"Extre, Extre!!!" Tools!

We were recently blessed with a very large tool donation from the Central Illinois Conference. Jim and Carol Smith loaded down their pick-up and an 18-foot trailer full of tools and drove all the way from Illinois to Altamont to drop them off. This donation will serve two very important purposes. First, it will supplement our community tool inventory. We have already eliminated the need for churches to bring large community tools, but we know some will get damaged or broken each year, so we will need replacements. This donation will also kick start our next goal: to provide complete van buckets with all the required tools for churches that are new or have trouble gathering such a long list of small tools. This tool donation, along with a $500 gift card we won from Home Depot, will allow us to build up to 10 van buckets. Having those pre-made van buckets will be invaluable to us when groups show up a little unprepared in the tool department. Maybe one day in the near future, churches won't need to bring tools at all!

If you are interested in donating tools or money to help us reach our goal, please email or call Jay to find out what we need most.
931-692-3999
jay@mountain-top.org

Here is a complete list of the tools donated:

95	-1/4” Socket Hand Driver
20-	2ft. Level
3	5-in-1 Painter's Tool
6	Adjustable Wrench
7	Axe
4	Bolt Cutters
9	Brace and Bit
1	Brush Blade
3	Caulk Guns
6	Chalk Lines
6	Chisels
1	Circular Saw
34	Clamps
6	Compass Saw
6	Concrete Edger
2	Concrete Float
30	Crow Bars
26	Drywall Putty Knife
2	Drywall Saw
14	File
26	Flat Pry Bar
20	Hacksaw
7	Hammer-Ball Pein
252	Hammer-Claw
4	Hand Drills
80	Hand Saw
8	Hatchets
6	Hedge Clippers
9	Hex Key Sets
7	Hoe
2	Hoe-Grubbing
4	Household Tool Sets
3	Inside Corner Tool
2	Keyhole Saw
1	Mattock
7	Mini Sledge
7	Miter Saw
3	Nail Puller-Cat's Paw
4	Nail Set
2	Pick
7	Pipe Wrench
4	Plier-Diagonal Cutting
3	Pliers-Channel Lock
3	Pliers-Lineman's
5	Pliers-Locking “Vice Grip”
11	Pliers-Needle nose
27	Pliers-Slip Joint
2	Post Hole Digger
5	Power Drill
10	Pruning Saw
3	Pruning Shears
31	Rake-Gravel
5	Rake-Leaf
2	Rubber Mallet
12	Screwdriver Set
96	Screwdriver-Flat
60	Screwdriver-Phillips
28	Shovel-Flat
80	Shovel-Spade
2	Sledge Hammer
1	Sounding Rod
13	Square-Combination
12	Square-Framing
11	Square-Speed
1	Swing Blade
57	Tape Measures
6	Tin Snips
12	Torpedo Level
3	Trowel-Finishing
2	Trowel-Margin
11	Trowel-Masonry
2	Trowel-Notched
1	Tuck Pointer
17	Utility Knife
1	Wood Rasp

Living like Mary

I started this Advent season by going back to Luke to re-read the births of John and Jesus. This time, I noticed the responses from Zechariah and Mary when approached by the angel Gabriel.  Both were startled, "gripped with fear," "troubled at his words," but Zechariah received a sentence for his retort.  After asking the angel, "How can I be sure of this?" The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."


Zechariah, unsure of how this all would be made possible, doubted the angel. Because he wanted to know how, wanted answers, wanted proof, he was silenced until the day Elizabeth delivered.

On the contrary, maybe because the angel told her that Elizabeth would give birth, maybe not... Mary responded this way, "I am the Lord's servant ... May it be to me as you have said."


Now, I don't know about you, but most of the time I respond like Zechariah. I want to know how, or why. I want answers. I want proof. I want to know that what I'm getting into will have a fruitful outcome.  That I will succeed. That I will not be defeated.  That God will act in a mighty way.


But truthfully, we, of all people, should respond to what God ask us to do like Mary.  We should possess the attitude of Mary.  This is how Henri Nouwen puts it ... 

