Speakers: Pastor Pete Giacalone, Pastor Jim Balzano, The Worlds Strongest Redneck Steve McGranahan, and Christian Comedean Gordon Douglass. Worship by Pastor Luke Waldon and team.
Written by Pat McCloskey (06/12/2023) posted (including more photos) on chroniclesofmccloskey.com
Campfires galore at Adventure Fest.
The two words “Send It’ generally refers to the encouraging words mountain bike riders or skiers use when goading on a friend to do something extraordinary. “Send it!” -when a skier is just about to jump off a cornice at a ski area. Or “Send it!” – when a mountain bike rider rockets down a rock- strewn descent hanging on for dear life. It usually is met with a huge applause if the “sendee” is successful or derision by the crowd when the “sendee” blows the heroic act.
This also happened to be the theme this year for the annual outdoor outing of Christian men called “Adventure Fest.” This is the brainchild of Greg Nass and his band of merry men who work tirelessly to make this weekend operate seamlessly with great outdoor activities like mountain bike riding, Harley rides, fishing, camping, axe throwing, and a host of other outdoor activities. This was the 12th year. But the main events are centered around really talented speakers who communicate the values that Christian fathers, husbands, and brothers all hold dear. A snapshot of this fabulous weekend is as follows”
Friday-
A small group of Adventuremen tackled the wild and rocky trails at Laurel Mountain. Followed by a fabulous meal at a real gem of a restaurant in Jennerstown called “The Fat Squirrel”. For those of us who prefer plant- based entrees, this little establishment has it all. Great food, a casual atmosphere, outdoor dining and well…….just a real good place to have a meal, post ride in the Laurel Mountains.
As the small group made their way to the Boyer’s Pond Campground, ( a new venue for Adventuremen this year), we set up our tents and campers and made our way to the huge firepit ablaze with many of the Adventuremen who made their way from across several states to be in attendance. The highlight of the evening was the new cross that was built for the new venue which was the centerpiece for the welcoming statements by Greg and some amazing testimonials from several of the men who told their stories. Then, as with the tradition of the Adventuremen cross, they pounded a nail into the cross symbolizing that they are giving their troubles to the Lord, leaving it at the cross,and thankful for what he has done in their lives. Guys talk about overcoming addiction and substance abuse, difficulties with their children, heart wrenching stories that are either a submission by the pounding of the nail, or out of gratitude for the changeover that has occurred in their lives. The faith that was on display and the results are amazing stories that are set with the backdrop of a huge, blazing firepit, and the large wooden cross symbolizing the redemption that is available to all of us if we just place our trust where it belongs.
Saturday-
We awoke to a bright, sunny day with lots of activities on hand including our group’s mountain bike ride at Quemahoning Reservoir trails. This facility that was built by the Army Corps of Engineers with a huge lake and surrounding trails is a must ride for anyone coming to Adventurefest. Our group was enthusiastic as we made our way around some of the nicest trails in the region.
After a quick shower and jamming a few PB&Js down our throats, we made our way to the main event. First on deck was Steve McGranahan who bills himself as the ” World’s Strongest Redneck.” As the crowd of Adventuremen sat in disbelief in their camp chairs, Steve showed us his strength and skill by tearing phone books in half, decks of cards in half, bending nails, and bending a frying pan into a tube that he billed as the first redneck hot dog cooker. We could not believe some of the stuff he showed us like taking a bite out of a soda can. His humor was apparent but he had a definite message for the group. As he was tearing the phone books and decks of cards, he said, don’t let anyone tear you apart, or tear you down. He said we have a faithful savior who will prevent that if we only give him a chance. He said, as he bent the frying pan and the nails, not to bend our will to anything that would be a dishonor to our faith. In short, he had a message for us with every feat of strength that he showed us. The guys were inspired and in awe all at the same time.
