David’s Tent Olympia, 2014, from Sept 15th to 24th – what a ride!  We got to set up a tent on the state capitol grounds in Olympia, WA, and for 10 days straight – 240 hours straight – we worshiped the King of Kings and Lord of Glory!

In February of this year, I got to be in a meeting with several leaders from around the state, and we were asked this question: “Could we be the first state to join with David’s Tent DC to praise Jesus night and day for an extended period of time in our capitol city?”  From around the room, the answer was a resounding “YES!”  As we began to talk about the details, including who would administrate the event, my heart started burning.  I leaned over to Sue, also from LOWPC in Bellingham, and said “I want to help make this happen, but I don’t know how I can with the internship this summer!”  Some important details started getting nailed down, and we all headed home.  Later that week, as our team talked about the potential of David’s tent happening this year in WA state,  a few of us decided that we could step up and take the lead on this.

As we began planning for David’s Tent Olympia 2014, we got to partner with David’s Tent DC, which has run from September through November in Washington DC on the Elipse/south lawn in front of the White House for three years now.  We were able to learn from the DC crew and had a significant “leg up” from their pioneering of David’s Tent.  As the time drew near, permits were secured, sound system and tent were acquired, tent captains and volunteers were signed up, worship teams started signing up…There were challenges trying to administrate such an event from so far away, but we truly saw the Lord’s hand over every detail.  After our Fire on the Altar internship finished mid-August, Christy handed off the scheduling of worship teams to me.  In the end, we had over 55 leaders/teams from 26 churches/ministries from all over Washington and Oregon, with many nations and generations bringing their part and raising their voices.  It was an amazing expression of unity – the Body coming together with no agenda but simply to praise and worship the Worthy Lamb!

For the LOWPC team, it was “all hands on deck.”  Since we were hosting and administrating, we primarily served as “Tent Captains”, with most of our staff coming for a few days at a time and signing up for 6 hour shifts to keep watch and keep order, welcome worship teams, and be available to talk to people as they passed by or stopped in.

As we got into some kind of rhythm, we got to share over and over gain why were were there.  We were truly a bit of a curiosity to people – setting up a tent and staying round the clock, yes, actually all through the night even, singing to the Lord.  As people came by, regardless of their own political or religious leaning, the most common response we got was “Wow, THANK YOU for being here!” or “Man, it’s just so peaceful here!  I don’t really get what y’all are doing here, but keep it up!”  We began to have our “regulars” who would come by almost every day – ones who worked at the Capitol, joggers, Olympia locals and visitors… We got to experience tangibly what Jesus said in John 12:32 – “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”  We had many opportunities every day to talk to people, share the good news of the gospel, pray with people, and be the hands and feet of Christ.  Many seeds were planted, prodigals come home, the weary were refreshed and the discouraged, encouraged…

In addition to handling the calendar/scheduling and social media for David’s Tent, I was also the “nightwatch” Tent Captain.  So my shift at the tent was from midnight to 6am each day.  Each night there were at least two of us keeping watch, and Washington State Patrol also made their rounds of the capitol campus, so we felt plenty safe!  I truly loved being at the tent in the middle of the night.  In addition to the privilege of pouring out our worship to the Lord when most of the city is sleeping, we also got to be available to respond in love to whoever came by.  Between midnight and 6am, it was mostly the homeless, the lonely, the wanderers…  We had a carafe of coffee, bottles of water, some granola bars, and sometimes other random goodies on hand, and got to share with those who came by.  There were two distinct sections to the nights.  From 11-about 3am, there was still a halfway decent amount of traffic going by and coming in and out of the tent.  We had our posse of regulars who started coming by – mostly homeless and transients who came for the coffee, the music, and the peaceful place to be for a few hours.  From 3-6am was quiet and very peaceful.  Most people had moved on by then, and there was the sweet, peaceful presence of the Lord as we sat with him in the early hours of the morning.  I did a lot of thinking and meditating on the compassion of Jesus – how he saw the people around him in their need, wandering around like sheep without a shepherd, and how he was moved by compassion and so moved on their behalf in healing and provision, bringing his Kingdom to earth.  I can now truly say that I have friends in Olympia who may not have a roof over their heads every night but with whom I’ve worshiped and prayed and shared.

I could say so much more about the 10 days in Olympia at David’s tent… about each person I encountered and their story…about the grace and provision of the Lord (for 10 days at the end of September in the Pacific Northwest, it only really rained on the LAST night!!)… about the blessing of worshiping with brothers and sisters from near and far… about seeing some of the most breathtaking sunrises and sunsets as we joined with all creation declaring the glory of God…It was honestly like we entered a time warp or an alternate universe within the two block radius between the tent and the house where Christy, Sue, and I were graciously hosted.  We were pretty much either asleep or at the tent.  It was glorious.  It was exhausting.  It was groundbreaking.  It was absolutely worth it!!  We certainly hope to do it again next year, and are prayerfully considering what part we (LOWPC) will play.  Lord, let YOUR kingdom come and YOUR will be done in Washington State!!

Here are some pictures that show what David’s Tent Olympia 2014 was like.  🙂  You can also check out our Facebook page for more photos and daily video updates we posted during the 10 days.