Camano church plans tent gospel meeting
Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, June 6, 2007
CAMANO ISLAND – It’s just a tent, staked on an acre of lawn, alongside a rural route about a mile outside of downtown Stanwood.
But it has Bob Dietel more excited than he’s been in quite some time.
The man is an Episcopalian vicar. He specializes in readings from the Book of Common Prayer to an audience of 150 – his congregation at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church on Camano Island.
Tonight, his church will play host to its first-ever gospel tent meeting.
“This is something Episcopalians don’t normally do,” Dietel said, and punctuated his statement with laughter laced with nerves.
The Mormon church next door plans to donate its parking lot. Local Lutheran and Methodist churches have pledged their support. Other Episcopalian churches are sending “bags and bags” of cookies, Dietel said.
The Episcopalians savor their somewhat staid services each Sunday. Tonight, they will revel in a half-hour hymn singalong. Old Protestant favorites including “A Mighty Fortress” and “Blessed Assurance” will ring out into the air.
“This is just not our stock and trade,” Dietel said. “It’s all brand new.”
It all started when a local Episcopalian leader heard that Michael Curry, the bishop of North Carolina, was taking a season-long sabbatical this summer.
One phone call led to another, and before Dietel realized what was happening, he had agreed to play host to the first of four tent meetings to be held throughout Western Washington.
As many as 500 people are expected to attend. All are welcome, Dietel said.
Reporter Krista J. Kapralos: 425-339-3422 or kkapralos@heraldnet.com.
Gospel meeting
The tent meeting is set to begin at 7 tonight at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church at 1318 Highway 532 on Camano Island.
