Experiencing Belonging at On This Rock
Melinda Holland / 6 Min Read / On This Rock 2022
In April 2022, my family and I traveled to Central Oregon’s world-renowned Smith Rock State Park to attend On This Rock, an event built around a love for the outdoors, specifically the sport of rock climbing. One of their focuses for the weekend was to help people experience belonging.
It’s no small feat to pull off a large, three-day event, yet the team at On This Rock was very intentional about every detail needed to foster community and a sense of belonging.
Intentionality in Details Cultivates Belonging
On This Rock brought into existence anything needed to cultivate belonging and community—even amongst strangers. Whether it was tending the fires of several Solo Stoves, prepping and serving free food, or providing expert guiding services to even the youngest of climbers, everyone providing a service at On This Rock did it to the best of their ability and with excellence—no matter how little or menial the task looked. They worked as a selfless team, belonging to each other and to the people they served.
It was as if the event planners asked themselves, “How can we serve others in the best way possible? How can we show people that we love them and want them to have a great time with us?” Then they took action and brought it to life. The formula for fostering community and a sense of belonging isn’t hard. It’s quite simple: Be observant, then take care of people’s needs. If On This Rock noticed anything that took away from their end goal, they were quick to remedy it.
For example, one of the event planners moved two large trash receptacles in front of a loud generator partway through the event to keep the sound from invading the main meeting tent. Though a minor adjustment, it muffled the noise well and went a long way toward creating the best possible environment for connection. It was a small step that made a big impact.
What’s more, I didn’t have a sleeping bag the first (absolutely FREEZING) night tenting, but that misfortune was quickly remedied when an acquaintance lent me their warm and cozy sleeping bag for the next night. Problem solved. The experience reminded me of the Bible story in the book of Acts where the believers shared their possessions with each other “so that there were no needy persons among them.” (Acts 4:34)The person who loaned me the sleeping bag probably would’ve loaned me the sweater off their back if I needed that as well. Amazing.
Fireside Chats For Connection
Graciously lent by attendees, several Solo Stoves created a line of warm, flickering fires, each surrounded by chairs to:
Provide constant and much needed warmth from early morning to late night and
Create space for connection and community.
There’s nothing like the ambiance of an unhurried fireside chat to grow closer to others and I’m thankful the event planners thought of this. The fires were tended with excellence, day and night, by a man named Michael Dean who clearly had a heart for hospitality.
Lawn Games and Free Food for the Win
Cornhole, badminton, campfires, free food, kids running through sprinklers with glee…all on a vast lawn next to scenic views in the great outdoors. It felt like a lost piece of Americana had somehow shown up in the high desert of Oregon.
On This Rock provided two main meals and a selection of hot drinks free of charge. Community and belonging are built around the table. Food brings people together. Just think of Thanksgiving and every family gathering in the history of family gatherings. There’s always food involved—although lawn games on a sunny day don’t hurt, either.
Even the Kids Had Fun & Felt They Belonged
Quite considerate and thoughtful, On This Rock provided a guided climbing service just for kids. After climbing and achieving their best climbs ever, my two young boys hiked along with other kids through the terrain of Smith Rock, all singing loudly as they hiked back to camp. What a sight to revel in: kids singing at the top of their lungs, winding through the woods with companions just their size. They had their own community to belong to and my heart swelled with happiness for them.
In the evening, Portland area ministry, Cl3an, served free non-alcoholic beverages. This meant that even the younger ones could take part. The kids loved being included and gladly stood in line and watched as their treats were made. What a way to include whole families and give kids a way to feel like they could belong to the experience as much as adults.
Looking Forward to Next Year
Though all ages were in attendance, my husband and I found ourselves running alongside other young families because we have two young sons. If I could be a voice for these families, let me mention two comments that stood out to me:
“This was church.” - a mother with four kids, two dependent, two older.
"Everybody in my family had fun. Usually there's some sort of drama or someone's upset over something, but not at this event. Everybody had a really good time." - a mother with three older kids.
What telling statements. As parents, it can be difficult to find a 3-day activity that everyone enjoys. And then to say it was a spiritual experience? That it was church for them? 🤯
Truly, God will speak and get the attention of his kids (this includes grown-ups) in every way He can. I’m thankful and grateful for what we experienced at On This Rock 2022. It was refreshing in every way: the methods employed, the personalities, the intentionality, care, love. All of this and more. I highly recommend coming along to any event planned by those who planned On This Rock 2022.
