Hope Again – A Spiritual Reboot
By Jordyn Wright
From June 18–21, the Southeastern California Conference (SECC) Black Ministries Department gathered for its annual camp meeting, held under the powerful and timely theme: “Hope Again.” More than a title, the theme became a spiritual call to action for a community facing personal struggles, ongoing challenges, and societal unrest.
SECC’s Vice President for Black Ministries Dr. Andrea King, explained the inspiration behind the theme. “‘Hope Again’ was an echo from last year’s theme, ‘Breathe Again.’ In part, it was a response to the many things that have been transpiring in our world today,” she said. “We wanted to create sacred space and support for people to do something radical in these restless times—to hope again.” Through prayer, planning, and fasting, the team sought God’s presence, and He met them there. “We learned to get our hopes up and were schooled in hope behavior.”
With 16 churches represented in the conference, the Black Ministries camp meeting brought together a beautifully diverse body of believers. “We have youth and young adults, pastors and lay people, third-generation Adventists, and those who joined the church this year,” King noted. “We are unique and also united under the same mission of expanding the Kingdom of God.”
One of the featured guest speakers, Dr. Myron Edmonds, brought bold truth and deep compassion to the weekend’s message. When asked what prevents people from embracing hope, he replied, “Honestly? One of the biggest obstacles is unhealed pain… We’ve been taught to shout over our suffering rather than bring it to Jesus.” Edmonds emphasized that the church must be a place of “permission to be broken, to question, to grow slow.” His words reminded all attendees that “hope is not hype—it’s a quiet rebellion against despair.”
Edmonds also described the camp meeting as more than a spiritual event—it’s a sacred reunion. “This is where tired pastors remember why they said ‘yes.’ This is where young people see they’re not crazy for still believing.” His prayer is that, weeks later, attendees are still feeling God’s whisper in their hearts, saying, “God met me there… and I haven’t been the same since.”
Indeed, “Hope Again” was more than a theme—it was a divine invitation. And the answer, from all who attended, was a resounding yes.