Greetings!
September is one of those great in-between months, isn't it? We're in-between those hot days of summer and those warm winter coats, though we're still allowed some shirt sleeve days before we grab the sweatshirts. Maybe we've put away the lawn mower, but we don't have to pull out the rakes just yet. The Back-to-School ads have subsided and (thankfully) the Christmas marketing hasn't yet started (even though we might already be thinking about what to get those grandkids!). While September might be 'in-between' Summer and Fall, it's right at the start of some busy SOWER months. Many of you are checking out the RV and making plans for your trek south. (Don't forget, if you haven't sent in your 2019 registration you will not be able to work any projects in 2019 even if you were assigned them through the lottery.) The office is busy processing the 2019 Registration Forms and putting the finishing touches on the Oct-Nov Sowergram. The SOWER Trustees are anticipating their fall meeting, scheduled for Sept. 24-26 at the ministry headquarters in Lindale, TX. The Board is welcoming four new Trustees, even as they say farewell to John Jones, Cliff Stone and Nancy Ragatz.. There are exciting days ahead for our ministry, and much of it begins right at this September meeting. Please join me in praying for our dedicated Board members - that they may be blessed with wisdom and unity as they look to the future of SOWERS.
Resting in His Grace, Thankful for His Mercy,
Stephanie Conrad, #2509
SOWER Ministry
on behalf of the SOWER Board of Trustees
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Dear SOWERS,
This November will be the start of our fourth year with SOWERS, and as I reflect over the last three years, I am amazed at how God has used you all at
Camp Westminster [GA-526]. You guys have done a lot of mailers, made benches, remodeled our boys’ and girls’ cabins, done more painting than I can wrap my head around, and all the other little things. We have been blessed with 29 different couples and 62 out of 98 spots filled over the past three years. That is a minimum of 3,348 hours of service done here, and I know that many of you worked more than the required hours. If we had to pay staff or contractors those wages, we would have never gotten all the stuff done that you guys did.
However, Camp Westminster has been blessed by SOWERS in so many ways other than just simple the hours of work and money saved. We value the relationships that we have built and the prayers that you guys have prayed on our behalf. We experienced another great summer at camp with over 75 kids coming to know the LORD! SOWERS has truly left its hand print on Camp Westminster and its staff; and you have made a difference in the kingdom. The T-shirts that we had out to you guys has Romans 12:11 on it which says, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” The title of Romans 12:9-21 is “Love in Action,” and I think that entire passage describes what SOWERS are to us.
On behalf of all our staff, thank you so much for your support over the last few years. We look forward to many more years partnering in Kingdom work with SOWERS.
In His Grip,
John Veldsema
Click
HERE to see John's full thank-you along with a testimony from one of the counselors and photos!
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We are pleased to welcome
Lake Swan Camp
(FL-539) to our Project family. Located in Melrose, FL, east of Gainesville, Lake Swan Camp consists of 80 acres surrounded by beautiful oaks and two spring-fed lakes, Lake Swan and Lake Rosa. It was established in 1927 by Dr. John Minder who was a mentor to Billy Graham who also spent some summers at this camp.
Lake Swan Camp is a year round Evangelical Christian Camp and Conference Center associated with the Southeast Branch of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church, but supported by several churches in the area. They have many activities including boating, mini golf, waterslide, archery and more. They are requesting SOWERS all months except July and August.
Their mission is “to enrich the church of Jesus Christ by providing Christ centered programming and facilities for every age.”
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As a first year member of the Board, I’ve been honored to serve on the “New Member” committee along with David Neitzel and Cliff Stone. Throughout the year the office sends us member applications for us to review and then contact the applicants for their interview. I know I speak for all of the committee members when I say it’s been a great joy to speak with couples from around the country, all of whom have great enthusiasm for beginning their SOWER journey. I’m happy to report that for the first time in our history, we have welcomed 100 new SOWER couples into our ministry this year! We are giving God all the Glory as we watch our ministry grow!
Gary Conrad #2509
Trustee
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September Board of Trustees Meeting
The SOWER Trustees will be gathering in Lindale, TX from Sept. 24-26 for their annual meeting. They welcome your input and questions and of course, your prayers! Sending an
email
to the office marked for "Trustees" will insure that all the Trustees will receive your correspondence.
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DUE on October 1st.
ANNUAL Registration & Skill Sheet
Have you sent in yours yet?
(
Contact the office
if you need another form or want to check that yours has been received.)
