One of the greatest highlights of every International Pathfinder Camporee is the baptismal time each evening. This year did not disappoint. Before the Camporee even started, hundreds of Pathfinders from all over the world registered to be baptized at the Camporee.
Craig Carr, Mid-America Union ministerial director, was the coordinator for the baptisms. He and his team worked hard to make this a very special event. Joel Sutherland, from the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference, was the Southern Union coordinator, and he helped arrange the check-in process for the many participants from the Union.
Each evening, participants gathered early to check in, and baptisms began about an hour before the evening program. Each union had a designated day for their baptisms (the Southern Union’s was on Thursday), and they joined other unions so that there were about 300-400 baptisms each day, except Friday when there were 600. It was so inspiring to hear each participant share their name and where they were from, and to see the excitement of their family and club supporting them and celebrating their decision.
Each baptismal candidate received a commemorative bag with a special baptismal certificate displaying the Camporee logo and signatures from the General Conference and North American Division youth directors, along with Camporee executive director Ron Whitehead, and the signature of the one baptizing them. In the bag was a Pathfinder Bible, a Steps to Christ booklet, and a wristband for baptismal area entry, doubling as a keepsake of their Camporee baptism. They also received an amazing pin with the Camporee logo, but with a Pathfinder being baptized in place of Miriam in the reeds.
The Holy Spirit was moving upon the young people despite the challenges of the Camporee. South Central Conference’s Damien Chandler was the keynote speaker for the evening programs. Each evening, Chandler made passionate appeals to follow Jesus, and the Pathfinders responded. Throughout the Camporee, 1,187 Pathfinders were baptized, with hundreds going back home to follow through on their commitments at their local church. Of this number, 164 of these baptisms were Pathfinders from the Southern Union. Praise the Lord!
are the youth ministries director and coordinator for the Southern Union Conference.
Southern Union | October 2024
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