by Tim Price
Harvest Blog
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A Memorial Gift
By: Tim Price
My Granny passed away last month (my mom’s mom). She was 94 years old and passed away at home, just liked she wanted to. Until just a few weeks before her death, she did everything she wanted. She lived on her own, cooked and baked, went to church (most often more than one worship service a week) and loved her family.
I was the oldest grandchild of 30 Grandchildren and 48 Great Grandchildren. A big chunk of these cousins sang a couple of hymns during the funeral service. I was also honored to share the message during her funeral, which was attended by most everyone in the family. Here’s a video of the service here. I also thought her obituary was interesting.
Being nearly 50 years old, I was grateful to have known my granny for so long. She was a part of our lives on a regular basis – coming to many parties and events, having family reunions and visits in her hometown of Mulberry Grove, IL.
Harvest Ministry was named a recipient of her funeral memorial gifts and she’s the third person who has done that over the years. (The first two were my Grandma Agnes Hembrough and long time Troy UMC member, Darrell Burnett). In addition to Harvest Ministry as one of the memorial recipients, my Granny also wanted to name two other missions in which grandkids are currently serving.
Upon reflecting on the three ministries, I realized there was a connection. My cousin Wendy and her husband, Noah, are missionaries in New Zealand and Wendy was on the first ever Harvest Ministry Team back in 1996. The other ministry was Wycliffe, which my cousins, Rachel and Jay Gunn are a part of. Rachel met Jay one summer when she traveled on Harvest Ministry (or somewhere around there, the memories are fuzzy that far back:)!
I know lots of people give part of their estate or memorials to ministries, churches and other causes, but it’s been pretty rare for Harvest up to this point. So as part of our Harvest Ministry Blog, I wanted to honor my Granny and thank God for her and faith. She left (and is leaving) a legacy.
I’m trusting that Harvest Ministry will continue in that line of faith legacy for as long as the Lord leads us to continue.
Granny knew about Harvest from the very beginning. Several family members have been a part of Harvest Ministry, she attended several events and worship services where we served, and various teams stopped by her home on trips we’d take up I-70. She often had team photos on her fridge and she prayed for us.
She also liked to tell stories of me playing guitar and singing – even as a little kid. The famous story, I’ve heard so many times I feel like I remember it, was when Uncle Zack wanted me to sing a song about Kissybabe Scrub. I guess I replied, “I need a book.” So they gave me a hymnal and I turned it upside down, propped it up and started singing.” It must have made an impact for some reason. I just heard the story told again the other day.
All that to say, Granny has been supporting our ministry since before it was even official. Her memorial gives me inspiration to keep investing, keep serving and keep going.
Thanks to all who gave during her funeral service.
VISION 2032
Thank you for meeting with me!
This is my 32nd year of ministry and the 27th summer of Harvest Ministry, officially. I still believe God is calling us to help serve the greater church, call young adults to grow in ministry and to invite the next generation to follow Christ!
We have been so grateful for the God’s provision through the partnership with those support this work on a monthly basis. These connections have been amazing and the fruit that has come from it is awesome – praise the Lord!
As we look toward the next ten years of ministry, Lord willing, we realize the continued need to grow the support for the work, which leads us to our next partnership goal of $5000 more per month to help fund administrative leadership within our ministry. Without this leap of faith, we fear we won’t be able to reach as many kids and students. We have learned that as God opens doors, he provides.
We’re trusting God to provide and lead people to join our team as we increase the support partnership with friends and family to keep serving well in the mission of Harvest Ministry!
VISION 2032
In ten years, we want to be able to say some of these things:
- God has been faithful as Harvest has been a witness for over 35 years!
- Hundreds of students have accepted Christ at camps, conferences and events where Harvest helped serve.
- 300 Pastors currently serving in churches served with Harvest Ministry as young adults.
- Harvest Teams lead worship for countless camps, churches and ministry events each year.
- Thousands of churches utilize Harvest resources, music, podcasts and more.
- New music will have been written and recorded .
- Harvest Conferences will be mentioned in countless testimonies from adults who are still following Jesus and attended a Harvest event over the years.
- We give God glory for the amazing and miraculous work done through Harvest Ministry!
STEPS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS VISION
- Lots of prayer
- Increased partnerships with new supporters (a goal of $5000 a month)
- Increased structure so more young adults can experience hands on ministry
To allow for time to focus on equipping, training and development, and this vision in general the administrative load is going to have to be shared with more staff through Harvest Ministry.
NEW MUSIC – HARVEST “ADVENTURE”
We have just released Harvest Adventure – a four-song EP featuring four original songs from Harvest Ministry.
As these songs unfolded, we realized they all centered around going to serve in mission and trusting God’s faithfulness with the courage to live boldly!
