A tradition dating back to 1828 will continue beginning Friday, July 11, when worshippers gather for the 197th annual meeting at Salem Campground near Covington. Hundreds are expected to gather for the annual religious revival that is also part community and family reunion.
The campmeeting, a religious tradition with its roots in the early 1800s when circuit riding preachers in rural Georgia sought ways to bring their far-flung flocks together for a week of community fellowship and spiritual revival, begins Friday, July 11, with a 7:30 p.m. service of singing, prayer and preaching.
Services, held under the historic open-air tabernacle built in the 1850s, continue daily at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. through Friday, July 18. Morning watch services at 7:30 a.m. and Bible classes at 9:30 a.m. will be held July 14-18, and children’s activities are scheduled each afternoon and evening of the meeting.
“For nearly 200 years, Salem Campground has been a gathering place for the people of Newton and Rockdale counties,” said Roland Vaughn, president of the Salem board of directors, “That tradition continues and we welcome everyone from the surrounding communities to come fellowship with us.”
On Saturday, July 12, at 1 p.m. the campground invites the community to participate in a walking tour of the campground, providing historic context to the campmeeting tradition and the role that Salem has played in the spiritual life of Newton and Rockdale counties. The walking tour is followed from 1:30-3:30 with a “Tour of Tents” in which visitors can walk through some of the “tents” that families stay in during the week-long encampment.
The campground’s rustic cabins, including some dating to the mid-1800s, are referred to as “tents” because original attendees erected temporary canvas tents to provide shelter during the meeting. When families began building permanent structures they continued to refer to them as “tents.”
The campmeeting will feature two guest preachers, Dr. Ryan Johnson and Dr. Terry Walton. Dr. Johnson is the lead pastor at New City Church in Atlanta. In addition to preaching and leading at New City, Johnson serves as the executive director of the Metro Atlanta Collective, an organization focused on planting healthy churches across the region.
Dr. Walton, a native Georgian, has served United Methodist congregations in Conyers, Acworth, Snellville and Gainesville and has served in various leadership roles in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Dr. Joel Singleton, associate pastor and minister of music at Rutledge Baptist Church in Rutledge, Georgia, will serve as the music director, and identical twins, Alice Walker and Becky Ramsey of Covington, will return for their 54th year of leading music on twin baby grand pianos.
Local choirs will provide special music, including groups from Zion Baptist Church in Covington, Conyers SDA Church, Conyers First Baptist Church, Covington First Methodist and First Presbyterian Churches, Social Circle Baptist Church, Rockdale Baptist Church, Peeks Chapel Baptist Church, Community Fellowship Baptist Church in Covington and Church on Main in Snellville.
Youth activities will be held each day throughout the meeting, ranging from shaving cream and water balloon battles during the day to scavenger hunts and dodge ball in the evening. Youth from the community are invited to participate. A full youth program can be found at www.salemcampmeeting.org/campmeeting
Visitors can enjoy meals at historic Salem Hotel after the morning services with lunch served at 12:30 and before evening services with dinner served at 6 p.m. Lunches are $14 for adults and $9 for children and dinners are $17 for adults and $11 for children. Reservations must be made in advance by calling 770- 786-6841 or making reservations online at www.salemcampmeeting.org/eat-with-us
Rooms at the Salem Hotel and RV/Camper sites are available by calling the campground at 770-786-6841.For more information, please contact Joe Cook, 706-409-0128 or joecookpg@gmail.com.
