SOWER Ministry Newsletter April 2018
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Greetings!
Ah, sweet April! Daffodils are popping through the last of the snow, redbud trees are lining the highways and the dogwood is beckoning you to come out and play! Even the desert, for all its monochrome landscape, is beginning to burst with color! For some, this has been an especially rough winter. Loved ones have gone to heaven and, though dancing on streets of gold, have left behind grieving hearts. For some this is maybe their final season of being an active SOWER and they're wondering where God might be using them next. Others have seen families broken and dear ones facing life-changing health issues. But through all of these times, God has remained faithful. Just as the prickly pear brightens up the desert, God's promises remain true! Many have also welcomed new grandbabies and great-grandbabies into their families. New and enthusiastic SOWERS have joined our family (almost 60 since September!), blessing many ministries this winter and hopefully for years to come. Families have been restored, hearts have been mended, and dear ones have been healed! We come to spring with great expectations - some of us eager to get home, some of us excited about what the road ahead may have for us and some of us just enjoying the renewal of spring around us. Wherever YOU are - may you continue to grow in the Lord, and feel his loving arms around you!
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
I Corinthians 15:57
Resting in His Mercy,
Stephanie Conrad, #2509
St
ephanie@rvthereyet.org
on behalf of the SOWER Board of Trustees
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2018 Trustee Nominees
JEFF BROOKS - 3372
PRESTON BRUXVOORT - 3245
GAIL FIELER - 3187
JACK JALO - 2575
BILL MYERS - 3190
ROY OLSEN - 2964
MIL SUTTER - 3317
Watch for resumes and more information about the candidates in the June-July Sowergram.
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Can you name these masked people? This is standard procedure for attending an Urgent Care during the flu season. If you do not have the flu upon arrival you may have it upon departure. Give up on the who's who? Les and Deb Peel and John Stoner, taking time off from their work at Camp Westminster (GA-526) in Conyers, GA during their February project.
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Thoughts from the Farm
(Mercy Ships - TX-366)
Ken Winemark (Ag Director)
- "If we endure, we will also reign with Him." 2 Timothy 2:12, NIV.
Recently, here at Mercy Ships, we had a cow down and she needed a lot of attention. Summer, the cow, had to be lifted by the tractor to get up due to her injury. The Vet didn't give a lot of hope but gave me some steroids to administer and said if she hadn't gotten better in five days it probably wasn't going to happen.
Fortunately I had a SOWER friend volunteering with me at Mercy Ships and a good son to help out. I asked Bob, my SOWER friend if he would be willing to lend a hand with making a sling from old hay baler belting and 2x6's and lifting Summer. He graciously accepted and the two of us took on the challenge of rolling the cow to her side, placing the sling up as close as possible, the rolling her back on to it then pulling it through to where we could catch it with the forks of the front end loader on the tractor. A task that was difficult even for two of us. Then as Bob (and my son Brandon over the weekend) would run the tractor I would thread the forks of the loader into the 2x6's and they would lift her. I would pull her legs into place setting them under her. Given a little time she would gain her balance and we could remove the sling and she hobbled around for a bit.
Well Monday was day five, ultimatum day. When Bob and I finally got Summer lifted and out of the sling Bob says " I think she is doing better." I agreed and could sense he was not ready to give up. We discussed it and decided we would Endure the task till Bob and Judy's time to leave over the weekend.
Yesterday when Bob and I entered the field to continue our work we couldn't find Summer. I said "Look back there." There she was standing by an old trailer eating grass. We were both jubilant and praised The Lord together.
The lesson I learned - ENDURE the Discipline set before me while putting my hope in The Lord Jesus. My thanks goes to God for caring about Summer. But it also goes to Him for surrounding me with friends like Bob and Brandon to encourage me to Endure! Today I want to encourage you to ENDURE, if we do we will Reign with Him!
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The Publicity and Promotions Committee is in the beginning stages of producing an updated SOWER video. And they need YOUR help! They've set up a SOWER Ministry DropBox to start collecting videos and photos from YOU. Contact Gary Conrad -
gary@rvthereyet.org
- to get all the details on how to upload your items!
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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
(and includes linens, towels, queen-size beds, and a dorm-size refrigerator)
Golf carts may be available for a fee
Contact Emory Rockafellow to register and for more details.
810-869-0825
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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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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
Registration is now OPEN!
contact
916.968.0133
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Our Canadian Contingency
Here's a picture of a small get-together that some of the SOWERs living in Abbotsford, BC enjoyed at a restaurant recently, meeting relative new-comers, John & Mary Plett #3427 (of Penticton, BC) who were in town for the weekend.
