Gideons' Fleece

This site is just like the fleece Gideon put out to be sure the Lord was leading him in a certain direction.
I figure the Lord will bring the right person with the right funding here in His time.

added insight to the ministry

Tanya has been feeling led to feed people.
The whole basis of my preparedness/survival learning is so we can help people.
The organic homesteading part of the retreat should go a long way towards helping and feeding people.

Tanya and I talked about it and decided we needed to learn Spanish. Gunnison has a growing population of immigrants that can be reached by something like this.

As far as my call to help pastors goes. While I was a pastor my most enjoyable time was Monday mornings when pastors from the various churches in the association would come together and fellowship. It was a time when we could talk and joke and share that we just couldn't do with our congregations. I am planning the retreat to be a place where I can talk to a burnt out pastor as someone who has been there and allow him to unwind and refresh.

Randy

upon further review

and with much prayer,
I still feel we are called to do this in Colorado.
The homestead here in Ohio makes a lot of logical sense, but, Colorado is where I think we are supposed to be.

I am changing the vision statement to reflect that we will be a nonprofit organization. After a lot of prayer I see the need to avoid even the appearance of evil in connection to taking gifts privately. Nonprofit status will add accountability to this ministry and in many eyes credibility.
I still feel strongly that if a time should arise when free speech is muzzled by adherence to tax status rules, we should at that time revert to a private organization.

The vision statement is just that a vision of how we should do things. It is not set in stone. It will become a mission statement put out by the board of the nonprofit ministry once we are organized.

Randy

Flowering where we are planted

Maybe we should look more to home for our ministry opportunities.

We can do essentially the same thing on our present 30 acre farm. Maybe not the pastor retreat right away but we can grow and feed people. I'm sure their are folks in this area that would like organically raised fruits and vegetables.

The big thing we have the opportunity to do here is raise sheep for the Muslim community. What an outreach!
They like to butcher on the farm so we wouldn't have to mess with processing or anything like that.

Maybe ever reconsider getting a non-profit status. That would probably help our outreach considerably. As long as it is not a preaching ministry I would probably be comfortable with that.

We talked about feeding the hungry a lot lately. We can grow food for literally 1000's on our farm if we just had the time and equipment.

That would mean me coming home and working the farm and the purchase of about $10,000 in equipment.

Expenses would run around $40,000 or less a year. Much more affordable than Colorado at this point.

God is working on me nudging and prodding. I'm still too stupid sometimes to get the idea right the first time.

Randy

We are still here

I know it has been a year since that last post but we haven't gone anywhere.
Life keeps coming up and it keeps going on.

I have searched real estate near Gunnison quite a few times.
There is a nice place that would be prefect roughly 520 acres with a house for around $450,000.

I have added a donation button on the left side so if you feel you would like to help feel free, but don't do it if the Lord isn't leading you to. The money will not be tax deductible.

I hope to expand and fill this blog in the coming months.

Randy

A quiet place VISION

We would like to provide a place of Quiet, Rest, and Renewal for pastors and missionaries.

POINTS
-Donation only no set fees
-Agrarian setting (a pastoral pastors retreat)
-Stress healthy living choices by providing as much
“homegrown” food as possible
-Make available a large library for study and research
-located near Gunnison Colorado
-Private cabins
-Engage the community by selling surplus produce on a
donation basis
-Facilitate self directed recreation


*Donation only
We will start a non-profit organization. We will look to be privately funded by donation or endowment. There will be no set price for anything we provide, be it lodging, food or use of the library.

*Agrarian setting
We will set up a small homestead with animals and crops
that allow us and visitors to experience life in an agrarian
setting. Many times God uses agrarian examples in His word
and many people are so far removed from that lifestyle it is
hard to make a practical application. By setting up a place
that allows pastors to experience first hand Gods providence
I believe they can more effectively communicate Gods Word to
their congregations.

*Healthy living choices
We will produce as much of our own food as possible in
order to have food that is free of chemicals, hormones and
human intervention by genetic modification. Many of our
physical and emotional ails can be influence by what our
food contains. Pastors in high stress environments need a
time to allow their bodies and minds to rest and recover.
Healthy food is only a small part but it is a place where we
can help pastors get started.

*A large library for study
Some pastors will take a time each year to plan through
their sermons for the coming year. Others will just want
something to read while away and relaxing. I am a book
person and already own several hundred volumes like most
pastors. In addition the library could serve as a community
outreach by allowing others to use it for their research.

*Located near Gunnison Colorado
Three reasons, location, location and location. First
Colorado is a focal point for vacations, everyone wants to
go there for recreation. Second Gunnison has only 10% of the
population that is churched, this includes cults. Third we
are from Gunnison. Tanya and I are both GHS grads and Tanya
is a WSC grad. We know who can do what in the community and
have contacts throughout.

*Private cabins
We would like to have several cabins available so as to
provide space for several guests at one time. Pastors
benefit from being around others who have similar
experiences, and each family deserves its own private
space.

*Engaging the community
When growing our own food we will have surplus that will be
made available to the general public on a donation only
basis. Once again this will avoid government intervention
and red tape. I believe the residents of the area will
embrace this concept whole heartily as it is a very health
conscious and independent thinking area. This will be a
great opportunity to witness and show the love of Christ.

*Self directed recreation
The Gunnison country is a recreation dream come true. We
have two major ski areas (Crested Butte and Monarch).
Outstanding fishing and hunting opportunities, mile upon
mile of hiking, mountain biking, 4X4, motorcycle and ATV
trails. There are treasure hunting and gold panning
adventures waiting to be discovered. All available in and
around thousands of acres of Public land. Or you can just
stay in the cabin and unwind by reading a book.