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Midwest Reunion
Sept. 17 - 20
Michindoh Conference Center
(MI-139) Hillsdale, MI
Cost - $85.00/couple
includes your full-service camping site and five meals
Cabins are an additional $25.00
(includes linens, towels, queen-size beds, and a dorm-size refrigerator)
Golf carts may be available for a fee
We, the committee, would like to remind you that time is flying by and the SOWER reunion / get together at MICHINDOH M-139 is only about days away!!
Two speakers have committed to come and present their programs. The subject of their programs is diverse and quite informative as well as lighthearted.
The entertainment for Tuesday night comes highly recommend.
Now that your interest has been whetted, contact Emory Rockafellow at
emory.rockafellow@gmail.com or call 810-869-0826 to make your reservation. There are still openings!
View the complete schedule
HERE!
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Western Wound Up!
SOWERs Intentionally Following Jesus Christ
September 17-20, 2018 Aldersgate Retreat Center (OR-320) Turner, OR.
Costs include 4 days/3 nights will be as follows (includes 2 lunches and 3 dinners):
Full hookups - $60
Dry Camping - $50
Lodging - $75
There are still openings!
contact
916.968.0133
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MN SOWER Retreat
Sept 17 - Sept 19, 2018
Lake Beauty Bible Camp (MN-523)
Long Prairie, MN
Campground sites $26/night
Loon Lodge or Guest cabin $52/night
Reservations Contact
651-636-8049
cell 612-710-3490
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2019 Texas Roundup
Alert Academy TX-410
March 24 – March 27, 2019
Registration is now open!
Where: TX-410 ALERT Academy, Big Sandy, Texas
54 full hook-ups with 30 or 50 amp. Large sites, and most are pull-thru.
Cost: $25.00/night camping fee
2 lunches provided at $7.00/lunch per person
1 evening banquet at $12.00 per person
To register or if you have questions, call or email Margaret Gearhart at
970/214-4626
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2019 SE Florida SOWER Reunion
Where
: FL-143 Florida Baptist Youth Camp, Groveland, FL
When
: February 25-27, 2019
Cost
: $55/rig; Room Rent: $55/couple; Walk-ins: $7.50/person; Early arrivals: $15/night
Meals included
: Supper on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
Breakfast: Tuesday and Wednesday
Looking forward to seeing you at the Reunion
!
Bill & Ruth Stoll, Jon & Cathy Richmond, Jeff & Barb Kaiser,
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Seen recently on Facebook
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Heartfelt thanks to Jamey & Peggy Matheny (3407) for sharing the SOWER Ministry at their Grand Design Rally! Thinking about hosting a table or booth at your church mission conference or an RVing event? Contact the office for banners, brochures and maps!
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Have you stopped by lately? We're up over 645 members in our FB group, and there is always good sharing of project news and happenings. Make sure you've "checked" the Notification box to receive current posts, and PLEASE post pictures and stories from YOUR projects! Remember this is a "Public Page" and be sure you have permission before you post someone's picture.
If you're a member of Facebook, but haven't joined the SOWER Group, click on the icon to join the family!
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While you're on Facebook, don't forget to check out your favorite ministries. Many of our partner ministry locations have a Facebook page and it's a great way to stay up to date on the places you love to serve!
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We have 700 "Likes" on the
SOWER Facebook Page
! If you haven't already given it your thumbs-up, head over there now! It's a great way to spread the word about our ministry.
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"True service is not something we do for the LORD, but something He does through us. By regarding service [this way], we can have confidence - not in ourselves, and our abilities, but in God, who makes us adequate for whatever He gives us to do."
Charles F. Stanley
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It's a Question of POWER
I am fairly new to RVing and see some projects only offer 30 amp service. My unit, like most units now, is 50 amp. What are some best practices to keep from tripping breakers when I am on 30 amp service in a 50 amp unit?
Good question because as you said today's units get more and more conveniences i.e. multiple A/C units, washer/dryers, microwaves and convection ovens, dishwashers, and fireplaces so power consumption is increasing making it important to learn how to use 30 amp power.
A 50 amp rv plug is two 50 amp circuits where a 30 amp rv plug is only one 30 amp circuit. That means that the difference between a 50 amp supply and a 30 amp supply is much more than just 20 amps.
Here are some suggestions to manage your 30 AMP power:
1. A voltmeter is a must to monitor the voltage. There is a plug-in unit that plugs right into an outlet if your unit does not have one built in. Voltage is just as important as power consumption. Voltage should be in the range of 105-127 volts.
