


CHIP SHERER President


P


runing and Praise—an odd combination? At our recent meeting of the Bonclarken


Board of Trustees, Board members Brad Anderson and Connie Savell spoke on pruning and praise. What they shared was very pertinent to what we have been experiencing over the past year.


As I think back to a year ago, the uncertainty was overbearing. The COVID-19 pandemic had forced the cancellation of almost all of our sum- mer events. We had no idea if any of our fall events would take place. Our   anything we had experienced dur- ing my tenure.


Fellow conference


centers in the area were announcing lay-offs of most of their staff, and some centers were put up for sale. An end was not in sight. But now, a year later, we are so thankful to be emerging from the pandemic and we are ready for guests to return to this wonderful place. Brad shared how during this past year we were being pruned.


Not


pruning by removing unfruitful branches, but pruning by cutting back fruitful branches so that even more fruit could be produced— John 15:2 in action: ”Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”


However,


Bonclarken does not produce any fruit; the Holy Spirit produces fruit through lives that are inspired and renewed in their faith in Jesus Christ while visiting our grounds. Brad’s words were so encouraging. We pray that guests will be blessed


with encounters with the Holy Spir- it even more often in the upcoming weeks and months. Connie shared the mandate God gives us to praise Him, especially through song. The Bible contains  sing praises. The Board paused and sang “Let Them Praises Give Jeho- vah”, a most appropriate favorite of us ARPs. We praised Him for the pruning He has done, for the bless- ings He has bestowed on Bonclarken not just over the past year, but throughout our 100-year history. So many people have shared with me how much they missed their annual visit to Bonclarken in 2020. This may have been a young person whose visit could have been for Horizon or Quest or as a counselor at Camp Joy. This may have been an adult whose visit could have been for Music Confer- ence or Family Bible Conference or a church weekend retreat.


Thou-


sands upon thousands missed their visit with us. We call it the “moun- tain-top” experience—and to know how much our guests value this experience makes what we do more worthwhile.  the last time I look back at the im- pact of the pandemic. Now is the time to turn our attention to our future. We are excited about our summer and fall seasons and I pray that the pruning is over and we can get back to having large numbers of guests singing praises!


An Environment for Christian Inspiration and Renewal July/August 2021 19


Bonclarken


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