The evening services

In the first years, the meetings started on Wednesday and went for ten days through to the next Sunday. Many people "came in wagons or buggies...The horses were kept on the south end of the campgrounds - at least 25-30 teams." Youth camp Jaboolga. (John Erbele, as written by Robert Erbele)

By the 1940's the camp meeting had extended to last:

"...two full weeks and three Sundays. Most people came to the Camp daily, but a good many folks stayed overnight at the Camp during those 15 days. They lived in tents and small, wooden shacks hauled in (which really looked like ice-fishing huts)." (Arnold Marzolf)

"My Dad built a tent in the back of his 1929 truck and that is where my folks camped in part of the time. My Dad would attend the services sometimes by himself - because my mother would have to stay and tend to the chores with the family." (Alma Reich)

The daily program included a combination of Bible studies, evangelistic services, and fellowship. Bible studies were held twice daily (at 10:00 and 2:00) each day except Sundays for an hour and a half for about 250 people. For the first half hour of the Bible study, the Conference Superintendent would teach on the theme for that day, and then the time was open to discussion by all present.

The evening services would begin at 7:00, with at least 1500 people participating. It would include at least an hour of singing (those old German hymns!) led by the local preacher before the Conference Superintendent called the meeting to order. The service would include a mixture of Scripture readings (by pastors present from various denominations), prayer, and more hymn singing. About a half hour was allowed for people's testimonies (talking about how God had worked in their lives), and then:

"...the Evangelist came to the Pulpit. In those days when there were no T.V.s and few radios (and fewer movie houses), the Evangelist could preach for at least an hour. At the close of his message everyone knelt down on.