2. Check appliances and put a label on or make a list on higher usage appliances i.e. A/C, iron, water heater, washer, dryer, microwave or convection oven, coffee maker, toaster, fireplaces to show how much power they consume. If using more than one large appliance, try not to go above a total of 24 amps per national electric code. Also, check the voltage.
3. The water heater is a high usage appliance so run it on gas. The water heater cycles so you do not know when it is drawing power.
4. In cooler weather, use the furnace rather than space heater or fireplace. Space heaters and fireplaces draw a lot of power.
5. Run one A/C at a time if you have two. Run the living area unit during the day and the bedroom at night.
6. If you have an oven, use it in lieu of microwave or convection oven. Hot plates also draw a lot of power.
7. Closing blinds to keep heat out or in depending on weather.
8. Purchase a power protector that will protect the unit if voltage goes too low or too high
9. Many items still consume power even when not in use. The use is minimal but can add up. Items like a tv, dvd player, game consoles, chargers for cell phones, computers, ipads and any transformer plugged in still draw minimal power when not in use. Several chargers and transformers could add up and something to think about on 30 amps.
If the appliance you are checking shows how many watts it uses, divide the watts by 115 to figure the amps. There are also websites that will list the power usage of various appliances.
Dick Howard (2527)
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This month's group shot a Mini Reunion in Idaho this past August. Seven
Sower couples got together at the Jump's for homemade ice cream, and loads of fellowship. The Jump's are retired and living in Nampa, Idaho. 4 couples were working at Hope House (ID-239)in Marshing, Idaho, 2 couples working MAF (ID-472) in Nampa and the Jumps. Left to right back row: Bobbie & Charlie Pickard (2582), Doug & Jan Nordell (3455), George Jump (2617), Charles Baldwin (2836), Steve Kappler (3006) & Floyd Hadley (2987), Front Row: Wayne & Gail Fieler (3187), Clarian Jump, Carolyn Baldwin, Janelle Kappler & Sharon Hadley.
Header Photo - Manheim Christian School (PA-504) John Stoner (2721)
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SOWER Blog Roll
See what other SOWERS are doing around the country!
Jeff & Mary Peace
Ed & Patty Soltes
Bob & Billie Wakeman
Gary & Stephanie Conrad
Paul & Juanita Alton
Don & Jenny Rasmussen
Terry & Alice Burnett
Wayne & Gail Fieler
Ken & Deb Long
Robert & Shana Carman
Do YOU have a Blog you'd like to share?
Send me
the link, and we'll add it to the "Blog Roll".
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Clicking on the
Berries
above will take you to the Members Page, the Aug/Sept Sowergram and the latest updates to our Project Listings (updated weekly).
Don't forget our Member site also contains other useful information, such as Project Work Dates, RV's for Sale and minutes from previous Trustee meetings!
If you have any questions, please contact the SOWER Office
903-882-8070
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I can't do this without you! Honest!!
This newsletter is always looking for SOWER testimonies, God Stories, project highlights, group pictures, and more! And
Bill Myers
is always on the look-out for some great tips!
Submit stories, ideas and photos to
Stephanie Conrad
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Are there any guidelines on when we should sign up for a project? Is it ever too early or too late to sign up?
Thanks!
Eager to serve
Dear Eager,
That's a great question! With the exception of the "Lottery" projects* during Jan-Feb-Mar, if you see a month listed in the Sowergram it is open for sign-ups. So in some instances you can sign up many months in advance. As to how late you can sign up, well, that’s a bit trickier. Six weeks before the start of a project month the host is contacted with information about who is coming. Or they are sent a "regrets" email saying no one is coming. Sign-ups after that letter has been sent out are at the discretion of the project hosts, since they are no longer required to ‘hold’ a certain number of RV sites for that project month. Often our projects have very limited funds and even though they were planning on a certain project for SOWERS to work on, when they see that no one is coming they may allocate those project funds (and RV sites) in another direction. Therefore, when SOWERS sign up just a couple of weeks (or even days) before a project starts, the office must get host approval before the assignment can be confirmed. Although there will be times this cannot be avoided, it is always best to sign-up at least 6 weeks before the project month and late sign-ups should be avoided if at all possible.
Thanks for asking! There are still lots of openings for our winter projects, and there's plenty of time to sign up for them!
Thankful for your service,
Sam and Sally
* Lottery Sign-up procedure is explained
HERE
!
Do you have a SOWER Etiquette question? Or maybe you'd like some clarification about a policy or rule. Sam and Sally would love to
hear from you! Contact them at -
samandsally@sowerministry.org.
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