Acres of Hope Ministry is a faith-based nonprofit rooted in the Sparta and Norwalk, Wisconsin area, offering a unique blend of spiritual renewal, community service, and event hospitality. It’s led by Tom and Laurie Graber, who have transformed their family farmsteads into welcoming spaces for reflection, learning, and connection.
🌾 Facilities & Mission
• Sparrows Nest at the Abbey (Sparta) and The Gathering Place (Norwalk) are the two main venues.
• These sites host retreats, conferences, Veteran activities, quilting groups, family reunions, and ministry events.
The Faith Forward Writer’s Retreat (FFWR) at Sparrows Nest at the Abbey in Sparta, Wisconsin is a heart-centered gathering designed for writers who feel called to express their faith through storytelling, blogging, publishing, or personal journaling. It’s held at the serene Sparrows Nest, located at 17304 Havenwood Road, Sparta, WI — a peaceful venue that blends spiritual reflection with creative inspiration.
📝 Retreat Highlights
• Dates: November 20–22, 2025 (Thursday evening to Saturday noon)
• Location: Sparrows Nest at the Abbey, Sparta, WI
• Features:
• Meet the Authors Panel with published writers sharing their journeys
• Workshops on writing craft, publishing, and faith-based storytelling
• Guest Speakers & Publishers offering insights and networking
• Quiet Writing Time for personal reflection and creativity
• Community Connection with fellow writers of faith
.png/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:100%25/rs=w:600,h:600,cg:true)
The Together With Veterans (TWV) program is a powerful, community-driven initiative focused on preventing suicide among rural Veterans. It’s not just a campaign—it’s a partnership between Veterans, local organizations, and national experts in mental health and public health strategy.
🛡️ What TWV Is All About
• Veteran-Led: Veterans take the lead in shaping and guiding the program in their own communities.
• Community-Centered: Each location builds a unique action plan based on local strengths and needs.
• Evidence-Informed: Strategies are grounded in research and proven public health models.
• Collaborative: TWV brings together the VA, and two of it's contractors, the Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Centers (MIRECC), Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), and local stakeholders.
The Loving Stitches program at Sparrows Nest at the Abbey in Sparta, Wisconsin is a beautiful example of faith in action—where compassion meets creativity through needle and thread.
🧵 What It’s All About
Loving Stitches is a community outreach initiative that uses sewing, quilting, and crafting to serve others in tangible, heartfelt ways. It’s part of the broader ministry of Acres of Hope, which operates Sparrows Nest as a faith-based retreat and event center.
💖 Mission & Impact
• Support Through Sewing: Volunteers create quilts, blankets, and other handmade items for those in need—especially veterans, children, and families facing hardship.
• Healing & Fellowship: The program offers a space for people to gather, share stories, and find healing through creative expression and community.
• Faith-Driven Purpose: Every stitch is made with love and prayer, reflecting the ministry’s mission to uplift and comfort others through acts of service.
The Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) program is a national nonprofit with a powerful mission: “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town.” Here’s how it works and how you can get involved:
🛏️ What SHP Does
• Builds and delivers beds to children ages 3–17 who don’t have one of their own.
• Each bed includes a wooden frame, mattress, pillow, sheets, and comforter.
• Volunteers gather for monthly build events, often constructing 20–30 beds at a time A.
• SHP has delivered over 300,000 beds nationwide, with chapters in communities across the U.S.
Supporting Women In Ministry (S.W.I.M.) International are women who have been called by God to serve the Body of Christ according to his revealed will from the teaching of Holy Scripture and the Priesthood of all believers, we believe that all women and men are called to effective and fruitful ministry by using their God-given gifts, skills and talents to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Serving in a church, para-church or individual ministry can often be a challenging and isolating experience. In response, S.W.I.M. International was created to bring women in ministry primarily into support relationships where they may be encouraged and spiritually strengthened. In this Christian community they are empowered for service in the 21st Century with its unique challenges confronting women leaders.
Sparrows Nest at the Abbey is the Midwest Regional Office of SWIM, which is Headquartered in California.
At Sparrows Nest & The Gathering Place, Tom and Laurie Graber have created two peaceful havens for gatherings rooted in faith, family and community. Sparrows Nest, is located on our maternal family farm homestead in Sparta, WI. The Gathering Place is located nearby on our paternal family farm homestead in Norwalk, WI.
Imagine hosting your event in a space that combines rustic charm with modern convenience. Whether you're planning a small meeting, a large conference, a small wedding, a quilting group retreat or a family reunion, Sparrows Nest provides a beautiful Chapel, a commercial-sized kitchen and dining room, a large multimedia conference room with breakout rooms and accommodations for up to 60 guests for multi-day stays, our moderate fee schedule ensures affordability without compromising on quality as a faith-based, non-profit organization.
Book your next event now by calling or texting (661) 400-2318, or email us at acresofhope@yahoo.com.
Our mission at Sparrows Nest at the Abbey is to provide individuals, faith-based groups, companies and corporations with a place to gather in a welcoming and safe environment for relaxation, reflection, enjoyment, learning and self-improvement and to provide needed community services to residents of Monroe County and beyond.
Our mission at The Gathering Place is to provide individuals, faith-based groups, companies and corporations with a place to gather in a welcoming and safe environment for relaxation, reflection, enjoyment, learning and self-improvement and to provide needed community services to residents of Monroe County and beyond.
Our faith-based, non-profit organization is dedicated to improving the lives of all who visit our facilities. We strive to create a positive impact in our community through various community initiatives and Veteran focused programs. Join us in making a difference today!
Your generous gift will help us expand Acres of Hope Ministry Programs and provide community outreach to residents of Monroe County and beyond.
FREEWILL DONATIONS ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED
