How to Celebrate

How to Celebrate
LEVITICUS 23: 1- 24:9

When my parents could afford it, two or three times as a teenager I was able to go to “camps,” as they would be called in the United States (I am glad to say there were no tents in sight; we slept in school dormitories). It was at one of these camps that I sensed God was calling me to be a pastor. About four years later, as a university student I went to another camp for Christian students from all over Britain, and it was there I met my wife. Four years later, when I was a young assistant pastor, a highlight of our teenagers’ program was a week’s camp during the Easter break that was often a transforming experience for people. Another four years later I started taking my own sons to an annual Christian weekend celebration of music, drama, worship, and teaching (which unfortunately did involve tents). Nowadays my son takes his own family to an annual week of teaching and celebration (which also involves tents; in fact he has just come back from it and says he has never seen such rain). Such events can be great celebrations that take people forward in their understanding of the faith and occasions God uses to break into their lives in new ways (perhaps even introduce them to the love of their life)...