NEWS & NOTES A monthly newsletter to keep you informed.

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1 October 2016 NEWS & NOTES A monthly newsletter to keep you informed. Larry and Audrey LOCAL NEWS A TIME OF FELLOWSHIP AND TOUR TALK Rev. and Mrs. Larry Young have spent their lives working together to minister, through their church, to people in need of counseling and other support services. Larry is the Associate Pastor of the Resurrection Life Church in Rockford, Michigan, and he and his wife, Audrey, are leading a tour to Israel this November, which is coming up quickly. They anticipated the questions people might have when going to Israel and invited the registrants, who were from the Michigan area, to their home in Cedar Springs for a Saturday evening repast. What a meal it was with a choice of gourmet sandwiches and tasty soups. The meal was served in their elegant Victorian dining room and we ate on some of their best china. After the meal, we drank coffee and ate delicious desserts while all of us introduced ourselves to each other and then opened it up for questions and answers. The tour is November 8-18, and it

2 promises to be a good one with Denny Thompson teaching and Calvin Bergsma ministering with his guitar. There is still room for a few more. If you are interested, you can call Larry at A prayer before dinner NEW WEBSITE NEARING COMPLETION Through the generosity of several of our alumni, a new website will replace our outdated one. The site is being created by Bold White of Utah and it promises to be faster and full of new information. Some of the Blossoming Rose Education Committee members helped with funding the new website. The new site will be one way that we can share more information about the "Seven Historic Periods" of Biblical Tamar Park. Features such as quicker registration for tours, nearly instant access to make donations, and a more complete history of Blossoming Rose and Biblical Tamar Park will be available. We are grateful to those who have worked on this excellent advancement. LETTERS FROM OUR FRIENDS Dear DeWayne, My heart is in the Arava. I want to go back with another prayer team to worship at Tamar. I began visiting the Holy Land in Since then I have visited Israel every year. During one of my previous visits, I decided to mobilize a prayer team for the Arava. Since 2013, when the first team visited Tamar, there has been a South African team every year to bless the country and its people with prayer. I will be back again this year in October- November. Be Blessed,

3 Molly M Pretoria, SA Shalom DeWayne I am going to Israel for the third time! I wanted to know if you would need any housekeeping, landscaping (anything but cooking) help at Biblical Tamar Park before October 13th or after October 25? I will be in the Land and would like to volunteer. If you do need a volunteer, I would extend my time after the tour. It is such a long ride over and I did not get to go up to Prayer Mountain when I was there the last time. Please let me know if this is a possibility. Thanks, Esther K Nelsonville, Ohio Editor's note: Esther will be at the Park at a time we really need her assistance in housekeeping. Shalom Dr. Coxon and Rob, We believe we have good direction to proceed with the design and building of the Outdoor Pavilion at Biblical Tamar Park for the Lundquist Tabernacle of Moses. The contractors are scheduled to fly to Israel to look over the site and prepare for the project. The idea is to provide a cool and shaded place for visitors to sit and meditate for a short time; a place modeled after an ancient synagogue found in Israel. The Bible Students will work with us in preparing the area with a stone sidewalk to the Pavilion. Our prayers are always for the Lord to be glorified in this work and for His grace to help us as we all endeavor to do His will. In Our One Hope, Paul L. Chicago, IL BIBLICAL TAMAR PARK SPONSOR A ROOM PROGRAM Last month we promised to present our new Sponsor a Room Program, knowing that this is the time of year that many of you consider the amount of your contribution to Blossoming Rose. We wanted to get this Program published in our Newsletter so that you would have an opportunity to consider it. Below is a summary description of the Program. In