“Just imagine what Mary was actually saying in the words, ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord ... let what you have said be done to me’ (Luke 1:38). She was saying, ‘I don’t know what this all means, but I trust that good things will happen.’ She trusted so deeply that her waiting was open to all possibilities. And she did not want to control them. She believed that when she listened carefully she could trust what was going to happen.

“To wait open-endedly is an enormously radical attitude toward life. So is to trust that something will happen to us that is far beyond our own imaginings. So, too, is giving up control over our future and letting God define our life, trusting that God molds us according to God’s love and not according to our fear. The spiritual life is a life in which we wait, actively present to the moment, trusting that new things will happen to us, new things that are far beyond our own imagination, fantasy, or prediction. That, indeed, is a very radical stance toward life in a world preoccupied with control.”

Around here, especially at the end of the year, it can be hard to approach each day like Mary. To believe that what seems impossible to us is truly possible through God.  Because God asked us to be here, all things are possible.  We are Mary every single day, saying, "I am your servant ... May it be as you have said."  And with that "yes" comes active waiting, trusting and faith.  We must have hope in the words spoken to Mary that night ... "For nothing is impossible with God."

You should know that God does prove that He is moving in this ministry through YOU...

• In the 5 truck beds full of tools being delivered to us this Friday from Jim Smith in Mount Zion, IL.
• In the $600 given by Carolina Cross Connection, a non-profit ministry just like Mountain T.O.P. seeking to raise their OWN funds right now.
• In the $590 given by the Church of the Savior because they responded to us asking to take up a love offering for the ministry.
• In the Christmas cards full of hope, joy and thanksgiving for all that Mountain T.O.P. has done in lives of others.
• In the registration of new churches for our 2012 programs.
• In the volunteers coming this Thursday and Friday to help Doris Bivens move into her home before Christmas.

As we continue in this ministry together, may we live like we believe that all things are possible through God!

Baker Mountain Gets Some Love!

I know that our main and Mother camp is Cumberland Pines. And, believe me, I do love Pines. Still, as the most recent full time resident and crusader for Baker, I feel moved to give you an update on our satellite camp. We were recently contacted by Leanne Fisher from Caney Fork Electric Co-op asking for a "favor." (I put that in quotes because it was actually a great partnership).

They are in the process of trimming limbs off of electrical lines in the Spencer area and really wanted a place to park the large bucket trucks to save the fuel cost of driving back and forth to McMinnville each day. Of course we wanted to help out, and Leanne made it really easy for us. Without even expressing the need, Caney Fork offered to cut down two damaged and hazardous trees from the property (some of you may remember the lightning incident of Summer '11 when a tree exploded outside the Staff Lodge). I'm so glad that MTOP could partner with Caney Fork and give Baker a little love in the process.

One more random Baker update: Some of you may know our neighbor and pro-bono caretaker at Baker, Elijah Curtis. He is such a gift to us and keeps me informed whenever any sketchy activity or damages occur at camp. He lives with and takes care of his mother who just turned 90 years old last Friday! She still walks with the help of a walker, and definitely has a very quick wit about her. She cracks me up every time I visit. Still, she and Elijah struggle with finances and health each day. He recently sold his prized Camaro convertible to help pay bills. When you get a moment, say a prayer for Elijah and his mother for all that they do for me and this ministry.

A Merry Christmas for the Grundy County Food Bank!

We received a Christmas Card from the Grundy County Food Bank today.  I wanted to share the beautiful words of joy they wrote. It reads,

"If one were to look from the sky, they would surely see a bright shining spot coming from the far corner of Grundy County and that bright spot would be the Grundy County Food Bank. We shine, we glow, and we are ever so thankful for all that we are able to do for the many needy folks of Grundy County and neighboring communities.

However, this would not be possible without the help and support we receive from folks like you. We are forever amazed at the generous and kind people that come forward with monetary contributions, words of prayer and support and continued encouragement to keep the Grundy County Food Bank moving forward day by day, month by month, and year by year.

May you always know that we appreciate what you have done in 2011. Without you, we would not be! From our hundreds of families we serve, the many agencies we help, we say ... Merry Christmas!"

A huge thank you to everyone involved in helping construct a wall at the Grundy County Food Bank this fall! You were the LIGHT for this organization!

Thanks to our Board Members!

