Shocco Springs provides inspirational gathering place

Just a few minutes from Talladega lie 700 acres of land carved out of a pine-covered hillside that for more than 50 years has been a gathering place for Christians across the world.
   
Walking through the trees, guests are captivated by the wonders of nature at Shocco Springs Conference Center, where more than 1,500 decisions for Christ were made in 1999. Shocco Springs is an entity of the Alabama Baptist State Convention.
   
Shocco Springs was purchased by the Alabama Baptist State Convention in 1948. Since then, it has grown from a few small buildings to a campus in excess of 700 acres. Shocco is supported through the Cooperative Program.
   
“This is such an awesome retreat,” said Joyce Higuch, from Wailuku, Hawaii. “I felt so close to the Lord surrounded by His creation.”
    While guests come from across Alabama, Shocco has also seen conference attendees from numerous states and several countries.
   
“This is just a small taste of what it will be like in our heavenly home with Him,” said Lahoma Stumbaugh of Prattville.
   
A stay at Shocco offers numerous recreational activities. A lake near Shocco’s entrance provides not only beautiful scenery but also opportunities for paddle-boating, canoeing, fishing and fun on the new Aqua Jump, Shocco’s “water park.”
   
The recreational areas surrounding the lake consist of an Olympic-size swimming pool, miniature golf course and courts for volleyball, tennis and basketball. Other opportunities for recreation at Shocco include a leisurely walk around the campus and the spectacular view while hiking Ridgeview Trail.
   
Shocco’s purpose is to undergird the spiritual growth of Christians by providing activities and an environment to facilitate people-centered ministry. Groups choose Shocco as their meeting place for many purposes, including leadership training, spiritual growth, evangelism and fellowship.
   
After a long day of conferences, guests can relax in Shocco’s accommodations. The newest lodge, named after Shocco’s first director, Hobson Shirey, offers tastefully decorated rooms and features amenities such as telephones and televisions.
   
Three guest hotels offer modern rooms and many conveniences.
   
One of the hotels, Springview, is connected to the George Bagley Conference Center. This centrally located building provides 12 meeting rooms, a 500-capacity dining room, a full-line Christian bookstore and gift shop and a snack shop. Three of the six lodges — Shirey, Twin and Smith Camp — are suitable for small groups. The three lodges include conference rooms within the buildings, allowing for convenient access.
   
A more rustic setting can be found at Adventure Camp and Smith Camp. Adventure Camp has 11 sleeping areas with room for 16 campers. Smith Camp has 12 cabins that sleep 16 campers.
   
The total number of accommodations for the two camps is more than 400. Visitors to Smith Camp have access to five conference rooms and an auditorium that seats 400 people. Both Adventure Camp and Smith Camp have a dining room in their areas.