Though these four songs were originally written to go with the themes for The Light Kids Conferences, they apply to every minister, missionary and Christian believer.
READY, SET, GO
(c) 2016, Tim Price | Harvest MInistry | Troy, IL | harvestministryteams.com
I’m ready, I’m set, I’ll go
I’ll tell everyone one, I know
About the Good News
Jesus loves you
I’m ready, I’m set, let’s go!
THE GREAT ADVENTURE
(c) 2018, Tim Price | Harvest MInistry | Troy, IL | harvestministryteams.com
You might think life is about living for yourself
But I’m here to tell you it’s living for the cross
Following Jesus, every step and every word
It breathes life in our bones, I hope that you have heard
If you want freedom, a life worth livin’
Adventures like no other, only one name we’ve been given
Jesus alone can make our hearts new,
We follow and trust, that’s just what we do
On this great adventure
BRAVE
(c) 2019, Tim Price & Ava Andrews Taylor | Harvest Ministry, Troy, IL | harvestministryteams.com
I will be brave and I will rave about my God who gives me strength
I am confident because my God is near
He’s living in my heart and so I can be unafraid and know
Courage comes from Him alone that is for sure
God makes me brave
MOVE
(c) 2020, Tim Price | Harvest Ministry, Troy, IL | harvestministryteams.com
We will move, we will go we will listen to Your call
We will move, we will go, we’re Your church after all
We’ll get up on our feet and we’ll follow Your lead
We will go where you lead us, move as you need us we will move.
PRODUCING / RECORDING
Chase Weber – Recording, Engineering, Production
Tim Price – Acoustic, Vocals
Ruby Price – Vocals
Paul Bill, Jr. – Rap on The Great Adventure
Group From TUMC – BGV’s on Move and Ready Set Go
Recorded: Troy, IL and Gnome Studios, Nashville, TN
Dates of Recording: From Spring 2020 To fall 2021
COMING UP…
We’re inviting church leaders, pastors and parents to make plans to bring students from your church / community for one of these events in the next few weeks!
KIDS CONFERENCE – MARION, IL – APRIL 2
KIDS CONFERENCE – TROY, IL – APRIL 30
GIRLS CONFERENCE – TROY, IL – MAY 1
KIDS CONFERENCE – MARION, IL OR TROY, IL
for children in first – fifth grades!
HARVEST MINISTRY GIRLS CONFERENCE
for teen girls in 6th-12th grades!
TEXAS SPRING BREAK MISSION TRIP 2022
We’re currently on a Spring Break Trip in Surfside Beach, TX with the Epworth League.
The Epworth League, the revived ministry of the early Methodist Church, is all about reaching young adults and sending them into ministry.
Ken Rheingans, from Sullivan, WI, is the organizer and his vision has grown. There are two weeks scheduled here this March and there will be about 200 or so in attendance between both weeks.
Harvest also has the privilege of serving with Ken and his team each summer during the Christian Disciple Farm, hosted at Ken and Sue’s home in Sullivan. It’s also an incredible week.
But now, a bit about this current week here in March of 2022. The team for this week is Caroline Stewart, Elizabeth West, Noah Durbin, Tim, Suzane, Ruby, and Macy Price. We have jumped in to help with the work for the week, but are also assembling, organizing, and supporting the worship ministry each evening. We’ve connected with several college students who have gifts in music and worship and a different team configuration is leading each evening.
Here’s a look at the schedule:
Saturday – drove all day
Sunday – worship in Galveston, afternoon sightseeing, worship and speaking in the evening
Monday – Friday
6:15 – kitchen team get up to prepare for each house
7:15 – breakfast and testimoies
8:30 – pack lunch at the community center
9:00 – leave for work sites all over region
3:00 – home from sites, free time, beach, etc.
4:30 – band rehearsal / sound check
6:00 – dinner
7:00 – games
7:30 – worship
8:30 – small groups
9:30 – evening activity
11:30 – bed
We’ve had long fun-filled days, but it’s been rewarding and fruitful and it’s a great group of students and leaders!
Everyone is staying in one of the really large beach houses. Breakfast is served in each home, lunch is packed each day for the site, and dinner is served in the community center with the volunteer team preparing it. The teams in charge of scheduling, small groups, buying and preparing food, sending work teams, and setting up evening activities are doing an incredible job – the logistics part of the week is astounding.
As an example of the work: Noah has been moving rock for a habitat project, Elizabeth and Caroline has been working on a home about 40 minutes from Surfside, working on the outdoor exterior of a habitat home, Tim has been shuttling team members to various city projects around the Intercoastal Waterway and the community, and Suzanne, Ruby, and Macy spent the first day painting and the second day shopping and food prep.
We praise the Lord for the opportunity to serve here for the week and thank TUMC for sending those team members who joined in on this mission trip!
