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"The President's Pen" articles from the past few years.
APRIL 2010 A few notes of PHC history taken from the booklet, "Sandusky Union Holiness Association (Portage Holiness Camp) 10th Anniversary, 1878-1978." In 1876-1878, the Sandusky Conference of the United Brethren in Christ Church was praying for a more effective work in teaching and spreading Scriptural Holiness received by faith subsequent to regeneration. A meeting was held at the Mt. Zion UB Church, May 28, 1978 with Rev. T.D. Ingle of Napoleon, Ohio as one of the prime movers. Officers elected were: President T.D. Ingle, Secretary, S.A. Myers, Treasurer, Wm Mathes. Other members: D. Glancy, O.H.Ramsey, D. S. Caldwell, S. T. Lane, J. W. Eastman, S. H. Radebaugh, J. V. Potts. A. J. Klingle and John Ridley. In 1879 Camp was held at Swail Camp in Crawford County; in 1881 at Bay Shore in Sandusky County; Petersburg camp in Wyandot County was leased for ten years. D. O. Tussing and Hiriam Ackers were appointed to locate permanent grounds and found 12 1/2 acres. Bro. Dienst offered it to the camp for $1400 and in 132 years look where God has brought us. The purpose has been to keep PHC on Scriptural grounds, where the whole gospel and nothing but the gospel shall be proclaimed. The camp has weathered many storms, but God has blessed and kept her steady. The final paragraph in this booklet read: Let us do our best to carry the torch of scriptural holiness so that the coming generations, if the Lord tarries, can also know this wonderful truth. As president, I see PHC has a great heritage and my prayer is, Lord help us to hold even higher the banner of holiness in a day when the message is not heard like it was few generations ago. Camp is only four months away and I trust you have been praying for the coming camp. In this newsletter you will see who the workers are for this year and who will be here for concert night. Revivals and camp meetings are birthed in the prayer closets. I have read of great revivals and camp meetings of the past but my heart desires to be a part of one. Pray with me to that end. I talked to our treasurer in March and he said nearly $2000 has been sent in since January for the coming camp. THANKS BE UNTO OUR LORD. I am sure a good amount will be coming before camp in August. This helps in that there will not be need of great pressure for offerings during camp time. Our giving last year was over $30,000 for workers, utilities, insurances and improvements and our need for this year will be about the same. Some may think this a tremendous amount but with every one doing their part, the needed amount will be received. In thinking of the cost, if one soul gains heaven because of PHC, it will be worth it all. Thanks again for praying for the camp and for giving to the ongoing of the ministry of the camp. See you August 4-14 at PHC. Roger W. Overmyer
NOVEMBER 2009 Last summer I thought God's favorite colors were blue sky and green grass and leaves. But several weeks ago He took out his big box of crayolas and began changing the scenery and what a beautiful job He did. Then someone tries to tell us that it just happpened. No way. GOD DID IT! He likes to hear our oohs and ahs when we look at all the beautiful leaves he has colored. I know we sometimes complain about the job of raking the leaves and getting our yards back into shape but I will like it all. This beautiful fall causes me to remember our third grade teacher, my dad's also, Miss Mattie Heckman who made us memorize poems and bits and pieces of one I recall is, "the frost is on the pumpkins, the corn is turing brown, the trees in apple orchards with fruit are bending down". It surely is a beautiful time of the year that our Lord has given us to enjoy. Even though PORTAGE HOLINESS CAMP MEETING has passed, I am still reminded of some of the mesages that were given by our evangelists and the songs sung by our musicians. What an inspiring time and I am sure many who attended would say the same. I am looking forward to August 4th when the Keeling Family will be back for the Wednesday night concert and then August 5-15, 2010 when we willl gain be hearing from the Word by our evangelists Rev. Lane Loman and Rev. Claude Nicholas and songs by our musician Gary Bonds. I hope you are prayng for PHC 2010 and planning to be with us for that great time in fellowship and worshipping the Lord together at PHC. Recently I read a booklet by Dr. Dennis Kinlaw entitled VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIVING and in it he tells while in college, some missionaries of some of his fellow classmates, visited the campus. They had been imprisoned when Japan overran China and Brother Kinlaw became endeared to these students and their parents. These parents show no self pity and spoke of not just surrender but total surrender, not just consecration but complete consecration. They spoke of being "filled with the Holy Spirit", "entire sanctification", "death to self" and being "crucified with Christ". These terms are seldom heard today. Brother Kinlaw sensed these dear missionaries showed something he felt that he did not feel was evident in his spiritual life and his heart hungered for what they showed. He studied the word and prayed and God faithfully led him to the time he totally surrendered his life to the Lord and completely consecrated his all to Jesus. We thank the Lord for what He is doing in our midst today but I am sure many long to see people who are totally surrendered to the will of the Lord, people who are have competely consecrated their all to him and are letting him use them as he sees fit. We can read church history about some of the great revivals of the past but my prayer is, OH LORD, DO IT AGAIN! It has been some time since the last Asbury Revival. If would be great to see another Asbury Revival sweep across our land. I trust you will pray with me to this end. OH LORD, LET IT BEGIN AT PORTAGE HOLINESS CAMP. I am sure you remember at last camp we mentioned how there needed to be some up-dating on our sewer system. Some work is planned for this fall and some for the spring. I am praying that as the different phases of the project are completed the funds will be on hand to care for the expenses because God's people are always faithful in their giving. We thank the Lord for some individuals who are giving their equipment for these projects at no cost so the materials will be the major cost. We will keep you posted with the progress of these projects. From the home of your president and his wife, we wish you dear folk a great THANKSGIVNG AND CHRISTMAS time with your families. Roger Overmyer
