The Big Payback: Interview with Ms. Hinerman

You're probably wondering what this Big Payback business is all about.  Even though it sounds like the name of a cheap mobster movie, it is in fact something much much better.  Hard to believe, I know. 

If you missed our last post on the subject you can click here to get yourself all caught up on what this is all about, or read the quick recap below. 

The Big Payback

• May 6th, 2014 from 6am-6pm (Central Time)
• Day of fundraising for Middle Tennessee nonprofits
• There are bonus prizes for nonprofits that get to first place on leader boards throughout the day. Which means by giving during a certain time period, your gift can multiply for Mountain T.O.P. Mind. Blown. I know. 
• Give a gift during 9am - 12 noon (Central Time) to help MTOP win these awesome prizes to help us further the ministry

Ok...everybody all caught up?  Awesome! 

Now let't talk a little more about where the gifts from the Big Payback are going. 

Meet Sherry Hinerman

Sherry has lived in Grundy, Co since the mid 80s when she moved here with her husband and children.  She worked for over 20 years at a local retirement facility in various roles.  

Mountain T.O.P. First started working with her this fall during the 5 weeks of A.I.M.  I think it is safe to say that everyone that has met her since then would comment on her pleasant nature and quick wit.  

Since beginning the project in the fall different volunteers that had the opportunity to work on her house have committed to helping her raise funds to restore different parts of her house so that she can have a safe environment for her, her sweet puppy, family, and neighbors to enjoy each other's company.  

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO to see an interview with Sherry!

The Big Payback - 24 Hour Day of Giving

Photo of Ms. Hinerman with participants from Family Weekend

The Big Payback is a community-wide online giving day on May 6, 2014. From 6:00am on the 6th until6:00am on the 7th, Mountain T.O.P. will join in a friendly competition with hundreds of other Middle Tennessee non-profits to see who can raise the most for their cause. There are many prizes throughout the day for getting the most money or the most donors during a given time frame (click here to see a list of prizes). You can help us out by giving during the 9:00am to 12:00pm time slot!

We are excited to use this giving opportunity to raise funding to support Sherry Hinerman in remodeling her bathroom, which is badly in need of repair. Sherry lives alone and is no longer able to work, which means she was unable to repair her home as it literally fell in around her. Several weeks of AIM campers last Fall were able to repair her roof and replace flooring in one of her bedrooms, while some Spring Breakout campers helped to demolish a portion of her home that was no longer usable. Sherry is exceedingly grateful for the Mountain T.O.P. community's assistance in getting her home back in shape, and remodeling the bathroom will be the last step in making her house livable. 

Our goal is to raise the $1,500 needed to complete this project through The Big Payback. Please join us in this effort! Click here to learn more about the Big Payback, and here to see Mountain T.O.P.'s Big Payback profile. Stay tuned for more info on this exciting giving opportunity.

Hooked: Shellee's Calling to the Mountain

It’s April and I’m preparing for my third summer on staff. My third summer, I don’t know when that happened. I never even thought I would be on staff for one summer, let alone three. In 2007 I answered God’s call to join my church on this crazy new adventure (new to my church and me). I came to Mountain T.O.P. for the first of five times that summer, and have been involved in the ministry some way every year since.  In the fall of 2011, I continued to hear God calling me to spend the next summer doing His work on the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee. I was a freshman at the University of Tennessee, eight hours away from where I grew up in South Lyon, Michigan. So I was used to being in new situations. Used to not being ‘comfortable’ and going beyond my comfort zone. As I heard his call, I questioned if it was right (because we all like to think He can be wrong). I wasn’t questioning Him because I didn’t want to do something new, but because I never felt like I could do a good enough job. I ended up applying and eventually being accepted to be a Ministry Coordinator. I spent my first spring semester as a college student preparing for what I thought was going to be an amazing summer filled of love, God, and campers (and this didn’t disappoint!)! But I also thought I was going to change so many people’s lives but boy was I wrong: instead, every county person, camper, and fellow staff member I encountered changed mine. 

The unbelievable experience I had as a Ministry Coordinator (MC) was completely due to my staff, my campers, and the county people. The job of a MC is nothing like what I expected. I knew it was going to be hard work, but I didn’t know that would include the amount of paper work, driving, and late nights that were experienced, but I wouldn’t change one minute of that entire summer. Even if I was running around pretending like I knew what I was doing when I had no clue and solving issues that I didn’t even know existed, I wouldn’t have wanted to be doing anything different. Of course there were times I questioned what I was doing; why I was okay with the minimal amount of sleep, okay with being so far from civilization, okay with the crazy requirements of my job, but then you experience all of those rewarding moments. Giving a message to your favorite camp community, having an amazing YRG build a porch for one of your favorite county people, laughing with your staff at anything and everything that is said, those are the moments when you know the reason you’re there. Where else in the world is it socially acceptable to act like an airplane driving down a windy road? It’s not easy to ALWAYS be 100% yourself, but it is on the Mountain. Where else can you be crying one moment and the next be laughing so hard you’re crying for a completely different reason? Praying the way my staff prayed instantly puts a smile on my face just to think about. All of these experiences showed me what it’s like to truly be immersed in faith and servant-hood, but it doesn’t end there. 

