The Reverend Harlene Sadler, currently serving as part-time pastor of Smiley United Methodist Church, has been called to preach the 154th consecutive Methodist Camp Meeting which will be held August 16 – 19 at the Methodist Campground, Chappel. Rev. Sadler is no stranger to San Saba. She was married to the late Steve Sadler, who owned and operated several commercial enterprises in this area. Harlene is best remembered for her wonderful music ministry. The theme for camp meeting this year is “Abundant Life.”In 2001, Harlene joined the First United Methodist Church in San Saba. The very next year she felt called into the preaching ministry. She was licensed as a Local Pastor by the Southwest Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church in 2004. At that time, she was appointed pastor of First United Methodist Church of Eagle Pass, on the Texas-Mexico border, across from Piedras Negras.When she was assigned to FUMC Eagle Pass, it was a dying church. However, during the eight years she served there, the church experienced great growth and a commitment to missions. The area suffered a tornado that killed seven people and destroyed or damaged over 200 homes. Through the efforts of Methodists from around the country as well as help from other denominations, eight homes were built from the ground up while over 150 homes were repaired. The area next suffered three floods where many more homes were damaged. The Methodist Church headed drives that helped to repair many of those damaged homes. Harlene has also been instrumental in starting a movement that will soon result in a home for abused women and children. She is now the Chairman of the Board of the new nonprofit mission, Border Hope, based in Eagle Pass. Music has been an integral part of Harlene’s life and ministry. Since the age of three, she has been singing gospel music in churches. While her husband Steve served as an ordained minister of youth and education in Southern Baptist Churches for a number of years, Harlene became a Music Evangelist and toured over the South Texas area and sang in crusades abroad. Her interests are not only in religious music. She has written and performed “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” a musical act based on the life of Mary Martin.In June of 2012, Harlene retired as a full-time pastor and was appointed as a quarter-time pastor in Smiley, Texas. “Being semi-retired will give me more time for writing, repose, and revivals, though perhaps not in that order,” said Harlene recently. A book based on her journey into ministry and her work in Eagle Pass is in progress. Further, she is hoping to keep busy reviving her music ministry and perhaps do another CD. She will be singing at the camp meeting. Her theme for the series of sermons will be “Abundant Life.”The Bend Methodist Church encourages all who are able to come and hear Rev. Sadler as she brings her message of Abundant Life each service. There will be special music at each service. For information or directions, call Pastor Celia Kitchens, Bend United Methodist Church, at 628-3599.