Worship Service in the Park willBe Under a Tent, Like the 1880s

In the beginning, the only shelter from the rain was the Pavilion, as it was known locally, or the "preachers' stand," as it was known more broadly. It had a roof, a floor three feet above the ground, but no walls. Its purpose was to shelter speakers fro(m light rain and excessive sun. So what happened when it rained harder? If a soaking rain, everyone ran to their tents. When it cleared, the announcement was made that the camp meeting was resuming. In those early years, rain was a problem and there was always the possible chance of being rained out. 

The Niagara District of the Methodist Episcopal Church went in with the local Trustees to purchase a tent that would allow the Camp Meeting to continue through the heaviest of rains. Guest Speakers who had traveled from Chicago would no longer be rained out, and totally spoiled Camp Meetings were almost eliminated. This weekend's tent is not the original but has been rented (through an anonymous donation) from the Perry Center Fire Department and will be up in the Park by 9:30 am Sunday for the Service at 10:30 am.

Guests are Urged to Bring their

own Lawn Chairs for the Service

Sue and Steve who live in the Gould Cottage on Genesee Ave. will be providing the electrical current for our public address system and piano keyboard. Genesee Ave. will be closed for the morning hours and will be reopened shortly after 12 Noon. The tent will be removed by mid afternoon.

The Service will include the reading of a brief history of the Amphitheater by Rev. Greg Franklin and Nancy Culley Sellar. The history will relate to the decision to adopt the Chautauqua style of instruction and content which had been adopted both by the local Trustees and the Genesee Annual Conference in 1886. The Guest Speaker is Hospice Chaplain Mark Harris from Harrisburg, PA. The Warsaw Barbershop group will bring 15 minutes of period music following the Benediction and will perform newer music at the Pioneer Picnic which begins with a Chicken Barbecue at 12 Noon on the grounds of the Pioneer Museum at the bend in Walker Road.