God knew all of these amazing experiences meant more to me than I could say, so he convinced me to return last summer as a field manager. I knew it was going to be hard work, I knew that I wouldn’t have the same experience I had as an MC, but I also knew that my love for the county people could not be compared to a love I had for anyone or anything else. Simply put, I would do ANYTHING for these people. I love them like my family, so I knew I had to come back as a field manager, to serve them again. The hard work that came with this job was more than I imagined. The limited amount of sleep and amount of work I had didn’t compare to another job on the mountain, but once again, I wouldn’t wish for one of the moments all summer to be changed. My staff helped shape who I am, and the work in the field put a smile on my face all of the time. Even with a different role as the summer before, I knew that I belonged on my specific staff doing my job and look back and see why I was placed there by God, doing His work. 

As I said at the beginning, I’m now preparing for my third summer on staff. I have the amazing opportunity to return to the mountain as a YSM Director. I couldn’t be more excited for this opportunity! Once again I’ll have a role that is not even close to one I’ve had in the past, but I get to do God’s work in a different role. Being a director requires me to lead my staff, to have a successful staff and camp weeks and I couldn’t be happier to have this responsibility placed on my shoulders. With God guiding me along the way, I know that He will help my staff and me be successful and lead us to do His work. Even if we’re not anywhere close to civilization, even if I have the hardest job I’ve ever had, even if I don’t get nearly enough sleep every night, I know that I’m doing His work and fulfilling him. I’m fulfilling Him, so he is fulfilling me in return. I get to do His work and there is no place I would rather be. I love having the opportunity to live on a mountain top and I wouldn’t ask for anything else. 

God is good, all the time and all the time, God is good. He called me to the mountain in 2007 with a servant heart, and has fulfilled that heart experience after experience. 

Hooked: Something Special. Reflections from Chad and Angela Cooper

I've been going to MTN TOP for 11 years, and each time I go I leave a little piece of my heart in Grundy County. 

MTN TOP allows me the opportunity to partner with families in the area to reach a common goal- whether that goal is  an addition to their home, or renovation of their current living conditions. The relationships I've been able to develop with my families are invaluable. Not only does MTN TOP enable me to meet their physical needs, but to assess and meet their spiritual and emotional needs as well. The families of Grundy County are determined, hard working, humble,  and have always responded with such an attitude of thankfulness that overwhelms me.  It is truly a privilege to work with them and build those relationships.

Speaking of relationships, I've made friends through this ministry that I know I'll have for eternity--- from staff to fellow campers across the U.S.  We may begin the experience as strangers , but we leave as family.

There's something so special about a group of strangers separated by so much---age, gender, geography, experience, and a million other factors----coming together for a common goal: to improve the lives of the people in Grundy County all in our Savior's name.   As a RN, construction work is way out of my comfort zone. That's when I know I have to fully rely on God for the results. It's amazing what He can do with someone with few skills, but a willing heart.

MTN TOP is more than a ministry or a place. It's an attitude of serving, caring, and giving to others that I can practice there and also when I'm back at home in my everyday life. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                         Angela Cooper

I've been going to MTN TOP for 8 years . Every year I come home thinking that is was the best trip I've ever been on, and then the next time is even better!

I've had some construction experience before coming to the Mountain, but it's been amazing to see how a team can come together and accomplish what we do in just 2 days. The last few years, I've been asked to be a point person- this is just the person who oversees the project. I've learned so much from this ministry that back home I've stepped up and done some work on my own.

 MTN TOP has opened many doors for me. I did my first devotion at MTN TOP. I really enjoy coming back every year to see what God has in store for me  and what things I'll learn. I've gained many friends from the Mountain and have shared God with people on my different teams.  It's so amazing to see the family's faces on Saturday when we leave, that the little work that we do makes their life  easier.

 I hope MTN TOP will be here for a long time and continue to help others.