Last night, the full-time staff had the privilege of joining the Board at their December/Christmas party board meeting.  I say it was a privilege because it was so nice to sit around the table and see how the Spirit really selected a team of unique, devoted, Mountain T.O.P. lovin' people! I heard wisdom from a former lawyer, a trustee, a few youth pastors, a fundraiser, a construction guru, a devoted camper... the body, with many parts, manifesting in front of my eyes.  I felt encouraged in seeing and hearing and feeling just how much Mountain T.O.P. and the mission God has called each of us to plays in our functioning as a team.  And I left hopeful, knowing that God has big dreams for us.. that He will help us when the day to day seems daunting and impossible... that He will come for us when we feel defeated, discouraged or forgotten... that He will send others to uplift us and encourage us .. that His mission on this mountain is taking off... that it will continue, even when the money isn't in, or the campers decrease.

Thank you, board members...for your presence, your hope and your passion to further this ministry! We look forward to seeing you at the Gathering on Jan. 7th!  ;)

Ask Bigger Questions

I subscribe to several email newsletters that are published on a bi/weekly basis. Some weeks, I am able to take time to really read an article that catches my eye; other times I might just have to delete the email because I am so overwhelmed with other tasks. This morning, I took a moment to scan the Lewis Center's email (out of Wesley Theological Seminary), and ran across an article that was hugely inspiring.

In it, the author tells a story about a presentation by Steve Jobs to the city council where the new Apple headquarters is located. Instead of being excited about all that Apple was going to bring to the city via taxes, affluence (i.e., more money), and green space, the people asked, "Will we get free Wi-Fi?" To which the author of the article writes,"Most of the time our questions are too small. When faced with great challenge, great possibility, great vision, great people, we tend to ask small questions. Here was Steve Jobs presenting a visionary new project, and the first question was, 'Can we have free Wi-Fi?' Really?"

And that got me thinking about all of us, who hold visions, offer visions, dream about great possibilities in response to being Kingdom children. In offering our visions, people respond to us with the small questions, to which we think really? And unfortunately, I find myself not offering those visions because I'm not sure how others will respond, or if it is the right way to go. It's much easier to meet a challenge when the majority sees the vision.

The article also got me thinking about Advent, and what I am preparing for. Fr. Richard Rohr writes, "'Come, Lord Jesus,' the Advent prayer, means that all of Christian history has to live out of a kind of deliberate emptiness or chosen non-fulfillment. Perfect fullness is always to come, and we do not need to demand it now. This keeps the field of life wide open and especially open to grace and to a future created by God rather than us. This is what it means to be 'awake,' as the gospel urges us (Matt 24.42)!"

In ministries all across the world right now, we are all in a fund raising mode, whether that is for our end of the year finances or for direct services that are in such high need at this time of the year (think heating costs, Christmas presents, homelessness in cold temps) or to capitalize on the Christmas gift-giving frenzy. We are either hold our breath in hopes to make it through the end of the year, or we find ourselves engulfed by overwhelming needs on our door steps. Instead of biding our time until 12/31/11, maybe we need to remember that Advent is the perfect time to keep awake, to let our dreams unfold, to keep the field of life wide open, to as the bigger questions.

The article concludes this way:

"Right now is a time for asking big questions... Big questions open us to unthought-of possibilities. Big questions, as Jobs knew, lead to innovation. Big questions leave room for God and the work of the Holy Spirit. When we are confronted with the limits of our own knowledge and understanding, it is then that we turn to God and others."

Circles of influence

It's nice to know that there are so many places I can go in the US and be close to a church that has some sort of relationship with Mountain T.O.P. The Sunday before Thanksgiving, I was vacationing with my family in Florida, and I attended church at UMC of the Palm Beaches. A group of youth and adults from this church attended YSM this past summer. It was good to see familiar faces in worship! I always find it a gift to be able to worship with MTOP campers at their home church.

The associate pastor, Jen Harner Sims, grew up in a church that attended MTOP when she was a youth. During the service, Jen spoke about how much MTOP was an influence on her as a youth and then in choosing a vocation in ministry. Even though Jen and I only knew each other through phone calls and emails, I was proud to know MTOP had been such a great influence in her life.

