After much research and prayer over how the COVID-19 pandemic would impact the 2020 God’s Holiness Grove Camp Meeting experience, a condensed weekend program is being developed for Friday, July 24, through Sunday, July 26, 2020, at the Central PA Wesleyan Campground.
Programming is in the works for each of those days, with Penn-York Wesleyan District Superintendent Dr. Matt Pickering scheduled as our camp speaker and the Rev. Ryan Brosious (of Christ Wesleyan Church) to lead services in musical worship.
Extra precautions will be taken due to COVID-19 concerns. Everyone is encouraged to bring their own chairs for seating at services. Masks are optional — that is up to you — but we will be honoring social distancing and increasing sanitary measures in areas where people congregate.
More information will be provided as it becomes available. For the time being, leadership for the weekend program include:
Dr. Matt Pickering, Camp speaker
Dr. Pickering is the District Superintendent of the recently established Penn-York District of the Wesleyan Church, resulting from a merger of the former Central New York and Western Pennsylvania Districts. He has served as a District Superintendent for the last six years, previously serving as Lead Pastor of the Grace Lee Memorial Wesleyan Church in Beaver Dams, NY (2001-20014) and Pastor of the Millview and Lincoln Falls Wesleyan Churches (1996-2001).
Dr. Pickering is a graduate of Houghton College (B.A. in Biblical Studies ‘93) and also Asbury Theological Seminary (M.Div. ’96 and D.Min. ’11). Heand his wife, Carmen, have three daughters: Elyssa, Megan, and Emily, and also two granddaughters, Adilee and Harper Schreppel (Elyssa and Jed Schreppel). Matt greatly enjoys spending time outdoors, especially hunting, and fishing.
Rev. Ryan Brosious, Worship leader
Ryan is a follower of Christ, husband to Amanda, music teacher at Meadowbrook Christian School, father to Elijah (age 12), Elliot (10) and Eden (16 months) and the Worship Arts Pastor at Christ Wesleyan Church in Milton, where he regularly leads its 1,700-plus attendees in worship. He oversees his department staff and together they are blessed to lead about 400 volunteers in a variety of ministries within Worship Arts. He graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2007, and is in his 13th year of full-time ministry. He also directs Christ Wesleyan Theatre Productions, a church and community theatre offering actors, artists, technicians and audiences the opportunity to experience Broadway-quality shows and Jesus’ love at the same time. He lives in Milton with his family and loves seeing the arts used for God’s glory.
John and Michelle Zaktansky, Youth directors
John and Michelle, from Selinsgrove, are Port Ann Wesleyan Church’s Youth Ministry directors and have been enjoying family camp every summer since Michelle was a teenager. The couple will be celebrating 20 years of marriage in December and have three children: Paige, Samantha and Peito. This year’s youth lessons will be based on the early chapters from the book of Daniel, focusing on how four teenage boys were thrust into a hostile situation riddled with trials, temptations and tests, and yet stayed true to God and were rewarded for their faithfulness.
Robin Kratzer, Children’s director
Robin is a graduate of Messiah College. She currently serves as the Children’s Ministry Director at Port Ann Wesleyan Church and the district children’s director for the South Penn-York District. Robin has ministered to children throughout her life and enjoys being with kids to help them come to know, serve and love Jesus as their forever friend. She and her husband, Dean, have three J’s: Jessica, Jeremy and Jason. As a family, they enjoy the outdoors, camping at the river, biking and New York Yankees baseball.