Gracious Groundskeeping Gifts!
It’s challenging to steward a 100-acre campus. Having the right tools is essential.
There has been an unusual outpouring of gifts of equipment to help us care for the New Song campus this year. All of us who sweat it out each spring, summer, and fall taking care of the grounds are beyond grateful!
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (JESUS, Matthew 5:16)
The generosity began in January, with a kindhearted couple from Columbus who donated a sturdy Echo weed trimmer after seeing the need on our website wish list.
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Then in February, Bob Schloss, our Executive Director, received a surprising email from a board member of a foundation that read in part “I am blessed to share with you that, over and above your normal contributions for this month, we will also be sending you a one-time gift of $25,000. We request that funds be used in the following manner for the New Song ministry”:
$5,000 for operational needs of the ministry
$20,000 for a Polaris Ranger UTV vehicle
And the giving continued with this caring email we received in March: “Having experienced the issues that arise from the New Song lawn mowers—would purchasing one or more new ride-on mowers/lawn mowers be a priority?” First Baptist Church of Columbus proceeded to make an amazing $10,000 gift, allowing us to purchase a new Skag Zero Turn commercial grade riding lawnmower. We are overwhelmed with gratefulness!
Then in April we received an online financial contribution from a church Bible study class representative at Garden City Church of Christ with a note explaining that, “This is a gift to help purchase a chainsaw...” With the funds we bought a powerful Echo chainsaw to help take care of fallen trees on our campus and its trails.
Just days later Bob received this exciting text from ministry friends: “Hey Bob! (My wife) and I would like to purchase a nice push mower for the New Song Campus. Would you be willing to send me a link for the one that you might like to have?” Today, a durable new Toro Self-Propelled Push Mower is being put to very good use on campus!
Added to all of these gifts was a call we received from Gabriel Gluesenkamp of Designscape Horticultural Services, whose employees wanted to serve the ministry. Weeks later Gabriel and his coworker Joshua Smith arrived in a pickup truck with a massive, handmade, Ash workbench for one of our home workshops, and also a handmade bike rack for the compact storage of bikes at the boys’ home!
All of those mentioned have helped to relieve us from the stress of dealing with broken down equipment with their gracious groundskeeping gifts and have helped us organize a cluttered workshop. In doing so, they have lived out this calling in Scripture, for which we are exceedingly grateful: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”. (Gal 6:2)
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