SEPTEMBER 2009 The One-hundred and Thirty-first PORTAGE HOLINESS CAMP MEETING is history and we are praising and thanking the Lord for the blessing He bestowed upon our camp this year. The Lord used the ministry of our evangelists: Dr. Eldon Neihof, Dr. Steven Manley and Rev. Larry Leckrone to help many in their seeking to be saved, others to be sanctified and many others seeking for other spiritual helps. The Leckrones, with song and leading the worship services created a beautiful atmosphere for each service. Our Monday evening missionary service featured the Kentucky Mountain Holiness Association with Dr.Philip Speas speaking and a trio from the Kentucky Mountain Bible College singing. The Offering for the KMHA work amounted to over $1000.00. Our concert night with the Keeling Family Musicians, was attended by over 375. The tabernacle was filled and people setting on the outside. We have the Keelings coming back for August 4th, 2010. Plan to be there and bring someone. Our children's worker, Miss Barbara Deaton, shared that a good number of our children gave their hearts to Jesus. Our youth Leader, Rev. Brad Buhro, shared that he sensed the young people had a great desire to know and to learn to walk with Jesus. There might be some who might be interested in a few statistics of the camp services. Our 7:30 morning prayer meeting averaged 23 which was a gain of 1 over last year; our 10:00 morning services averaged 56, a gain of 10 over last year; our afternoon services averaged 66 a minus of 3; and our evening services averaged 179 a gain of 30. In a number of the evening services we asked how many were first time attenders at PHC and a good number raised their hands. It would be interesting to know how they learned about PHC. For PHC 2010, we have engaged Rev. Lane Loman and Rev. Claude Nicholas as our evangelists and Rev. Gary Bonds to be in charge of the music. Rev. Bonds will be helping with preaching during the first weekend. Plans are in the process of updating our 55 year old sewer system. The cost will be approxmiately $15,000.00. I trust you will be praying with us about this. We hope to have it done by next camp meeting. We thank the Lord how he has laid it on people's hearts to give and over $20,000.00 was given throughout the year. Continue to pray with us for the ongoing mission of PHC that it will reach farther for HIS GLORY. I want to say a BIG THANK YOU for all who helped in so many ways to make PHC a success this past year. Pray with us as plans are made for PHC 2010. Again, THANK YOU. Roger Overmyer
JUNE 2009
Portage Holiness Campmeeting is less than two months away and many improvements are being made across the camp grounds. The tabernacle has been rearranged to make it more convenient for the use of PowerPoint and other video presentations. The projector and video screen have already been installed and tested. The new platform has been built and the back wall covered and both have been painted. Work is progressing on the Youth Director’s cabin, and cottage D. Also the big dorm and the restrooms have been scraped for paint and might possibly be painted by the time you read this message. I say, “THANK THE LORD!” A group from the Evangelical Congregational Church in Seneca, Pennsylvania, where Chad (and Diane) Clark used to be youth pastor, have been to Portage and worked at getting three porch decks built for the cottages and also helped in other areas. Five or six truck loads of driveway stone has been brought in by my brother Darwin who used a truck from the place where he works, and all we had to pay for was the diesel fuel and stone. When my wife and I are at the camp, we spend our Sundays attending various churches in the area to promote the camp. At one such church, we connected with a family who owns a warehouse and we can purchase various items including No. 10 cans and they will deliver these items to the camp and the cost to us will be whatever they had to pay. At another church we attended, we made contact with a fellow who has since come out to camp and did most of the scraping on the big dorm and is going to be back to help paint. I understand that two other groups are coming to Portage and that our caretakers will have work that they can undertake. Our first grandchild was married on June 13th and our children are with us and two grandchildren from Florida are staying an extra two weeks so we are planning to come to Portage Camp on July 9 and staying for 7-10 days. A comment that I have heard several times is “the camp grounds look great.” A big "Thank You" to all those who have helped get the grounds ready for camp. Your Camp President, R.W. Overmyer
SPRING 2009
