Ackerman church camp celebrated 150 years of tradition

ACKERMAN, Miss. (WCBI) – People across the region joined together this week for the 150th annual South Annual Camp meeting.

Members say the fellowship allowed them to connect with their history.

The South Union Camp meeting in Ackerman is celebrating 150 years…

Families from neighboring states and churches travel to the week-long worship service.

While the event welcomes new faces every year, Buddy Smith has a long attendance history at the camp.

“It’s a beautiful place we call it holy ground here and it has a 150-year tradition that actually started in my family with my great great grandfather who was among of the first organizers out here in 1872,” said Smith.

Festivities take place under an arbor that was built 108 years ago. While folks have remodeled a few of the cabins, there are original pieces still present.

“They made their living by the land and as they would get their crops laid there would be a time of rest and coming together for fellowship and for worship and so they would put up their tents and those days there was just horse and buggy and no electricity and we couldn’t imagine today,” said Smith.

Smith says continuing the tradition isn’t only for worship but it’s also gratifying to remember his ancestors and how it all started.

“Its wonderful to come here and remember that our ancestors worshipped in the same place and we sing of the old hymns and worship in the way we did and so it a time of spiritual renewal and historically camp meeting is a revival movement that was really important after the civil war,” said Smith.

Members like Rob Chambers said he also grew up with this tradition and he continues to bring his family every year.

“It’s a multigenerational history that I have here and thankfully as we say standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us it’s a real blessing to have that heritage and that tradition,” said Chambers.

And Chambers is hopeful more years of tradition will continue.

“We believe that we will persist here at the south union meeting for what we believe until Jesus comes back,” said Chambers.

If you want to know more about the history or would like to join the meetings you can at Southunioncampmeeting.org