RVers on a mission--to construct River of Life church
Herald photo submitted
RV volunteers help pour concrete from Duininck Concrete/Sauk Centre Ready Mix Wednesday morning.
by Carol Moorman
carol@saukherald.
They come from all walks of life, from college professors to janitors. But these mostly retired men and women, all RV MAPS members, have one mission in mind—helping to build the River of Life Church in Sauk Centre from the ground up. Their RVs (recreational vehicles) line the west side of the church property near Beltline Road. Some may come to help with the foundation, others with the plumbing or electrical work. According to River of Life Pastor Steve Abbott, RV members started arriving in Sauk Centre in mid-June from as close as Minnesota and as far away as California. He expects they will stay until the project is completed around Thanksgiving. The new 9,100 square-foot steel building will include, among other things, offices, a sanctuary and a licensed childcare center for 80 to 100 children which will open in January. Currently they have over 70 members who attend Sunday services at 800 Beltline Road in Suite 105. They moved there earlier this year from their Second Street location where the church had been located for close to 75 years. Both Pastor Abbott and his wife, Jodi, said “God’s timing has been everything” with this project.RV MAPS RV MAPS (Mission America Placement Services) is a division of the Assemblies of God Home Mission. It was started in 1986 by Pat Donadio as a ministry consisting of volunteers traveling in RVs from one construction project to another throughout the United States. They meet the need for construction and renovation of Assemblies of God churches, colleges and other facilities. The ministry is flexible and designed to work into the volunteer’s schedule. All projects are coordinated out of the head office in Springfield, MO. Jim Olson, RVer and construction manager of the Sauk Centre project, explained there are about 700 members--couples and single people--of which 400 are active. All workers donate their time. Contracting churches pays one dollar per hour per worker which is sent to an Assemblies of God home mission, helping with ministries like Teen Challenges, an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program. Churches contracting for their services must meet guidelines. Pastor Abbott, in May, gave a presentation outlining their project to 25 members of the Minnesota district of RV MAPers. Olson and his wife, Liz, have been RV members since 1989. They live in Cannon Falls but are originally from Paynesville. “We travel with the weather,” said Olson. “Last winter we helped build two churches in Texas.” Olson, a retired business owner, is the go-to person. He knows what RVers are scheduled to help and when they will be arriving in Sauk Centre. To date there have been RVers from Minnesota, California, Michigan, Illinois and even relatives of Pastor Abbott’s from Nebraska. “I’ve got a licensed plumber coming in next week. Now we’re lobbying for sheet rockers,” said Olson the morning of July 27 as RVers help pour concrete for the church foundation, which came from Duininck Concrete/Sauk Centre Ready Mix of Sauk Centre. Pastor Abbott said they are working with local businesses as much as possible. He estimates they are building the church for about $40 a square foot, compared to the average price between $100 and $120 a square foot. “We’re saving money, yet investing in the community,” said Pastor Abbott. Olson said the Internet and email is a good way to spread the word of what volunteers are needed where and when. It’s not unusual for RVers to “just show up.” But they all must be RV MAPS certified and a card carrying member, which means they completed an application form and have been screened. Many of the volunteers jump in and help where needed. Most are adventurous like Olson. Pastor Abbott said this is a way for retired people to be “involved in something.” “And it’s a rewarding job,” said Olson, adding, “The only downside is that we have to be away from our grandchildren three to six months of the year.” River of Life members get to meet the RVers, especially on Mondays as they prepare and serve a noon meal for the workers. The RV volunteers have been what Pastor Abbott calls a miracle, one of many to happen throughout their building project. One of those miracles affected Olson in a direct way, when he found out his uncle, Harvey Schauman and wife, Ida, willed $40,000 to this church. Ida was a former Sauk Centre resident and one-time member of the church. “That really inspired an interest in us,” said Olson. The Abbotts figure it was “God’s timing” at work again.
