Pastor Rick's & Pastor Sheryl's Testimony

Meet Mr. Rick & Miss Sheryl

Rick and Sheryl Gudgeon were following and serving the Lord even before they met in the Spring of 1982. They each made Jesus the Lord of their lives as children. Sheryl received Jesus as her Lord and Savior at age seven at a Maundy Thursday Service. She wanted to take Communion, but couldn't until she was saved. The Pastor did not hesitate to honor a child's request to receive Christ and changed the service order. He gave an alter call at the beginning of the service where Miss Sheryl did indeed receive the Lord and was permitted to take Holy Communion that night.
Rick always had a desire to serve the Lord from a young age. He loved singing in the choir and serving as an acolyte in the Episcopal church, but didn't personally know the one he was serving. At age ten, through what can only be described as a vision or angelic visitation, Rick was called to serve the Lord in ministry. At age twelve his family attended a Methodist Revival. It was there he heard the Gospel message. During the alter call Rick went forward and received Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

At ages 19 and 17, Rick and Sheryl dedicated their lives to serve the Lord together in full time ministry. So much vision and purpose was given to them in the beginning months of their relationship. One night while praying and waiting in silence before the Lord, they were given a vision. Each had the same vision at the same time. They saw themselves as a large family driving a Suburban pulling a travel trailer to share the Gospel anywhere God opened doors. Rick and Sheryl knew that they would be a family ministry and would Home-School their children. This was a time when Home-School was virtually unheard of. God always confirms His word and what He spoke to them was confirmed multiple times.

Rick & Sheryl were married on August 18, 1984. It also marks the day they stepped out totally by faith to begin their family ministry. What a journey! To quote a song written by a friend and sung at the wedding, "There will be times when you don't understand. Hold on tight and take my hand. Run to Jesus without delay and He will wipe your tears away". How prophetic! Running to Jesus and holding His hand tightly became their way of life! Learning to Trust God for every need taught them how to live in His presence daily!
1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray Continually". was learned fast and lived well.

God used Rick And Sheryl in so many areas. They sang together for Church Services, Revivals, and Youth Camps. Once or twice a month they served as Lay Witnesses with Faith Alive! An Evangelical, Spirit filled ministry of the Episcopal Church in the 1980s. The Leadership began asking them to head up the Children's Ministry for these weekends. They gained so much experience working with the Kids and leading them to a personal relationship with Jesus!

They soon felt the need to add puppets to their ministry. God raised up a dear lady who was part of a puppet team. She showed them how to make puppets and gave them a pattern and materials to begin.
And then there was BJ!
It wasn't long before they got requests to do puppets for Vacation Bible Schools, Rally Days and Children's Day Services.

A Children's Ministry is Born!
As doors opened Rick and Sheryl stepped through
by faith and God continued to stretch and expand
their abilities. In the Summer of 1988 they attended Missionary Training School with Children's Bible Mission. God used this training to confirm their
calling to Children's Ministry and the direction
they were to go.

God blessed Rick and Sheryl with six beautiful children of their own. Lawra, Andrew, Isaac, Caleb, Aaron & Anna. Each one blessed with unique gifting's and talents. They traveled and sang together as a family and ministered together in Children's Ministry. Two ministries in one family! The Summers were especially busy with back to back Vacation Bible School Programs and Church Camps. When it became too difficult to stay in peoples homes, Rick and Sheryl began trusting God to fulfill the vision and provide a travel trailer. When they received an invitation to minister at a camp in Alabama they took it by faith, trusting God would provide the way to get there. One miracle after another and six months later the vision was fulfilled. By late Spring of 1992 God provided a 32 foot travel trailer and a Suburban to pull it. So off to Alabama and beyond they went! With more room for props and Our 32' "Rolling Parsonage"
sound equipment the ministry expanded even more!