Again, I was reminded of how important our presence is in one another's lives. We never know the influence we might have, or the transformation that the experiences we foster can bring. I am so grateful for the 80+ youth workers who gather together hundreds of youth to come do mission with MTOP. This reminder helps me move beyond the sentimentality of Christmas and the Advent season - that the incarnational ministry in which we participate IS God in the flesh, not just some sweet story that we like to repeat on an annual basis or some mission trip that is fun or cool to be a part of. 

I think that one of the best gifts I could receive would be to know that somewhere, along in my past, someone was transformed by knowing Christ through my actions.

The Change

Claire Schottelkotte wrote this article for her church newsletter, "Redeemer News", for The Church of the Redeemer in Cincinnati, OH. Enjoy!

"Two years ago, I was in the eighth grade, I had good friends, I got along with my brother and sister (most of the time), and I got along with my parents (most of the time). There was one day a week when we wouldn't get along at all. Always the same day. Always Sunday. None of us ever wanted to go to church so we tried everything we could to avoid it. If you woke up early on Sunday morning, no one would move at all, just in case our parents had forgot about church, we didn't want to take a chance of waking them up and reminding them. But they never forgot, and eventually we would have to go. One day my mom came to me and told me about this new mission trip for my age group to the Appalachian mountains and she wanted me to go. I talked to some friends of mine who were also going to go. We got excited for it and I looked forward to it.

The day we drove down to Tennessee was a lot of fun. We played games, sang, talked, and everything was good. We made it to the Roberts' lake house, we swam and hung out, Kyle briefed us on what was to come, and we were all having a good time. We left early to drive the rest of the way to the camp site. The second we actually got to the camp it hit me - I was about to spend an entire week basically at church. I couldn't stand to sit through an hour of church once a week, what made me think I wanted to do this? I don't know anything about religion and I really have no desire to learn. I had totally freaked myself out at that point, and was really concerned with what the week would have in store for me. I was only sure of one thing, this week was not going to be what I was expecting. That, I was right about. By the end of the night my mind had been changed (maybe not quite yet completely because I was still a little iffy on the next day when everything actually started). I got the chance to work on people's houses and help them when they were in need. I built a porch for someone and gave them a person to talk to because many of them do not get a lot of visitors. Also I got to meet new people and make great friends that I otherwise would have never met. By the end of the week I knew that there was a reason that I was there and I knew I would never be the same person.

After anyone goes on a mission trip, almost everyone will say that they got more out of it than they gave. For me, this was more than just an awesome feeling I got from being there. Because of Mountain T.O.P., I really found the importance of religion and what I was missing out on before. Since then, religion has been a big part of my life. Since my first trip to Mountain T.O.P I have really begun to question and strengthen my faith, I have begun to enjoy and explore my faith and without Mountain T.O.P., I honestly believe I would not be where I am. I wouldn't be who I am today, I wouldn't have some of the friends I do, and I definitely wouldn't be standing in front of you now. If I had not been given the opportunity to go on this trip, nothing in my life would be as it is, and I am truly blessed and grateful to be given the chance. Thanks to you, this entire experience was possible for me and many others, and i can't begin to express my gratitude. I want to sincerely thank all of you for your support".

ReFramed

Over the past 2 days, the Mountain T.O.P. staff participated in ReFrame, a conference for home repair non-profits working in Appalachia. The whole premise of this gathering was to collaborate, share ideas, best practices, wisdom, and information.

Truth be known, I think it's typical to leave conferences feeling drained or overwhelmed. But that didn't happen this time! I think that's because the format of the conference valued the wisdom of every attendee. We relied on the experience and knowledge of the participants in each session. Facilitators were in place to do just that, help guide the conversations.

Not only did we walk away with new ideas, we walked away invigorated by the collaboration. That's really hard to do, spending 7.5 hours in workshops in just over 24 hours. I think the key was that we didn't spend a lot of our time listening to "special" speakers or presentations. Instead, we listened to each other, everyone, no matter if you did 700 projects a year or 5 projects a year. And that made A LOT of difference.

Well,...that, and Jay's performance at the Holiday Inn's Karaoke Klub. I think Bo has the video. You should ask him about it.