Next on the billing was Pastor Pete Giacalone who is the lead pastor at South Park Assembly of God. Pastor Pete regaled us with tales of his upbringing as an Italian Catholic in Detroit. He told us about his friends who were “connected”, and his family who were devout Catholics and had very strong opinions about everything. He went on to say that when he told his family that he wanted to be a preacher, they disowned him. A sad story of neglect and rejection which had a happy ending when his father, on his death bed, finally accepted Christ and was an avid reader of the Bible thanks to the persistence of Pastor Pete. His message to us was one of conviction and steadfast love for the Gospel no matter what.
Following a session of worship music by the praise band that Greg had assembled, the next speaker on the bill was a Christian comedian named Gordan Douglass. A clean, funny comedian who also happens to be a pastor and has taken many foster children into his home. One of his lines which got a chuckle was that ” two just got out of jail and two should be going.” His humor was aimed at himself but his stories of his foster care for 19 different individuals so far was inspiring. Finally, he recited his own version of “The Night Before Christmas” which was centered around the true meaning of Christmas and the Nativity. He delivered it with such passion that there was not a sound in the audience as he held us spellbound with his delivery.
Finally on the bill was Pastor Jim Balzano – lead pastor of Trans4mation Church in Altoona. Pastor Jim had the last spot of the afternoon and lots of guys were getting tired from an afternoon in the hot sun. But his message got the attention of the crowd with the telling of the tale of how the State Police came to the door one night at bout 1:30 AM and told Pastor Jim and his wife that they had found their 19 year old son dead in the river. He told us about how he had to identify the body and how he actually performed the funeral service for his son. He said that that there are a lot of heartaches in the world, and we must know, in keeping with the theme of the event, that God “sent ” his son to save us, his spirit to heal us, and his prophets to warn us. They ” send it” so that we can go out and be a light to the world in the best way that we can. He talked about forgiveness and how we need to forgive ourselves in our own miseries, and to forgive others. The line that resonated with me was when Pastor Jim says the way you truly know you have forgiven others, is when you have the opportunity to hurt someone back ,and you choose not to. He also encouraged us to move on with the work that we are called to do. As he buried his son in the ground, he looked over and saw his brand, new grand- daughter, and decided to dedicate his future efforts to her and not to look back. There was not a dry eye in the house after that one.
You know, I have said it before when reporting in my blog about Adventuremen, and Adventure Fest, that there are real misnomers out there about Christian men. People think we are right wing rednecks, above it all, condescending and judging. Nothing could be further from the truth. When you hear stories from men at Adventure Fest from all walks of life, telling their stories and about how their faith has saved their lives, it shows you the brokenness of true Christian men who recognize that they are sinners and in need of redemption. These guys are just normal Joes in life who struggle like everyone with substance abuse, addictions, broken homes and broken marriages. Nothing could be further from the truth to say that these guys are judging and condescending. They come to Adventure Fest for fun and a good gathering with other men. But they also come to hear the Good News preached by some of the best Assembly of God Pastors around. They come for healing, fellowship, and a wonderful time camping and doing things in the wilds of Pennsylvania. Then they can “send it” out to the world as well as they can. Come to Adventure Fest next year. It is always the weekend before Father’s Day. Information can be found at http://www.Adventuremen.org and www. Adventurefest.org. Thanks for reading. I am honored to be on the board of directors for Adventuremen. I am hoping that it will be a lifetime position. Thank for reading.
Speakers: Friday night: Micheal Ragozzino, Saturday Morning: Duane Goodling, Saturday Night: Tim Bennett
Theme: Enter through the Narrow Gate
Chili winners: Mike House, Bill Gramlich
Written by Pat McCloskey (06/12/2023) posted on chroniclesofmccloskey.com
“John- look who is coming your way to welcome you to Adventurefest 2023!” We chuckled at the inquisitive reptile who seemed to be quite interested in John Casuccio’s blue rubber boots. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I missed Adventurefest last year but was determined to attend this year. We had a great group of guys setting up our tents and settling in for the weekend at the annual Christian men’s outdoor festivities at Agape Farm in Shirleysburg, Pa. 167 guys settled in for a weekend of camping, mini-bike riding, fishing, drone flying, Harley riding, and mountain bike riding at the Allegrippis Trails at Raystown Lake. Greg Nass is a pastor who organizes the weekend with a really responsive crew and his diligence makes the schedule and the weekend flow as smoothly as possible. We had great weather this year as well.
