The Gathering

Doyle introducing Steve Miller
The Bontrager Family
Getting ready to work up sweet corn
Some of the husking crew
Allison, Becky, Hannah & Autumn

For 13 years now for 3 days in the middle of August there is an event called The Gathering. It is more commonly known as the Scranton Tent Meetings. It is hard to believe, but I have now been in attendance for 7 years. It all started when my husband along with the other men from the Monday Night Prayer group led Doyle Roberts to the Lord. Somewhere along the way the self described "old hippie, Vietnam Vet" became convicted to start the tent meetings in Scranton. For a number of years my boys have been helping Doyle with the tent and cutting scrap iron to help fund The Gathering. Each year there is usually a family here singing Gospel music. Shortly after last years gathering I suggested that he talk to the Bontrager Family about coming up this year. Since they were friends from back home I thought it would be fun to have them here. Everything worked out and they were here for Wednesday & Thursday nights meetings. It was good to have them as our guests for Wednesday night. I know that the thought of a family of 12 staying with a family of 13 sounds crazy, but it was pretty easy since 9 of their children slept in their bus. What is crazy is that on Thursday afternoon we did up sweet corn to freeze. I had resolved myself to the idea of not having time to do any this year. Becky made the suggestion and I took her up on the offer. I tried it a new way and we froze it raw instead of blanching it before cutting it off the cob. This helped speed up the whole process and is how Becky has done it for several years. It is amazing how quickly 21 people can pick, husk, clean, cut and bag 40 quarts of corn, 2 hours to be exact. We had a great time and hope they take Doyle up on the invitation to come back and sing in a few years.