Aug 30
2011

Back to school as a child often meant writing a brief essay on “what I did during summer vacation.” Now such thoughts lead to reflections upon one of my favorite places, Harvey Cedars Bible Conference, on Long Beach Island in New Jersey.

Back in the 90s, my husband took me there for a day trip while he conducted business for Biblical Theological Seminary, where he was the Director of Development. We met Al Oldham, who had directed the conference since the early 1950s, a charming man with inspiring stories of lives that Christ had forever changed through the ministry of HCBC. It was a wonderful day as we toured the sandy campus, and I found myself hoping to return one day.

When our son was born, we decided to begin a summer tradition of attendance at a family-oriented Bible conference, and we chose Harvey Cedars. That was 8 years ago. David was just 2 months old at the time, and it’s been a joy to watch him grow up with the other kids who were babies with him in the nursery that magical summer. We made family history again three years ago when Scott and I renewed our wedding vows on the dock at sunset.

How wonderful it is to wake up each morning there, gazing out on the bay, anticipating the fun and fellowship of a new day as the ocean breezes revive and refresh us. I was really concerned when Hurricane Irene ripped through New Jersey, and the governor ordered people to evacuate beach communities. Thank God, however, LBI was spared, and Harvey Cedars reopened its doors to its last family week for the summer.

HCBC is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, and I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Director Jon Oldham, Al’s son, and to wish the conference many more years of God-blessed ministry.

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Aug 10
2010

Oh, I do love summer vacation! I am freshly mellowed out from a week at Harvey Cedars Bible Conference on Long Beach Island, New Jersey. This was our seventh year there, and it never disappoints. Not only is it relaxing just to have someone else cook and clean for a week, but we have the joy of being renewed morning and evening by inspiring speakers. We also go kayaking and beach combing. One never knows what treasures will be uncovered.

This year it wasn’t a beautiful shell or a bit of sea glass, but two things I saw and heard. As I watched our small son digging in the sand, I asked why he kept dipping his little shovel into the water. He was, he said, trying to catch the ocean. Imagine trying to catch the ocean at all, let alone in a plastic shovel! I suspect that God has an entire ocean full of life for each of us, and that is how we tend to go about taking hold of it.

I also heard a neat story about something that happened at HCBC in 1962–naturally I would be attracted to a historical account! When a massive Atlantic hurricane battered the island, people had to take shelter away from their vulnerable waterfront homes (at LBI almost everything is on the water). They ended up taking refuge at the fire station, and at Harvey Cedars Bible Conference. How wonderful that Christians could provide safety for those frightened people!

How wonderful of our God to speak to me during the mellow days of summer! May He do so for you as well, wherever you find rest and peace.

The Janneys at Harvey Cedars

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