Of Cabins and ice cream

I love watching little children get their ice cream cones at our local dairy bar. They are excited to anticipate the treat, and then this huge cone, loaded with their favorite ice cream, arrives. Their eyes get wide and they amazed it is all just for them. They walk over to the tables with their prize as excited as if they had won a million dollar lottery.

Bill and had one such moment this spring. We have been dreaming for several years on how we could make the cabins into three seasons, adult and family friendly buildings that would provide a place of comfort, rest and renewal. At our management team, we spoke of this dream we had, and we were excited to hear that the ministers’ council may be interested in assisting fund that project.

We gathered facts, figures and estimates and set off with informing the council members of the possibility of a pastoral retreat. When discussion came about, it was decided we should not only be granted our original request, but 75% more if necessary to make the project a reality. WOW! I felt like the two year old with a huge ice cream cone. We are so grateful for the Ministers’ council being willing to fund this project so that pastors can have a place of rest and renewal when they need it. What a blessing all the way around and better than the lottery.

Building together

This month has been a time of construction at Gove Hill. We have begun our gazebo project with the help of some very handy men that have promised to come again for phase two.

At the annual meeting for the American Baptist Churches of Vermont and New Hampshire we had the opportunity to speak with the ministers council regarding a proposal to turn our 1 1/2 season cabins into a true 3 season retreat for pastors. They approved the project and funded the project higher than we had asked anticipating the cost may be greater than we estimated. WOW! What an opportunity to change a little used bunk house into something many would want to use. WE are so grateful for the opportunity to serve people in a better way. We are excited to start this project this summer with the plan of having a finished building for the spring of 2012.
Come grow with us at Gove Hill Retreat.

Things are heating up

It is late May and the outdoor temperature is certainly (finally!) heating up. After a very wet spring, we are seeing some sunshine and the warm days that go with it.
Inside the manor house, things are also heating up. NO! there aren't any romances in bloom, spare Bill and Bernice's 22 years of marriage. In the basement the manor house is sporting a NEW FURNACE! Okay, we aren't giving tours and it really will remain a boring item, but we are excited over this new addition. Not only are we not having to worry about our 20+ year old furnace making it through another cold winter, but this new one will keep the manor house warm using 30% or higher less fuel oil. What great news for the environment and the budget. Come September, we will all be glad things can get heated up in a hurry at Gove Hill.

How many light bulbs does it take?

The old joke starts out "How many retreat staff members does it take to change a light bulb?" Today I was wondering the converse, "How many light bulbs does it take for a retreat staff members to make a change?"

This year, we have changed over 100 light bulbs. Not because we are going through that many burned out ones at a time, but because we want to change how we use electricity. We have replaced many of our T12 for T8 fluorescent fixtures to save several hundred dollars a year. We also just replaced 25 standard filament bulbs with new LED bulbs. Each of those reduced our usage by 48 watts per bulb. That's a total of 1,200 watts less we are now using just for those 25 bulbs. It is great to get the same lighting quality for less energy used. I'm almost looking forward to the electric bill to see the the resulting changes.
Lastly, we have also replaced our furnace and anticipate using 30% less fuel this winter. Who knew less could be so much more fun! In the near future, we hope to add insulation to make that savings even larger.
Energy saved will be money saved for the ministry at Gove Hill. We are also excited  to be making a change in our carbon foot print for the environment. How many light bulbs can you use to make a change too?

Happy Easter!

He is Risen, He is Risen indeed! What wonderful words that bring us hope. Easter is the highest remembrance we have in Christianity. I know Christmas gets all the attention from the media, decorations and traditions. I can understand why. Having your lawn decorated with a manger scene is so much more beautiful than decorating it with crosses with dead bodies hanging from them. Signs of torture and pain are hard to look at. People don’t want to be reminded that they are the reason Jesus died. Yet for those of us who accept Jesus as our savior, the cross is the starting point. On Easter, Jesus is raised from the dead and conquers over it! With Him our sins die on the cross and with Him we too are resurrected out of our death. Our bodies may still die, but our souls are freed from this curse. Praise be to God for the new life in our hearts.

Early Spring in Vermont

Many times Bill and I have thought about how unattractive Northern New England is during early spring. The warm sun is devouring snow banks faster than a pack of hungry football players. In the wake is mud, branches and debris. We know we will be soon cleaning up the yard as soon as it dries out. Some things are easier to remove, such as a broken fallen branch. Other items become embedded in the mud and need prying out. After cleaning up the yard, the grass and flowers are able to grow strong. I wonder if that is what God sees in our hearts as he thaws the winter away from our souls. All the debris from sin needs to be raked out and the soil reseeded with faith, hope and love.  May your mud season of your soul be short and your growth be plentiful.

Snow and MORE snow have been this year’s projects thus far. Bill has spent many hours plowing the driveway, shoveling the paths and lately, removing snow from the roof tops. Even though the groundhog said an early spring, it is rarely the case in Northern New England. Still the days are lengthening and the sugar makers are out working the tap lines. Spring must be on its way.

I wonder if God gets tired of the ice in our hearts as we tire of the ice in our yards. He waits for us to have a thaw in our hearts, to be invited in to plow out a path to our souls. Time away on a retreat can give you time to reflect on your direction and state of your soul. As we allow Him more into our hearts, he sends the warmth of his love to bring spring time to our lives and the promise of summer. May spring time come early to your heart, even if it looks like winter in your yard.