Recently I have been reading from the Internet under "Christian Holiness" about some of the history of the holiness movement. In 1836, Asa Mahan, then President of Oberlin College, experienced what he called the baptism with the Holy Ghost. He believed that this experience had cleansed him from the desires and inclination to sin. Charles G. Finney, an evangelist associated with the Oberlin College, believes that this experience might provide a solution to a problem he observed during his evangelistic revivals. Some of people claimed to experience conversion, but then slipped back into their old ways of living. He believed that being filled with the Holy Spirit could help these converts to continue steadfast in their Christian life. How true. The first holiness camp meeting was held in Vineland, New Jersey in 1867 under the leadership of John S. Inskip, John A. Wood, Alfred Cookman and other Methodist ministers. Ten thousand attended on the Lord's Day service. The second holiness camp meeting was held at Manheim, Pennsylvania with nearly 25,000 from all nations attending. The third holiness camp meeting was held in Round Lake, New York and holiness camp meetings are continuing to be held throughout the U.S. As I think of this little bit of holiness camp meeting history, PORTAGE HOLINESS CAMP meeting is a small part of a movement that has been going on for over 142 years. My prayer is that PHC will continue on and get stronger till Jesus comes, which may be soon. As you will see on the PHC advertising material, we have a slate of workers for our children and youth, with both evangelists and musicians coming. We trust you are praying for an outpouring of God's blessing on PHC. If you would like to learn more about the holiness movement, search for "Christian Holiness" and learn more about this great movement. David Doolittle, has listed on our website www.portageholinesscamp.org other information of what some present day people are saying about the holiness camp meeting. David has done a great job with our web-site. I am planning on being on the campgrounds, April 20-31st, helping with various projects that need attention and completed before August 5th. Restrooms in the big dorm are our big project. So if you can come and help that would be appreciated. Come around in your work clothes. Our great caretakers will have something for you to do. In the past many have thought of the food needs in the dining hall and these items have been very much appreciated, and again if you can help this year, let me say up front, THANKS. On behalf of the board and the Portage Holiness Camp people, we wish to extend our love and prayers to our treasurer, John E. Brown, who lost his oldest daughter recently. Hope to see many of you April 25th for our tureen lunch and a day of fellowship and updating you folks on what is happening and what we are planning to do. Blessings to all, Roger W. Overmyer
November, 2008 My how things are moving so quickly these days. A few weeks ago God had all the trees hanging with green leaves and then he wanted to show us more of his beauty and before he let them fall he painted some red, gold, yellow, orange and all the other colors in between. As my wife and I would drive long, many times we said "HOW BEAUTIFUL!!!" Then the weather cooled and the trees were bare and then God sent soft white snow to decorate the trees and again as we drove along we again said, "HOW BEAUTIFUL!!!!" Our Heavenly Father likes to share with us so much of his handy work. With THANKSGIVING just past and I am sure you tried to count your blessings and like me I know I would miss more than I could think of but how GOOD is our Heavenly Father!!! With THANKSGIVING barely past we begin to think of CHRISTMAS. The time our Heavenly Father gave to mankind the greatest gift the world has ever had the privilege to enjoy. Thank God for the millions who personally appreciate the gift God gave over 2000 years ago, the millions who today celebrate CHRISTmas. The babe of Bethlehem came to bring peace and oh, that peace might come to our world and it will come when all mankind personally finds the babe of Bethlehem as their personal Saviour. Might our prayer be: Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven!!
In a few weeks we will be standing on the brink of a new year. What is ahead???? God only knows. A new president, new people in Washington D.C. a difficult financial time facing all of us. But my comfort is: God still holds the reigns of this world. He knows all from beginning to end. Our Heavenly Father is going to have the last say. May we keep our hand in the precious nail scarred hand of our Lord and as someone has said, He will pull us all the way to heaven, if we can stand the pull!!!! We are planning to get the music of The Keeling Family musicians to the radio stations in February so they will know of their coming to PHC next summer. From the Overmyer home to yours, May the Lord continue to bless you all and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. Roger Overmyer
August, 2008 Letter "HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD is our watch word and song. HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD as we're marching along. Sing it, Shout it, Loud and Long. HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD now and forever."
This was the theme of the 130th Annual Portage Holiness Camp meeting held August 7-17, 2008. Our evangelists, Duane Smith and Rus Coffey gave holiness messages to help encourage God's children. The Cassidy's, with their children, sang under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit also. A good group attended the morning prayer meetings and I believe the results were many seeking the Lord in many of the services to be saved or sanctified or to find other spiritual help. Not only young people but adults as well. One of our former youth campers shared with us his testimony how the Lord was leading him to teach in a Christian school in South America and his folks took him to the airport, during camp, to fly to his school. Already plans are being made for the 131st camp meeting. It is not too early to pray for PORTAGE HOLINESS CAMP meeting 2009. The dates are August 6-16, 2009. Our workers will be, evangelists John Donnerberg (August 6-16), Stephen Manley (August 11-16), and Larry Leckrone (August 6-9), musicians Larry and Tamla Leckrone (8/6-16). Roger Overmyer, President PORTAGE HOLINESS CAMP
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