Side by Side: A Life of Service, Growth, and Love
Steve and Trish Rowe have been part of our church since 1996. Steve served as the Associate Pastor in 2000-2002. They are both very active in our community and we are blessed to have them as part of our church family.
Steve’s Story
I was born a Texas boy with a stay-at-home Mom and a Reserve Marine Corp Dad. Dad taught me and my brother hunting and fishing and a deep love of family. We moved from Texas to West Virginia when I was 13 years old. I rode a bus to school, read books and comics voraciously and freely roamed the hills near home. Summers we went to New Mexico to my Grandparent’s cabin in the mountains. It was a perfect life for an introverted kid in the 50’s and 60’s.
While attending Marshall University I had a small circle of friends which included Trish and her roommate. At that point in my life the world was calling my name and I didn’t feel the presence of God or the church even though I had been raised in the Methodist church. It took developing maturity and some wisdom before I understood the importance of my faith. But Trish and I began dating and the rest of that particular story, as they say, is history.
I served in the Army as a medic in Alaska. While there I continued my pleasure in the great outdoors, hunting and fishing. After being discharged, I studied at West Virginia University. Then we moved back to Texas.
I was always an introvert, enjoying quiet, simple pleasures and was surprised when I found myself serving as assistant to the pastor each Sunday and taking the role of Master of Ceremonies at adult
fellowship functions at our church in Pasadena. God was putting me in places I had not even imagined.
We moved to Austin when our kids were grown and on their own and things were going well. We had bought property in Wimberley and were building a house. Then, suddenly, I found myself out of work – downsized. I looked everywhere for work, drove a school bus for a while, took a part-time job here at Dripping Springs church and worked on finishing the house. It was while taking a Discipleship Class that I was faced with a question. “What is your specific spiritual gift?” Everyone in class told me I was meant to serve as a pastor. I had always found fulfillment in serving in church but had never considered taking on that particular role. I realized then that God was trying to get my attention and giving me quiet time to understand what I was being called to be. I needed to escape the busyness of life to hear Him. So I began the process of entering the ministry. I was blessed to serve two years here at Dripping Springs, then ten more in West Texas in the San Angelo area before retiring in 2012.
In these two West Texas congregations, I was needed to serve as the peacemaker or healer. Both congregations had been wounded and felt betrayed and it was my job to bring them together again as a loving family. When I moved on after serving five years at each church, I felt a sense of satisfaction of accomplishing the goal.
I officiated at many funerals, married a bunch of folks, baptized one a baby (not even a week old), and led my churches through regular Sundays, holidays, ups and downs. I may have the record of having to call 911 two different times for medical emergencies during services. I’ve spoken to people in such places as community groups and nursing home residents, found myself in the position of connecting with a young lady high on a radio tower threatening to jump and another time I was given the opportunity to speak to an older woman who was lonely and confused and would sit on a bench outside my office during her walks.
All those times I felt like Moses trying to explain to God – “I can’t do this. You’ve got the wrong guy.” God loves to laugh at our protests. I’ve heard Him say “Go on, get up and get busy. I need you.”
Trish’s Story
I was raised Methodist, never missing Sunday School when I was little. We lived within walking distance and my parents sent me and my sisters rather than bringing me. They only attended on special holidays but they gave me a gift in insisting that I go that I’m forever grateful for.
In my teen years, my social life revolved around MYF. When I went away to college I sowed some wild oats and stopped going to church. But the Lord was taking care of me and steering me even though I didn’t realize it at the time. I met the love of my life and it took almost 10 years, but together we came back to our roots in the Methodist church.
We were encouraged to attend a Marriage Encounter weekend by friends. Marriage Encounter shows a way to make good marriages great and we found our mission. We were involved with this organization for about 10 years. We became a “presenting couple” developing talks to give to attending couples. Overtime we served on state and national levels and truly learned to be a team working together with other couples committed to each other and the Lord.
One of the mile markers I can look back on and see exactly how God was working in my life was my discovery of Southern Gospel Music. To me this wasn’t just music to sing along with or listen to. It was God speaking to me, calling me to repentance, ministering to me, and telling me what heaven is like. This truly has been one of the best gifts I have ever been given. To this day I spend hours listening to the messages in the words of the songs, basking in the sound of four-part harmony.
When Steve answered the call to ministry, at first I was pleased. For many years I had watched him grow in leadership roles and saw his faith deepen. But secondly, I was terrified! What was my role? I had no doubt God wanted him to serve as a pastor, but my picture of a pastor’s wife did not match me. I saw it as a role of piano playing, a good natured and gentle soul. I’m not any of that! I’m opinionated, outspoken and selfish. But I wanted to support Steve so I dove into adult fellowship at church, headed a committee to put on lavish and fancy dinners complete with entertainment. I sang in the choir. I loved our church family with all my heart.
I also took on the role of serving the children. VBS, Sunday School, Godly Play, Children’s Bells, confirmation classes, youth camps, anything I could do to serve. I came to realize God had truly called me also and was using me and my unique talents and skills He had given me.
Steve and Trish now
Now in our retirement years, we’ve let go of the busyness. We’re appreciating traveling, gemstone hunting, reading good books, listening to music and quietly enjoying each other’s company. But we always look forward to coming home and sitting in our favorite pew on Sunday in our own church home.
God is truly working in our Dripping Springs church. We see it mostly in the growth in attendance of young families. It is so beautiful seeing the children during Children’s Time. He is alive and well at DSMC. We love our church and church family!