4 addition, there is a Business Plan with more details and an Room sponsored by UIWU Agreement, which is basically a hand-shake, since it can be discontinued by the sponsor at any time. If you are interested in having a copy of the Business Plan and Agreement, please lcoxon@blossomingrose.org. Rooms: Sponsor a Room Program There are twenty-five guest rooms at Biblical Tamar Park. Most rooms have twin beds. Sponsors: A person, a group, or an organization can become a sponsor of one or more rooms. The fees, responsibilities, and privileges are broadly outlined below. Privileges and responsibilities are outlined in the Business Plan. Specific personal details will be described in an Agreement. Fees: The annual fee to become a sponsor is $1,500. This fee will be used to continue to upgrade housing facilities and other buildings necessary for the function of the Park, as well as the costs involved with security, support services and staffing. Broad Privileges: (See details in Business Plan) 1. The sponsor's name (or couple's names) will be on the door and inside the room. 2. The sponsor may use the room several days each year without charge. 3. Discounted meals. Responsibilities: (See details in Business Plan) 1. The Sponsor, and its representatives, shall follow all policies and procedures outlined in the Business Plan, the Agreement, all relevant manuals, and the Blossoming Rose Position Paper. 2. Sponsors shall maintain their sponsored room when they visit the Park. 3. The BTP staff will maintain the room in the absence of the Sponsor SOUTH AFRICAN PRAYER TEAM

5 Molly Miessner writes that in 2013 she decided to go to Tamar and pray. This year she is returning with a team of four people. They are looking forward to blessing Israel as God has blessed them. Her faithfulness to return with a different group of South Africans to pray at Tamar encourages us to keep the Park in good condition for these groups. Molly has worked for Campus Crusade for Christ in South Africa for many years. Several years ago, Rev. Earl Pickard from Kansas Campus Crusade for Christ, asked Molly to take a prayer team to Tamar and he would bring intercessors from the USA to join her. The two groups combined for a week of prayer and Bible study traveling throughout the southern parts of Israel. This will be the fourth consecutive year that Molly has brought her team to Tamar. The team this year includes her husband, who has never visited Israel. TABERNACLE OF MOSES PAVILION PLANNED It was one year ago that a miniature Tabernacle of Moses was flown from the USA to Israel and installed at Tamar. The Lundquist Foundation paid for the cost of shipping and installation. Paul and Joyce Lagno transported it and brought it into the Park. They oversaw the project. This year the Lundquist Foundation is giving a grant to place a permanent Pavilion over and around the Tabernacle so that it would not be exposed to the intense sun and sand/wind storms of the Arava desert. This is very much needed and greatly appreciated. Plans are being presented and preparations

6 are being made now. Construction could begin in February with people from Poland serving as volunteers again. If it is not finished in February, it will be completed during the fall when volunteers return to Tamar. You can be a part in this project by volunteering to help during one of these times of construction. People are needed in landscaping, construction, housekeeping, and food services. Why not enjoy some rich fellowship at Tamar for $30 per day board and room. Proposed Pavilion PURCHASE OF ABRAHAM'S TENT The site of Abraham in the Park has needed a tent of the type Abraham and Sarah would have lived in 3,000 years ago. And how do we know what sort of tent that might have been? We simply needed to pay a visit to our Bedouin friends, Mohammad and Fatima and their four little children to find out. They live just one-half mile from Tamar in what looks to be something similar to Abraham's tent. The tent of Abraham Mohammad pointed us in the direction where we might find tents that could withstand the desert winds and one has been found, thanks to Kay Rose Bunton, who is currently serving as a public relations representative for Blossoming Rose. One of our tour alumni and Education Committee members was attracted to the project and gave the funds to buy the tent. It will be purchased this November and an area near to the Tabernacle of Moses will be cleared for it to be installed. We are grateful for people who are willing to donate to make Biblical Tamar Park the premier teaching and tourist spot in the south of Israel. VOLUNTEERS FLY TO ISRAEL Several airlines will transport our volunteers to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel on October 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 29, (this month) and we will all join in an assortment of jobs at Tamar. Several are going to work in archaeology and will be joined by eighteen Israeli students for five days under the direction of Dr. Olga. She is a Russian archaeologist who works for Dr. Yoram Haimi.