So what is Adventurefest actually and who are the Adventuremen? Tough to put your finger on because it is such a diverse group. But most of the guys are normal Joes who call themselves Christians, and generally have families, are happily married, and seem to like to congregate at Agape Farm every year for many reasons. Some are trying to get their lives back together after a background of alcohol abuse, drug abuse and some crime. Sure, it is great fun to camp and get away with a group of guys who have like- minded interests. All the activities are great and there is always something fun going on. But where the rubber meets the road is when the Assembly of God preachers take the stage after some great music by the Morgan Dolan Band. The theme of the weekend was the passage” enter through the narrow gate.” Most people take the wider road or path, but to take the narrow gate takes conviction and is not easy to do in life. Matthew 7-verses 13-14. Look it up for context.
Friday night……..
After camp set ups, the men all assembled for opening remarks by Greg Nass and Pastor Michael Ragozzino took the stage. Now most people would think that a pastor would be a quiet, pious type with a poignant message spoken in a demure way. Not Michael. He freely shared his background growing up on the North Side of Pittsburgh. 32 rehabs, prison time, heroin addiction at 16, armed robbery for a $500.00 a day habit which put him into several years of incarceration. Finally at the suggestion of his mother, he turned his life around and learned about the Christian faith. He became a pastor and now has a wonderful wife and family and serves in a church in Somerset, Pa. His passionate message to us was that it is never too late. Everyone has a mission no matter what their background is. We left the long building marveling at his faith, his passion and his willingness to be open about a very tough background.
Lights out at midnight.
Saturday…….
John suggested to me that we had another visitor to our camp early in the dark morning. He heard a large movement right outside his tent and a deep measured breath of a large animal which John in his silence thought was definitely a bear. For some reason the turtle, and now a bear, seemed to be sending John a message or was inquisitive about this guy from Moon Township. We laughed about it over our breakfast with our group of ruffians camped near the little lake on the property.
After breakfast and before the group headed to Raystown ( more on this ride next week), we listened to a message from Pastor Duane Goodling who gave an informative talk about the validity of the Bible. He gave us all a sheet with some interesting talking points. Things like- read the Bible. Know what is in the Bible to know what not is in the Bible. There are normative and prescriptive passages in the Bible which can explain some fundamental misunderstandings. Things that were written for the people of the time and things that were written that are timeless. We all were glued to that sheet and were really locked into the message from Pastor Duane which seemed to answer many questions and led to the conclusion that the inspired word of God is the truth. It is not subject to interpretation other than to understand the difference between the normative and prescriptive context.
After a great mountain bike ride at Raystown, we all headed to a delicious meal at Little New York in Huntington, Pa. ( Don’t miss that one if you get there.) Great Greek and Latin specialties. We then returned to the camp and ate a little more before we headed back up to the long building to hear what turned out to be an inspiring message by the Evangelist Tim Bennett. Look him up on Facebook or Google him. http://www.bennettministries.com He and his wife have an amazing evangelistic ministry based out of Mt. Morris, Pa. With great exuberance expected by an Assembly of God pastor and evangelist, Tim flew all over the room with relentless energy as he told us all to “raise the standard” in our lives. There are so many things going on today that are in total defiance to fundamental principles and the message to all of us as Christian men, husbands, fathers, and heads of households was to raise the standards and make a difference in the lives of all that we encounter. Don’t be judgmental. Be welcoming but speak the truth in love. Tim talked about financial troubles and said that if ” you go about your Father’s business, your Dad will always cover the bill.” “Your talent is a gift from God. What you do with it is your gift back to Him.” He was like a machine gun with all of these sayings and really lit up the room even though most of the men were tired from all the day’s activities. But Tim lit a fire under all of us and if you have never heard a Pentecostal message from an evangelist, put it on your list of ” to do”. You will not regret it and you will never forget it. Tim didn’t want us to leave from the weekend without considering what we would do to honor the Lord in everything we do from this day forward. He ignited the room and challenged the Adventuremen. People need hope these days and the timeless message of Christianity fits that bill. Providing hope and comfort in a world full of division, angst, and troubles. Tim challenged the group to put it out there and provide that message of hope. Don’t be afraid. You are giving people good news.
