SOWER Ministry Newsletter May 2020

This is the story of how the present SOWER office and adjoining Christian retirement came to be located in Garden Valley, TX, near Lindale.

Over forty years ago, God put a dream in the heart of Bill Taylor, then a young evangelist. His heart’s desire was to have a place where Christians could gather for worship, relaxation, refreshment and renewal. This dream lay dormant for twenty years.

While serving in a ministry at a church camp, the Taylors fell in love with a group of people called SOWERS, who came and volunteered their services to build, repair and clean the campgrounds. The SOWER president, Claire Abel, shared with Bill a desire to move their office from the state of Washington to a more central location, and asked if he would help them find land.

God led Bill and Reba to Bass Lake Ranch in 1995 and gave them the assurance this property would be the place for “The Vision” including two acres set aside for the SOWER ministry office. It was two years and many hurdles before they were able to purchase it…miraculously.

Now sixteen years later, “The Vision” is still in process. In 2009, the Taylors transferred the Bass Lake RV Park, behind the SOWER office, to the Bass Lake Christian Retirement Community. There are 67 lots with 5 additional acres where many active and retired SOWERs live.

“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay. Habakkuk 2:3

The above testimony came from the book "SOWER Reapings", still available from the office.

2020 Update - The current office was dedicated on April 22, 1999 and the first Sowergram was mailed from the new office in June. A new era had begun! From essentially a dream and a desk drawer to a lovely building (with 5 SOWER full hook-up parking spots :) ) and a dedicated staff, the ministry has continued to grow and change with the times. Many thanks to our founders and early board members who shaped our ministry, formed our policies, and inspired us to do "Our Best"! And to our wonderful office staff, past and present, who keep track of us and help us get where we need to go!

We are looking for one or two couples that would like to be relief for the SOWER Office Staff in Lindale, Texas. Qualified SOWER couples must be familiar with using computer office software; able to perform general office tasks (phone, email, filing, printing, mailing, etc.); handle property maintenance tasks; and be able to follow detail procedures. Selected couples would come into the office for a SOWER project month for training and then be available to relieve the office staff for periods of two weeks to a month. Once trained, scheduling for relief periods will be 6 to 12 months in advance.  If you are interested in being a relief couple, please contact Ray Arthur, in the SOWER Office.

From Gail Fieler, (#3187)

As we approach Mother’s Day 2020 the song my mother used to sing all the time was “Brighten the Corner Where You Are”. It has proven to be an anchor song for me during this COVID19 dilemma. Wayne and I had planned a couple of excursions for March and May which were canceled of course, but during the course of events I have had to ask myself (amidst my disappointment and whining), am I right where God wants me to be at the right time? Surely you are asking yourself, why are we suppose to stay here, what is there to do here, this place has no meaning for us, etc., etc., etc. To a child of God, we have to remember that we are right where we are suppose to be. Now that being said (one of my fav sayings), how well did we score on the test, especially since we were in the most vulnerable age group? As SOWERs we would like to think we are constantly in servant mode, but this virus thing sure has put my Christ-like attitude to the ultimate test. I think when this is all over we are going to be asking ourselves…..were we faithful, did we maximize our stay, did we answer the call, how was our attitude during the event, etc., etc., etc. We may never know the impact we had on any person during this ordeal, hopefully we have caused a few to question their destiny after leaving this earth and their need of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Chorus…….

Brighten the corner where you are!

Brighten the corner where you are!

Someone far from harbor "you" may guide across the bar;

Brighten the corner where you are!

My testimony is probably not unlike most SOWERS. I want to be serving our Lord in our RV. After 20 years, it is quite difficult to adjust to this "new normal". When I start feeling sorry for myself and thousands of others, I count my blessings. I could never get through this without knowing God Is In Control.

  Only He can see the whole picture. God willing, we will all be back on the road again.