Chad Cooper

Hooked: Reflections from a Spring Breakout Group

 "As the Campus Minister for the students going on this trip and as the primary coordinator for our annual Spring Break mission trips, I am always looking for ways to stretch my students. All too often, they get into the mindset that their way of doing something is the *only* way to do something. This is why I chose Mountain T.O.P. as our service site.
I have traveled to MTOP in the past and I loved the diversity of Christians who serve the Lord and bring their own prayer styles to the community. When you are at MTOP, you are one serving body of Christians, each with his or her own gifts to bring to the community. Further, MTOP entrusts their participants with a great deal of responsibility in accomplishing their given projects. Our students grew in confidence and knowledge as we accomplished our projects and our hearts were opened to the wonderful diversity that the Lord works within his Church. We prayed, ate, laughed, and served together - just as I imagine it will be in Heaven. Mountain T.O.P.'s Spring Breakout is a wonderful experience that our students will not soon forget!" Scott
Campus Minister - University of Dallas

Hooked: Thoughts from returning summer staffer, Emma Couch.

I’ve been participating in Mountain T.O.P.’s ministry in some capacity since the summer of 2009. Last year, I felt strongly that God was calling me to spend my summer doing His work as a summer staffer. As I was finishing up my sophomore year at Ohio State, and preparing for a summer spent in Tennessee, I had a lot of ideas about what my experience was going to be like. A summer spent in paradise, where I was the hero, changing people’s lives and making some awesome new friends. What I found was that I was completely wrong; once my summer was complete, I found that my life was instead the one that had been changed, by the people I encountered, and the unbelievable, all-encompassing love I experienced.

Those of you who have been on summer staff will understand me when I say that our job is HARD. While I had expected a happy-go-lucky, super relaxing job, half the time I was a Ministry Coordinator, I felt like I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to fix this problem or solve that issue.  Sometimes I became frustrated, sometimes I wondered why on earth I would have chosen to spend my summer in a place whose closest Wal-Mart was 40 minutes away, and sometimes I thought that maybe I should just go home. But then came the quiet moments, whether it be during a staff worship during precamp, or a daybreak on a worksite, or quiet moment with a family at a project. In those moments, I realized that Mountain T.O.P. was an unbelievably important place, and that I was lucky enough to get to experience that crazy thing we call staff life, seeing God in everything I encountered.

This summer, I get the opportunity to return for my second year on staff, as a YSM Program Manager. I’ll be taking on a much different role than I did last summer, and I have a lot of nerves about my abilities, the experience itself, and what the summer is going to look like. I had my doubts about applying for my second year, as I’m getting ready to go into my senior year of college, but after a lot of prayer, and some gentle nudging from God, I realized that my heart wouldn’t be satisfied until I returned to the mountain to continue His work. I already know that my job will be hard, and sometimes I’ll be sad there’s no Wal-Mart, but if I learned anything from my staff experience last summer, I know that every moment of stress will be worth it, because there is absolutely nothing better than being able to live (and work) on a mountain top.

What I Enjoy About Doing Workshops for Mountain Top: Grundy Co. Art Teacher, Jana Barrett

I am always happy to do workshops for Mountain Top. It allows me to participate in one of the most important ministries in our area and spend time with children I teach art to during the school year. I enjoy having them come to my studio in the mornings. I then go onsite in the afternoon. It is a very fulfilling time. I also have a special affinity for Mountain Top. In 2009, volunteers from all over the United States worked in the winter weather to get my uncompleted studio dried in and donated tons of art supplies to my school program, which was a God send considering a very meager art budget. By opening the studio I have also been able to offer extended art lessons to my students who really love art. Because of their generous gift of time and materials, I have been able to teach art to homeschool groups, hold greatly reduced art workshops by professional artists and have a place where artists and learners can come together. While I am not a 501 c3 (yet), I have been able to serve people who would not be able to go out of town for quality art experiences. Mountain Top is has been a blessing to all of us in Grundy County and I am honored to be part of their program.

Ohhhhh we're halfway there!

Over the past few weeks we have had 175 come through camp between 11 different college and high school groups. In that time we have seen unbelievable progress on projects in and out of camp.  Here are some pictures of what has been going on in the past 3 weeks!

