the mountain to the top of the falls.  More than twenty-five years later, Dave can still recall the chills and awe he felt when after urging the children onward and upward several times, they broke out of the woods and into a clearing with a magnificent view of Mt. Mitchell and Kuniko burst out in her amazing soprano voice “The hills are alive, with the Sound of Music…”  That night at the potluck, our prayers included praise for God’s beauty and Kuniko’s beautiful voice!

David Park holding Clay with Emily in 1981

On another trip, Joyce Fox and I were thankful for the “Sounds of Silence.”  This trip was marked by a Saturday marred by rain.  Our children were still small enough to need afternoon naps, and Joyce and I pulled “nap duty” while the guys went into town for more beer to accompany the potluck!  The children had finally settled down on their sleeping bags and I ventured over to Joyce’s tent to check on her.  She greeted me at the door of her tent with large eyes and the universal “shush” sign on her lips.  Then she pointed to the skunk, ignoring the rain and meandering around their campsite.  We both froze and watched as the mamma skunk’s babies joined her and pranced between our tents.  I guess skunk babies do not need afternoon naps! That night Joyce and I had earned an extra beer around the potluck as we gave thanks for the end of the rain and for skunks who chose to honor us with their presence, and not their “presents”!

Joyce Fox, Frank Burns and William Fox

Emily and Clay Park on a playground near King's Mountain
Clay sprained his ankle coming down the fireman's pole and
I spent the afternoon with him in the ER

During those years, our church was dominated by families with young children and Lewis Barber remembers that it seemed that at some camps over half of the congregation participated.  On one memorable trip to Kings Mountain, Lewis and his son Bryant set out on a hike.  Several hours later, they realized they were lost.  Spotting an abandoned fire tower, they climbed it and saw a road that would lead them back to “civilization.”  They flagged a car down and got a ride back to camp, over 12 miles away.  They were greeted by relieved Advent campers and rangers who had organized a search party for them!  That night around the campfire, we were thankful for Lewis and Bryant and their resourcefulness, and for the others that cared for them.

William Fox in green, Martha, Ashley Barber and Eric Sanburg

While families with young children comprised most of this group, older members often joined us.  Martha Sanburg remembers a hike with Noel and Pete Petrea.  Their then two year old son William (now among Charlotte's firefighters!) got tired quickly and Pete put him up on his shoulders.  When they came down the mountain William was asleep with his head on top of Pete's.  Often Ethel and Alma Yount would also accompany us. They had both an in-home child care center and were dedicated to the church nursery.  The children loved them! They often watched the young children while the grown ups enjoyed a game of volley ball or badminton.

Ashley Barber, Elizabeth Sanburg, Matthew Burns and Matthew Fox 
are entertained at a picnic table @1982

Great memories and faith development came from those camping trips.  As we honored and appreciated God’s nature around the campfire, we forged friendships and relationships that supported us through the stress of parenting young children, and building careers.  On Sunday morning we would have a short Bible study and then sing hymns and parts of the liturgy a capella around one last campfire.  Often by the time it was over, the witness of our “joyful noise” would have other campers in the campground joining us and singing God’s praises!