The Soquel Camp Meeting theme, Arise & Go: The Journey Continues, also included a time to stop and listen. Three times a day, the shofar (ram’s horn) sounded. At these times — 8:45 a.m., 1:45 p.m., and 6:15 p.m. — everyone stopped, prayed, and listened to God’s leading in their lives. This time of prayer reconnected people with God by helping them give Him time to lead and guide their thoughts and actions.
This summer’s camp meeting, which took place July 11-20, helped people reconnect with each other as well as with God through this time to unite in prayer. Whether praying alone or with a group, the fact that everyone prayed at the same time brought them together in a unique way.
Attendees were able to scan a QR code posted throughout the campground to submit prayer requests. These were prayed for by groups and attendees around the campground, and will continue to be prayed for. There was also a tent located in the campground where people were encouraged to come together and pray with each other, taking their prayer experience to the next level. They were invited to “Come connect with God through prayer. Everyone is welcome at the prayer room.”
Mitch Derecho, missionary of San Francisco Central Church, said, “I want to express my thoughts of appreciation for our Heavenly Father, who has blessed us with this beautiful camp meeting. All of [the speakers] incorporated the camp meeting theme, Arise and Go, in a beautiful and complementary way.”
The tradition of the shofar originates from the Old Testament Israelites, where the shofar was used in many different ceremonies, including celebrations and calls to reverence. The Israelites were encouraged to regularly stop to acknowledge God and give Him their attention. Joel 2:15 reads, “Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly” (NKJV). The shofar was also used when Moses descended from Mount Sinai (Exodus 19), on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 25), during times of war (Joshua 6, Jeremiah 4 and 6), as well as when people were called to worship God (Isaiah 27, Psalm 47, 98, and 150).
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