A lot of people think that Christians are above it all, judgmental and condescending. Nothing could be further from the truth. Fact is we all acknowledge our sinfulness, limitations, and shortfalls and although we all may not have stories like Pastor Mike and his Northside days, we all have stories where we need redemption. We are all just normal Joes trying to get along in this life as husbands and fathers. All of you who know me, are aware that I am just a normal guy. I have a good sense of humor, I care about people, and I am interested in bettering my life and also hoping to make a difference in this world among my family and my treasured friends. Adventurefest and the Adventuremen do that for me. If you are interested in the organization, please go to www. Adventuremen.org I am honored to be on their board of directors. Come to Adventurefest next year and maybe try one of our Dirt Church mountain bike rides. We get all kinds. Believers, non-believers, good riders, not so good riders, but we have a good time with great food afterwards with a good message from Greg and The Shark. Come on out! Thanks for reading.
Speakers: Jonathan Wyns (Friday), Marc Sauers "Sharky" (Sat), Tom Sember (Sat), Jimmie Rivera (Sun
Worship: The Morgan Dolan Band
Chili: Will return 2022
Written by Pat McCloskey (06/14/2021) posted on chroniclesofmccloskey.com
So, I am laying in my tent Friday night listening to the Biblical rains falling on my rain fly and hoping that it will stay dry for me as I get through the night of really foul weather at Adventurefest 2021. For those of you who might be wondering what in the world is Adventurefest, it is a really spectacular weekend of men getting together at Agape Farm and Retreat Center in Shirleysburg, Pa. It is an annual thing that my friend Mark (aka Shark) Sauers and I attend in the mountains of central Pa where there is axe throwing, bon fires, drones, bike tosses, motorcycling, mini-bike riding and for us mountain biking at Raystown. Typical frivolity for a group of 150 or so of us who get together to camp and listen to really great messages from pastors affiliated with the Assembly of God Church.
So, before you hit the click button, give me a chance here to explain the good news presented by the pastors starting with Jonathan Wyns on Friday night as the welcoming speaker. Accompanied to the ” Long Building” by the musical excellence of the Morgan Dolan band, we were treated to a message that initiated the theme for the weekend called ” Boots on the Ground.” A military term basically adapted to the message of getting into your boots and moving forward to present the good news of the Gospel to your friends and family and having the courage to stand up and be the men that we were created to be- as husbands, fathers, and friends. The typical misconception of Christian messaging today is that it is condescending, or ” above it all.” When really the opposite is true when you hear testimonies of guys who sold drugs, used drugs, recovering alcoholics, and general sinners expressing their need for the saving message that Jesus died for our sins and welcomes us into His fold if we only believe. That is it. A positive message if I ever heard one and one that I feel needs to be shared. Shark always says why wouldn’t we share good news? Like telling our friends and family about a good restaurant or a good bike or a good pair of skis. Stuff that we do all the time. Why not share the good news of the Gospel? I did not grow up in the Pentecostal tradition so over the years it took me a little time to understand and be comfortable with the vigor of the messages presented and received by the men. But let me tell you, if you have ever heard an Assembly of God preacher, you will not forget it. Whether you are a believer, have faith, or have no faith, listening to one of these guys stirs something deep in your soul that at the very least will make you think. Jonathan started that and as we made our way back to our soggy tents, I definitely thought about what the heck is going on in our world and what I need to do to at least try to make it a little better.
