Bible Camp in Worthington Attracts Families
(L-R) Trustee Bill Finnigan, Guest Speaker David Morris, Trustee Secretary Floyd Koenig, Bethel Bible Baptist Church Pastor Nathan Bramlet and Camp Caretaker Mark Goforth stand around the campfire at Camp Maranatha Youth Ranch beside Buffalo Creek in Worthington.
by Jonathan Weaver
Secluded at the end of Yellowdog Road in Worthington, through the village of Shadyside, is Camp Maranatha Youth Ranch.
Trustees laugh that some residents of Worthington haven’t heard of it, but it’s been there alongside Buffalo Creek for nearly 50 years.
The camp was founded by Camp Director Dr. Robert “Doc” Lescelius in 1965 with three other founders. Lescelius, 80, is also Dean of George Baptist College in Senoia, Ga.
The camp hosts individual churches throughout the season, but is in the middle of its July Bible conference – which attracts up to 100 parishioners across the United States. Three Bible lessons are held daily for both children, teenagers and adults.
Bethel Bible Baptist Church Pastor Nathan Bramlet began preaching in Worthington less than two years ago, but has already felt an impact from the camp.
“I know when I first came down here, I was about ready to give up preaching – and (Finnigan) was preaching from the Book of Jeremiah and talking about giving up on preaching. I heard that and thought, ‘Well, Lord, You still have something for me,’ and this camp has been a blessing to my family ever since,” Bramlet said.
Twice per year, Bramlet and his Wife, Stacey, and four children - Eleanor, Samuel, Joyanna and Asa – stay in a cabin at the camp. They plan to continue that tradition when their fifth child is born this December.
Bill Finnigan, an instructor in the discipleship academy at the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley in Youngstown, Ohio, and a trustee of the camp hopes to get other families to grow in the camp. Two busloads of rescued men will arrive at the camp Friday.
“This is just an oasis for us, and we wish more people from the area would take advantage of it,” Finnigan said. “We believe that every good manufacturer gives a manual to go with the product, and we believe that about God – that he gave us a manual called the Bible. When you don’t have the manual, you have to take a chance in life. The reason I think a lot of people are on drugs and whatever else is because they don’t know have any hope – they don’t know what life is about.”
As Guest Speaker David Morris of North Carolina described, Maranatha is derived from the Biblical Book of 1st Corinthians and means “The Lord Cometh.”
“Its a little statement of hope – to know that things are going to be better one day,” Finnigan added.
A traveling minister, Morris has preached at Maranatha since 2003. Morris will be in Chattanooga, Tenn. during the August conference
Bethel Bible Baptist Church has been instrumental in the camp’s organization since the 1960’s – when Melda Lesseski of Sarver began attending. Lesseski is the widow of former Bethel Bible Pastor, the Rev. Raymond Lesseski – who died in March 2012.
Now, Lessesski attends annually with her daughter, Cindy Wilson – who has come since she was 15 years old. Wilson met her husband, Ron, at the camp 40 years ago and now brings her daughter, Becky Paulson, and grandchildren – including six-month-old Alyssa.
Secluded through the village of Shadyside, the youth ranch has hosted teenagers and Bible conferences for nearly 50 years. Trustees expect at least 100 believers to attend this week’s annual conference
The elder three work in the kitchen during the conferences and plan to have a pig roast at the August 5-9 conference.
Lessesski described why she continues to attend – even as she approaches her 80th birthday.
“It’s been a blessing over the years – it’s a spiritual awakening each year that keeps us going from year to year. We need that revival in our lives, but it needs to start in our own hearts,” Lesseski said. “That’s the emphasis of this camp.”
A mere-$2 is collected for registration, but meals and lodging are provided for free at the camp.
“God gives us what we need when we need it. He’s never failed with that,” Bramlet said.
Portions of the camp were nearly lost during Hurricane Ivan in 2004 when more than four feet flooded the “chuck wagon.”
The flooding occurred just a week after the Lessesski 50th anniversary celebration.
Esther Clifton, 16, of West Virginia traveled nearly five years with her father and four siblings – Rachel, Susanna, Seth and Noah - to attend camp for the fourth year. She said the experience has also helped her grow.
“It’s given me fellowship and there’s a ton of good preaching here,” Clifton said. “It’s really helped me to grow in the Lord.”
Clifton is one of nearly a dozen teenagers who help in the kitchen this week. She said it’s not a chore for her now.
“We have responsibilities to do at home, but it’s not as fun as doing it here,” Clifton said. “Here, we get to do it with friends.”
Kim and Christine Goforth of Michigan traveled more than 330 miles and six hours to come back to the camp this week.
Kim said Maranatha is unlike Michigan biblical camps in many respects – including in their approach to money. She always enjoys the fellowship, and brought her son this year.
“We kept going through our lives and going our separate ways, but as we traveled to different places, this has always been the one thing the Lord always drew me back to,” Kim said. “For awhile, I actually ran from the Lord, and this was the one place that I was afraid to come because I always knew the Lord could get a hold of me here.
“But, even then I always missed it,” Kim added. “There’s something special about when we drive down in here. There’s just a peace.”
Caretaker Mark Goforth saw his family grow at camp. A deacon at Bethel Bible Baptist, Goforth’s son, William, - one of six - was born Saturday.
Dr. Charles Osborne from Texas will be guest speaker at the August 5-9 conference.
Local News | jweaver July 3, 2013
By bucketlist, July 3, 2013 @ 6:56 AM
Now that is a Gem in the county I never knew of. And I have been past there many, many times!