7 Others will work with Ty Henderson who has become more involved with the physical plant at the Park. Alan, our Park Supervisor, has been working for several weeks to purchase truckloads of building materials such as roofing and flooring to upgrade some of the caravans. Moving caravan #8 from the east campus to the west campus will take the skills of several of the men with experience in moving buildings. A large tank trailer will be used to slide under the caravan and transport it to its new location near the dining room. Buying the materials and providing the equipment to do this much needed work in the Park takes both faith and finances. We would be very grateful for donations, especially at this time of year. Moving caravan #8 Happy New Year Friends and Family, SUPERVISOR'S REPORT By Alan Vanderkolk The Jewish New Year of 5777 has begun. There was a national two-day holiday and people all over Israel began their fall holiday season with many types of vacations. It is interesting to watch how today's mostly secular Jewish society still connects with its Biblical roots. We see a number of families walking around the old ruins here at Tamar and having picnics before driving on to their holiday destinations. I blew the shofar at the sighting of the new moon (as biblically this day is Alan known as the Day of Blowing) and had some apples and honey with friends, traditionally used to wish one a sweet New Year. The main news in Israel these days was the death of Shimon Peres. He was the last of Israel's founding fathers being involved in government since its founding in He served both as Prime Minister and President as well as being a minister in the Knesset. World leaders from across the globe were in Israel last week for his funeral on Friday. Prime Minister Peres flew to Biblical Tamar Park while he was President a few years ago and commended us on our work of preserving the history of the Park. There are five of us working here at BTP at this time. Many tasks are keeping us busy as we prepare for the volunteers and the many groups that will be coming here in late October and November. There is always plenty to do. Alan's sukkah ROLE OF PAST SUPERVISOR Kay Rose Bunton has entered into an Agreement with Blossoming Rose to do

8 some public relations and fundraising. She has established various connections through the years in Israel and the US and she believes that her efforts can be helpful to Blossoming Rose. In this role, she is serving completely as a volunteer and will not personally benefit by the results. Kay Upcoming Volunteer Experiences and Tours 2016 South African Prayer Team (Molly Miessner) October Volunteer Experience (Dr. DeWayne Coxon) October 24 - November 6 Connect to Israel (Young/Clayton) October 30 - November 10 Experiencing Israel Today (Young/Bergsma) November Experiencing the Holy Land (Madsen/Ernst) February Connect to Israel (Young/Clayton) February 26 - March 9 James Tabor Explores Israel (Tabor/Nichols) March 3-14 Standing with Israel (Dr. Alewine/Pennington) March Grace Bible College (Dr. Phil Long) May 1-18

9 Prince of Peace Parish (Pat DeGroot) November 8-18 Bible Students (Daniel Torluemke) November St. Norbet Abbey (Tony Pichler) March 8-18 EDUCATIONAL COLORING BOOKS AVAILABLE BIG SALE (One hundred percent of the gross proceeds will be used to bless Israel) This attractive 54 page coloring book is on-sale for $3 each plus $2 shipping. For 4-10 copies, total shipping is $4. If you wish to place an order, please us directly at Christian Trewhella Christian, Naomi, Kennedy, and Olivia Editor's Corner

10 The author of the newsletter is DeWayne A. Coxon. Articles were written by him unless noted otherwise. Chaya Coxon is the publisher. NOTE: If you are reading this newsletter on Facebook you can me at and you will receive it at your own address. SHARE OUR NEWSLETTER: Know anyone who could benefit from this newsletter? Forward it to them, please. STAY CONNECTED NOTE: We have, since 1984, encouraged people to support our Israel work through prayer, gifts, volunteering, and touring. We offer you three ways to contribute. You can contribute online by visiting our website at and choosing the "Contribute" link on the top banner, call Jodi at to use your credit card, or send your gift to our address: P.O. Box X, Cedar Springs, MI My cell phone number is if you have any questions. GET THE WORD OUT - Please forward this Newsletter to your family and friends. OUTLOOK: If you use Outlook, the format of your newsletter may be different than using an Internet browser.