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HISTORY OF BARN RAISING

Wikipedia: BARN RAISING

In earlier American rural life, communities raised barns because many hands were required. In areas that were sparsely settled or on the edge of the frontier, it was not possible to hire carpenters or other tradesmen to build a barn.  Barn-raisings were typically occasions of community good feeling, solidarity, and festivity, as well as cooperative labor, and they figured as part of a wider culture of neighborly mutual assistance (at harvest, for instance), sharing of tools and ox-teams, etc. Customarily the women of the families involved prepared hearty lunches for the builders and completion was celebrated with a feast and dance — often till dawn. Paid help was not a feature of these events.

A barn raising is NOT just about building a barn!

It’s about locking arms to help. 

It’s about serving.

It’s about sharing your God-given gifts.

It’s about community. 

It’s about GOD. 

It’s about learning from others. 

It’s about celebration!

Barn raisings occurred in a social framework with a good deal of interdependence. Members of rural communities often shared family bonds going back generations. They traded with each other, buying and selling land, labor, seed, cattle, and the like. They worshipped and celebrated together.

Contrast with church construction

Churches were considered as important to communities of the 18th and 19th centuries as barns. In like fashion, they were often constructed using unpaid community labor. There were important differences. Churches were not constructed with the same degree of urgency and were most often built of native stone in some regions — a more durable material than the wood of which barns were made, and more time-consuming to lay. Barns, once completed, belonged to an individual family, while churches belonged to the community.

At the Living Waters Farm, we have both…a barn that was lovingly “raised” by a team of volunteer champions and now that barn has been converted to a chapel that we have renamed The Well.  The walls have already been raised, but there’s still some “raising” we need to do to the barn so that we can better serve our community…our tribe…our people.  And that’s where the idea of the barn raising came to be.

www.cometothewell.life 

The Living Waters Farm has served our community well hosting MULTIPLE leadership retreats/revivals.  We have been instruments of the Most High as we’ve done our part to change lives…in and out of the workplace.  Our first Leadership Retreat took place in the Fall of the year and our theme was to give thanks to the God of the harvest.  The Spirit of the Lord moved that weekend and lives were changed Forever.

Sometimes we look at our circumstances as failures but so often plans are altered by the Hand of God when He has a Master Plan He’s preparing to launch.  In our case, the Plans were changed when were faced with a VERY small group of attendees for a very expensive leadership retreat.  The big tents and the bells and whistles had to be set aside.  Most people would have canceled the event altogether…but we didn’t.  Instead, we gathered for “training” in the living room of the old farmhouse, and (just to shake things up) we had church in the barn for the very first time.  I’ll never forget looking out at the people sitting on hay bales, tears streaming down their faces as they praised God! 

From there, hearts were Supernaturally inclined to “raise the barn” into a meeting place that would accommodate the masses in the future, and Earl Stephens took control of the barn transformation.  He had the Heart and He had God’s Master Plan…and as it turned out, Earl had a team too.  Regis Stephens, Ricky Alligood, Alvin Jaufrey, and George Innerarity made the 17-hour drive with Earl (a few times!) and they rolled up their sleeves and picked up their hammers to help fulfill what God had for the Living Waters Farm. The rest, as they say, is history.

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  1 Peter 4:10      

Barn Raising ISN’T as much about the work as it is about the food and fellowship…and that’s the way it will be with us!  It’s symbolic (with tangible results) of what it looks like when people come together for a common cause and how they’re willing to help one another.  We’ll have a blast working together and we’ll hear incredible testimonies about what the Lord has done in the life of our friends!  We’ll fellowship.  We’ll laugh.  We’ll probably cry a time or two. We’ll pray and praise.  We’ll break (amazing) bread.  We’ll get fed the Word of God AND we’re planning on baptizing while we’re at it.  HOW FUN!

The most significant project that will take place as part of the Barn Raising will be the conversion of a horse trailer into a restroom trailer.  That’s a BIG job but only a few (due to space limitations) will be hands-on working on it.  We have gardening, painting, and general sprucing up…there’s plenty to be done. Don’t worry about your abilities!  If you aren’t able to work, you can supervise! 

REGISTRATION IS MANDATORY for planning purposes.  The fee to attend is  $20.23 per person to offset the food costs.  We’d love to make it FREE however, it has been our experience that people often “no show” when they have no skin in the game.  So, we’re charging a fraction of the cost for the meals served throughout our Barn Raising!  

Whatever you do, don’t miss it. 

You might be thinking that The Barn aka The Well will never be the same again after all the hard work we’ll be putting in throughout the Barn Raising BUT it’s YOU who will never be the same again!  

Are you ready to BOLDLY live out your Faith in EVERY area of your life? 

Do you want to be a Kingdom Builder while there’s still time for you? 

Don’t hesitate. RSVP below. 

  

 

RSVP NOW

Friday, May 5th – 4:00 PM   We’ll serve light refreshments and we’ll sit around the campfire. Rumor has it there will be a movie on the lawn for whoever is interested!  Who needs a drive-in when you have acres of grass?

Saturday, May 6th – 9:00 AM – This is our BIG DAY and we’re off and running!  We’ll serve a continental breakfast to get you going and we’ll plan for a feast in the late afternoon. 

Sunday, May 7th – 11:30 AM – we’ll give you time to catch up on your rest and check out of your hotel before we gather at The Well for our last day together.  You’ll attend church so you can see what it’s usually like for us here.  Chances are you’ll go looking for a barn of your own to worship in after your experience at The Well!

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better you’ll be surrounded by beautiful farmland the entire weekend.  Feel free to take a walk.  Enjoy the horses nearby.  Make your way to the pond with your fishing pole.  Sit on the front porch for a visit.  Meet with the Master in the War Room!  Whatever you decide to do,  you’re guaranteed to go home FULFILLED in every way. 

What are you waiting for?  

RSVP NOW!

If a barn was good enough to welcome in the King of all kings, it’s good enough for us, amen?  Our journey from horse barn to gathering place is sprinkled with miracles and we’ll be sharing it with you soon so that you can see and hear about how GOD IS WORKING to build His Kingdom!  Don’t worry, if it’s a cool May weekend, we’ll have heaters.  If it’s hot, we’ll have fans.  All we need is you! 

Reserve your meals today!

RSVP NOW