Five years after its founding in 1892, Mount Gretna Campmeeting added an open-air structure with a conical roof for its multi-day religious services — a community centerpiece that continues to draw hundreds to weekend events.
Read More: Mount Gretna Tabernacle: ‘Ingenious’ structure was raised in just weeks
An image of the iconic tabernacle is now featured on another campmeeting landmark: the 50-foot-plus water tower at the corner of Pinch Road and Bell Avenue.
Dozens of community members were on hand Thursday morning, Aug. 1, to watch Horst Signs of Myerstown install the 10’x20’ image in five vinyl panels, each 10’x4’.
“The tabernacle is the anchor of the campmeeting community,” said Mount Gretna artist Kathy Lindert, who created the oil painting that was enlarged and photographed for the water tower. “I wanted to capture the feeling of the community nestled into the giant forest we live in.”
LIndert was commissioned to create the painting titled “Gathering Place” as part of the celebration of the Mount Gretna Art Show’s 50 years and 2024’s designation as the Year of the Arts. The newly erected water tower provided a perfect canvas for showcasing both the community and the arts, said Kerry Royer, director of the Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show.
“It’s a creative way of bringing the arts and humanities into the community and building connection and pride,” said Royer, who was on site throughout the installation.
The artwork includes a playful element as Lindert painted in eight native critters for “seek and find.” One of those is a cat that often lounged under one of the benches Lindert sat on while she sketched the tabernacle and surroundings.
Lindert spent several months photographing, observing the light and sketching before beginning to paint in May. Then she painted every day for 48 days to meet the deadline for installation.
“It’s a dynamic composition — there’s the vertical elements of the trees, the horizontal band of the cottages and the tabernacle, and the diagonal lines of the tabernacle roof,” Lindert said.
She’s particularly pleased with a subtle “s” curve of light and shadow that threads throughout the image, somewhat like the walking paths weaving throughout the campmeeting.
Emily Green, a fourth-generation member of campmeeting, recalled how, as a child, the water tower was a landmark that she and her family looked for on their way from Pittsburgh.
“This is fabulous,” she said. “It celebrates the tabernacle and the campmeeting and adds to this landmark.”
“I love that it’s the tabernacle,” said third-generation campmeeting member Tom Baum. “It’s nice to see art spread throughout the community.”
“Gathering Place” and its installation were sponsored by the Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show with grants from the Lebanon County Commissioners and the William Drendall Endowment of the Mount Gretna United Methodist Church.
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