   Deanna Schoeneberger

      #2029

Greetings Again Sowers,

 

I hope and trust all is well, or as best can be expected as we continue to refocus how we are to move forward as Christians, as SOWERS and as Americans! Sheltering in place has been both a blessing and a curse in many ways. It certainly is not what we had in mind as SOWERS! Staying longer than we intended to on projects has been a struggle of sorts as we are just beginning to get our feet wet as SOWERS! However being able to, by host invitation, stay in place and continue to serve them while they continue to meet our needs speaks clearly to both who we are in Christ and who they are in Him also! French Camp Academy (MS-541) here at French Camp, MS, has truly been a shining example of Christ to us as they have continued to provide our basic needs for food and safety. After spending March, April and most of May here, we feel it is time to move on. It has been great to spend extra time with our SOWER friends here at French Camp Academy and get to know and be known. Only time spent with each other can truly accomplish that. 2020 will definitely be cause for special memories indeed. Both good and bad alike! Now as we ready ourselves to begin to head north we covet your prayers for us as we also will continue to lift you all to the Lord! Keep safe and keep serving. God Bless America and may America Bless God!  

BrichInChrist,

Bill Richards

Sower #3468

Do you have a Pandemic Testimony of how you could see God working during these days? Especially in regards to SOWER projects? Send them in to stephanie@rvthereyet.org. We'd love to hear from you!

Whether you're an Alumni, a Seasoned SOWER or New to the Family, there's nothing like a SOWER gathering to connect with friends old and new and get recharged about the ministry. If you live in close proximity to a SOWER project, let them know you're nearby! There are often impromptu gatherings of SOWERS happening all around the country all year long! Whether you're camping together or just meeting for a meal at a local restaurant, a SOWER Gathering is always a blessing!  

This month's Group Picture is from the February 2020 project at Mt. Gilead Bible Conference (CA-533) in Sebastopol, CA

L-R: Mike & Lucille McGuirk #3645, Dave Pincus & Laura Clark #3663; Fred & Marilyn Reid (GL) #2386; Larry & Gerri Bliven #3596

Photo by Laura Clark

(Do you have a favorite Group Picture (past or present) you'd like to share in the newsletter? Send it in!! Stephanie@rvthereyet.org )



Header Photo - Lake Placid Conference Center (FL-341) - by Wendell Raymaker #3411

Sowergram Link (Butterfly) - Sandi Barber #3365

Dear Sam and Sally,

As we get back to SOWER work, just how will we manage following all of the social distancing guidelines while on a project?

Signed,

Staying Safe

Dear Safe,

WOW! That’s a great question! Just as the ministries we serve are trying to figure out how to continue sharing the Gospel effectively within their state’s guidelines, we will all be doing the same thing. Let’s face it, we are almost all in that ‘higher risk’ demographic and need to take that into consideration. If you feel at all uncomfortable about the situation, please do not sign up. (Yikes, I never thought I’d say that!). But if you do decide to serve in these early days of re-opening the country, sign up for a project to see if it is open. Our projects will most certainly appreciate your help!  Coupled with some common sense, we believe we can safely follow the guidelines as given. First of all – if you are feeling even a little unwell, STAY IN YOUR RIG! Come to a consensus with your group what your devotions and activities will look like. Wear masks if you are working in close quarters with others, spread out and have as many gatherings outside as possible, and (this might be the hardest) resist greeting each other with hugs! Perhaps our traditional pot-lucks will need to be put on hold for a bit, or at least restructured and game nights might be a little tricky, but I believe that we can make this work! Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. If you chose to remain at home during these ‘re-opening’ days, your biggest gift to our partner ministries would be to keep them forefront in your prayers. Trying to fit “Camp” into Social Gathering Guidelines is even trickier than fitting SOWER work into them!  

We are not only all in this together (sorry if that's been said a hundred million times), but we're in this together with Jesus! And HE will see us through! Be safe, be considerate, be kind, and Believe!

 

Blessed to be in the SOWER Family, 

Sam & Sally

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.