L-R: Wayne & Dorothy Farquhar #2238, John & Mary Plett #3427, Bob & Mary Ruth Sawatzky #3057 (both seated), Brian Gauntlett #3368 (wife Bev missing), Walt & Shirley Janzen #2886.
There are actually 9 SOWER couples in Abbotsford, BC, which I think holds the record of SOWERs living in the same city! But as usual, not everyone could join us! Just these 3 1/2 couples!
Submitted by Dorothy Farquhar
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A Kitchen Blessing
by Char Quakkelaar (1987)
You just never know what blessings you might receive while serving on a SOWER project. While working in the kitchen at YWAM in Lindale, TX (TX-440), I was helping to prepare the salad bar with a delightful young man from S. Korea. He asked me if I was from Michigan and I said yes. He then asked if he could take me on a trip. I went with him into the walk-in cooler and he said, with a grin “Now you are in Michigan!”. He then opened the freezer door and said, “Now you are in Alaska!”. The walk to the sub-station for break was to South Dakota, and I was always asked upon my return how my trip was. It was an unexpected blessing to connect with a great young believer committed to the LORD. I don’t think I’ll ever work in a camp kitchen again without those journeys to different states coming to mind.
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Texas Round-up
New Location - New Friends
Thirty SOWER couples (and a couple of singles!) joined together for three busy days of fellowship, games, devotions and great food at ALERT Academy (TX-410) at the end of March. We learned more about nearby ministries (ALERT, Mercy Ships (TX-366), and Calvary Commission (TX-303), enjoyed a concert by Barry Ward (Christian singer/songwriter), and enjoyed a superb banquet served by the young staff at ALERT. It was a wonderful time of connecting and re-connecting with our SOWER Family. Watch for a link on the Members Only webpage to view more pictures of the fun!
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Seen recently on Facebook
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Thank-you, Debbie, for posting about the work done at First Church of God (FL-168), which has recently re-joined our SOWER Ministry family. Loved your comment,
"
Pastor Justin was so appreciative and thanked us over and over again. He was easy to work with and so effective. This project was hard to leave and say “good bye”. So glad God lead us there...we had not planned to work a March project!"
First Church of God has two SOWER spots available Oct - Dec 2018.
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Have you stopped by lately? We're up over 570 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!
We're at over 650 "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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This month's group shot is from the Dry Creek Camp (LA-287) March 2018 group.
L-R
Gail Fieler (3187), Gerry Berger (3236), Amy Vejar (3039), Wayne Fieler, Judy Berger, Tony Vejar
The header picture is the RV parking at the 2018 TX Round-up at Alert Academy (TX-410). Photo by Rick Cox (3153)
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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
Azalea
above will take you to the Members Only Page, the April/May Sowergram and the latest updates to our Project Listings (updated weekly).
If you have any questions, please contact the SOWER Office
903-882-8070
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DO You LOVE SOWERS?
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!
May 27-June 1.
This is a fun time to talk to fellow RVers about SOWERS and the blessings of serving in this ministry. We are looking for other volunteers to help man our SOWER booth.
Contact
PS -You do not have to be an Escapee to help or even attend!
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I pulled up the latest PLS to sign up for a project and noticed the project was not listed. It is a project that has been active for several years but now all of a sudden it is not listed. Why would this project not be in the PLS?
Signed,
Confused
Dear Confused,
There are a couple of reasons why a project will not appear in the PLS. The first and easiest to answer is, the project has requested to be placed ON HOLD for various reasons. The project may not have the funds to support volunteer work, the project is in the process of changing directors or ownership,or the requested work has been completed are just some of the reasons. The project can notify the office at anytime throughout the year to be placed back on active status if their Annual Update is current. If the update is not current, they will go through the Annual Update Request process. The second reason a project does not appear in the PLS is a result of the Annual Update Request process. Each year every project is required to fill out the Annual Update Request form sent from the office at a scheduled time. If the project does not respond to the request, two reminders are sent 30 days apart. If the project still has not responded after that 90 day period, they will be placed ON HOLD and removed from the PLS. During the 90 day period, the Area Representatives as well as the project committee individuals will be in contact with the projects to encourage them to return the updates. Once the form is returned, they will be put back in ACTIVE status and appear in the PLS.
We hope that clears up the confusion. If you have any additional questions about a particular "missing ministry", feel free to contact the office. They'll be happy to help!
Blessings,
Sam & Sally
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To send in a prayer request or praise item-
To contact the office -
903-882-8070
To submit something to the newsletter, send it to
To submit a SOWING TIP, send an email to
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