It is the Southern New England Conference of Seventh-day Adventists' annual camp meeting, planned for the area around the conference's headquarters on Sawyer Street, off Main Street, in south Lancaster for two weeks in June.
Halvard Thomsen, president of the conference, said the annual event has three purposes.
"It celebrates our being one big church family," Thomsen said. The camp meeting in Lancaster brings together families from Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. "It also nurtures our faith and helps up be more effective in telling the gospel story."
Weekend attendance is expected to be up to 5,000 people. Several hundred will attend during the week and evening services during the week will attract even more people who live in the surrounding area.
In 1998, preaching services were held in four different languages - English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
"People who come tell you it is loads of fun. For adults, we don't schedule recreational activities," Thomsen said. "It is more inspirational and fellowship fun. The meeting is not a business session. For some people, they only see each other once a year at the camp meeting."
Although the event is geared to Seventh-day Adventists, the general
community is invited to attend any of the activities. For more information,
call the conference at (978) 365-4551.