Saturday morning welcomed us with brilliant sunshine and after I cranked up the Jet Boil and prepared the Shark breakfast, he spoke to a group of 20 or so early risers about the need to move forward like the disciples did in the book of Acts. For those of you who know the Shark, he is a fun loving guy but never sell him short on his faith. The man can present. I was so impressed with my friend’s message about the rag tag group of fishermen who changed the world. The mountain biking at Raystown Lake never disappoints and we connected with our Adventurefest friend Roger Evans from West Virginia. Roger always rides with us and is a quality guy who we really like. Strong rider too. It was just the three of us this year riding but we connected with a young lady from Sunbury , Pa who turned out to be a terrific rider and gave us all we could handle with her riding skills and fitness. Sarah from Sunbury.
Saturday evening the band struck up again and the speaker was a retired fireman from Buffalo who is now a pastor with AOG. Tom Sember gave all of some sobering statistics like percentages of men who are absent in the lives of their children. Percentages of guys in prison who had no father growing up or an absent father. Inner city statistics of kids with no fathers or father figures. Really heart wrenching and Tom, in the AOG preacher tradition, put it out there strongly to us to be the men we are supposed to be regardless of the culture we live in today. Boots on the ground and take that step forward. He kind of resonated with me because I tend to not be a pushy person and am a little shy about sharing the gospel unless people give me an opening. But he said he didn’t care if people thought he was a “Jesus freak”. ” Who cares ?” he said, and we should not care either if we share good news especially in this tumultuous world that we live in. Sleeping in my dry tent again, and looking up at the stars, I thought a lot about what Tom said and rested comfortably after a good ride, good dinner, and really great fellowship and preaching.
One of the great traditions of Adventurefest is the late night hike up the mountain to a wooden cross. It is there that guys present their life stories and how the Gospel has changed them. Growing up like I did, I had it pretty good. But listing to these guys from inner city Philadelphia give their testimonies about where they have been and where they are now and hammering a nail into that cross symbolizing that they are giving it all to the Lord to fix, I am always stunned. Greg Nass, the director of Adventuremen and Adventurefest works tirelessly with his amazing staff, for a year to put on this event and no matter how tired he is, he is always there at that cross and hammering a nail in for our children. That they grow up and know the Lord. Greg is an amazing individual.
Pastor Jimmie Rivera from the City Limits Assembly of God in Allentown,Pa. presented the closing message on Sunday. After Shark and I packed up right before another torrential thunderstorm, we made our way to the Long Building and sat in the front row to listen to a truly amazing preacher. Like I said before, AOG preachers are not shy and Jimmie talked about the courage of Joshua in the Old Testament in very graphic terms that had men wriggling in their seats. But the message was consistent with Boots on the Ground in that Joshua had great faith and put one foot in front of the other, and crossed the Jordan River to victory over the enemy. The perspiration was coming down Pastor Jim’s face as he put it out there about the importance of commitment and not to go back to the norm on Monday morning. Make a difference and be the man, father, husband, friend, you are supposed to be.
So if you haven’t clicked me off yet and are asking yourself, ” McCloskey- what on earth are you doing out in the middle of nowhere sleeping in a tent with a bunch of rowdies every year?” The answer is simple – good news to be shared. Mountain bikes, grills going strong, bacon, drones, basketball, mini-bikes, motorcycles, bon fires, fishing, camping- all make Adventurefest fun. But the messaging all make sleeping in the tent and roughing it a little out of the norm so worthwhile. Come to Adventurefest next year. Ask me, Shark or Greg Nass about it and we will give you details. Thanks for not clicking and reading.
” For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3-16
