Looking Ahead!

by Stephen Sloat, CCCC California Area Representative

I am writing to encourage everyone in the CCCC to begin making plans to attend the 2016 CCCC Annual Gathering in Carlsbad, California, hosted by Carlsbad Community Church (CCC). Let’s start with the obvious question you may be asking, “Why should those east of the Rockies travel all the way to California for the Annual Gathering?” I’m glad you asked:

1. It is the CCCC Annual Gathering! How can you miss it? I’ve only missed seven since my first in 1984. Even when I had to travel from Pearl Harbor, I made it to four of seven. The fellowship, teaching, seminars, youth and children’s programs, and even the business meetings are all excellent. It was worth it in Waterloo, Iowa…. (no offense intended)!
2. Carlsbad is a great church in an incredibly beautiful location. Don’t miss it!
3. Besides, y’all must admit, it is your turn. After all, those of us in California have had to travel all over the country 20 of the last 21 years. In those 20 years the two closest conferences (Spokane and Colorado Springs) were both over 1,000 miles away. The last two years (including 2015) we’ve had to travel coast-to-coast. We’re not complaining, and we understand that after coming to California it may be more difficult to return to wherever you live; but we’d still appreciate it if you would make the trip. And we’ll try to help you make it worth your while. Especially since…
4. This is a fantastic opportunity to add a vacation to the four days of the conference! CCC is walking distance (for most) to the beach, and it’s not one of those lakeside beaches. This is a great beach with great waves for body surfing, boogie boarding, and surfboarding (or wading, if that’s more your style) — with plenty of sand for beach volleyball or for just relaxing. By car there are miles and miles of beaches along the coast in both directions. Traveling from Carlsbad within one hour by car there is more to do than almost anywhere else on the planet! This includes: San Diego (an exceptional city), Sea World, The San Diego Zoo, Legoland, Naval Stations and Marine Corps Bases, a Marine Corps Museum at Recruit Depot San Diego, the historic Aircraft Carrier USS Midway, deep sea fishing, scuba diving (for those certified), mountains for hiking or driving (for those in the Midwest, mountains are huge parts of the earth that stick way up into the sky), malls for shopping, Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure, with a host of other entertainment options around Disney, Knott’s Berry Farm, and more (for those in Minnesota, our amusement parks can’t fit into a mall). Driving just beyond an hour there is the Los Angeles metropolitan area with a myriad of things to do and see.
5. You’ll get to choose your accommodations ranging from camping to economy to moderate to not-so-moderate to expensive. Great food choices range from Maria’s Pollo (that’s chicken to us gringos) to fine dining.

I’m not done, but I’m over my word limit. So, y’all come, ya hear! (It is Southern California, after all).
It was great to see you last month in Rochester, New York; so we’ll look for you here in a year!