As the children grew so did their musical abilities. Concerts included Singing, Piano, Cello, Guitar Handbells, violin, Trumpet, ventriloquism and puppetry. The Christmas Season truly is the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year", though it kept the Gudgeon Family very busy. Averaging between 16-24 Concerts between Thanksgiving and Christmas!

For a season the Family Music Ministry became the main emphasis. It became important for the children to be grounded and close to home. This allowed time for academics, music lessons and practice with ministry appointments on the weekends.

Many weeks each year were spent serving as Missionaries in Ocean City, Maryland. The Gudgeons were blessed to Pray with tourists on the Boardwalk, lead worship
at a coffee house and minister to the homeless and run away teens.
The older children also led worship at Jesus at the Beach.
God used these seasons to nurture and mature the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit in each family member.

Thanks to the Ministry Leadership in ocean City the family received teachings on the Biblical Feasts and the Jewish Roots of the faith. Observing the Biblical Holidays soon became a part of family worship. In January 2005 Rick and Sheryl and family were led to attend El Shaddai Congregation. A Yeshua-Centered, Spirit-Filled, Messianic Jewish-Rooted Community in Frederick, Maryland. From the moment they stepped through the door they knew they were home and soon became very involved.

And all too soon along came College. Love. And Weddings under the Canopy!

As the children grew and were called into their own lives, ministry for Rick and Sheryl shifted too. Rick and Sheryl continued in Local Children's Ministry conducting Vacation Bible Schools and Evangelistic Outreach at Revivals and Camps. While leading a VBS at a local Assemblies of God Church Rick and Sheryl were able to share with the Pastor about all the changes taking place and that open doors for ministry were getting fewer.
Weeks later the Pastor came and asked if they would consider taking a more pastoral role and become the Children and Youth Leaders at his church. He understood their calling and their need of serve. The position allowed for Rick and Sheryl to go out and minister when called upon. He also understood their call to the Messianic Jewish Community, as he himself stood with Israel and knew the importance. What a tremendous blessing to be in community with these children every week and to pastor them and have time to disciple them in the Lord! After nearly 5 years of serving with the congregation the time came for another era to come to an end. Rick and Sheryl left with full hearts knowing every child in the congregation had come to a personal relation with their Messiah Yeshua (Jesus).

When the Family Ministry ended and the Church Position closed Rick and Sheryl held fast to the many prophetic words that had been spoken over them. "I am not finished using you yet" was the word they kept getting from the Lord. And "I am doing a new thing".
During this season, God provided for Rick and Sheryl through secular jobs. Sheryl became the Music Store Manager at a local Music School. Rick worked as an itinerant Merchandiser for various companies. While they were very grateful for God's provision, it was a very unfulfilling time for them spiritually. Their hearts yearned for the calling God had placed upon them to serve together as a couple. The Spirit of God kept stirring them to seek God's will.

While waiting on the Lord for new revelation Rick and Sheryl were, once again, able to be involved in their congregation at El Shaddai where they teach Shabbat School for the 6-11 year old children giving them a Kingdom purpose. The Pastors and Elders continue to pray and council Rick and Sheryl regarding God's call on them.

When Covid-19 shutdowns came El Shaddai Congregation went to online services, Rick and Sheryl's first thought was, "What about the children? What can we do for them?" They had the idea to make weekly videos to upload on El Shaddai's YouTube Channel. They contacted the Congregational leadership and it was a go! As the shut down continued
God began to guide Rick and Sheryl toward the idea of setting up a website where they would continue to make teaching videos for Family Devotions, Shabbat School Teachers and Sunday School Teachers. God placed a burden on their hearts for the children of this generation. Children are forced to deal with heavy adult situations and ungodly social agendas. With the blessing of the Pastors and Elders woowee.org was launched as a ministry of El Shaddai Congregation! On June 5, 2021 Rick and Sheryl were each fully ordained as Pastors. God promised that He was not finished using Rick and Sheryl in His Kingdom. They know that woowee.org will continue to grow as God directs giving Parents and Children a place to go for Spiritual help and guidance!