2014 Summer Staff

2014 Youth Summer Ministry Summer Staff List

DIRECTORS

Kristin Griswold - DeKalb, IL

Shellee Merryman - South Lyon, MI

Stacy Purcell - Terrace Park, OH

Melissa Weidel - Port Matilda, PA

FIELD MANAGERS

Blake Austin - Smyrna, TN

Jacob Frensley - Gallatin, TN

Ben Nichols - Saline, MI

Charlie Smith - Thibodaux, LA

PROGRAM MANAGERS

Robyn Alderson - Schaumburg, IL

Emma Couch - Dayton, OH

Tyler Pearson - Mt. Zion, IL

Mylie Winger - Winchester, IN

DAY CAMP MANAGER

Monica Welcker - Dublin, OH

DAY CAMP MINISTRY COORDINATORS

Amanda Hyssong - Franklin, TN

Erika Roberts - Dublin, OH

SERVICE PROJECT MINISTRY COORDINATORS

Daniel August - Lewisburg, TN

Samuel Batson - Lilburn, GA

Kimberly Bowman - Plain City, OH

Norma Calicott - Wilmore, KY

Hank Cohen - Lawrenceville, GA

Tim Cook - Whippany, NJ

Andrea Decker - Dublin, OH

Mallory Dorton - Livonia, MI

Dan Eby - Saline, MI

Chris Guerrant - Dunwoody, GA

Abby Jenks - Ann Arbor, MI

Cody Jorstad - Snellville, GA

Alex Lister - Loganville, GA

Chad Pasinger - Whites Creek, TN

Austin Salinas - Snellville, GA

Jon Saxton - Terrace Park, OH

Caitlin Stephenson - Atwater, OH

Lauren Taylor - Snellville, GA

Allison Waters-Kutsch - Dubuque, IA

2014 ADULTS IN MINISTRY SUMMER STAFF

DIRECTOR

Brooke Freeman - Snellville, GA

MHR FIELD MANAGER

Ben Aastuen - Northfield, MN

PROGRAM MANAGER

 Rachael Osborn - Winchester, IN

SUMMER PLUS, KALEIDOSCOPE, QUEST MANAGER

Alli Heisner - Cedar Park, TX

SUMMER PLUS, KALEIDOSCOPE, QUEST ASSISTANT MANAGER

 Andy Wegg - Winchester, IN

Just Go - A Reflection by Curtis Clarke on his MTOP experience

“You just have to go and experience it for yourself” Those were the words my pastor told me about Mountain T.O.P. Similar advice was reinforced by other members of my church who had spent a week on the mountain; “I can’t explain it to you, just go”.

It was 2008 and my wife and I had been working with the youth at our church since the previous fall. I had been on a mission trip in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina a few years earlier and was excited about “getting blisters for Jesus” again. We had done all the fundraising and training needed for the trip and as I said goodbye to my family and friends for a week, I had no idea what I was doing or how my life would be forever changed by my time on the mountain.

During the course of the week, I soon discovered that time on the mountain is more than just a mission trip; it’s more than just swinging a hammer or running a saw. It’s an immersion in a culture and it’s the building of a community. My first week at Mountain T.O.P. taught me that each and every one of us has a gift and talent that can and needs to be used in the service of others. It restored my hope that there is a generation that is willing to sacrifice and commit to be the hands and feet of Jesus. It also brought about a stirring in my spirit that led me to answer God’s call on my life and go into pastoral ministry full time, and for that I am forever thankful.

The joy I have now as a pastor is being able to introduce others to this ministry and to be able to see the change in them after a week on the mountain, both spiritually and emotionally. I often tell people, “time on the mountain doesn’t change you; it reveals who you really are”. When someone asks me what a week in camp is like, then only thing I can tell them is; “You just have to experience it for yourself”.

In His grip,

Rev. Curtis Clarke

Pastor, Armada UMC & West Berlin UMC

Donate to help MTOP today by clicking here

NYWC

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend the National Youth Workers Convention in Nashville.  Along with seeing some regular Mountain T.O.P. attendees, I had the chance to meet some former Summer Staffers from the late 80s/early 90s, some that had gone as youth for 8 or 9 years, and a few that claimed that had been to every site Mountain T.O.P. had ever run a camp out of.  It was cool to hear about all the different experiences from so many different stages in Mountain T.O.P.'s history.  People asked about their favorite cabin, or staffer, or how much they loved the food.

But one person that visited my table had a unique connection to the Mountain T.O.P. family.  As she timidly approached the table she smiled and asked if this was the Mountain T.O.P. in Tennessee that did home repair.  I could feel my eyes bug out as I practically shouted "IT IS!" at her.  She walked up and began to tell me how she knew about Mountain T.O.P.  She told me about her grandmother that lived in South Pittsburg and how we had come many summers to work with her at her house.  She smiled as she talked about how much her grandmother enjoyed the groups that had come to her house.  She then looked at our different programs to see how she could get her youth group involved.

Although this conversation was short it really started my Thanksgiving week off on the right foot.  It reminded me of how big the Mountain T.O.P. family is.  It is not just the people we work with this year.  It is not just the campers that came through our gates in 2013, but it is the 38 years of people working to bring God's Kingdom to Earth. I see the numbers after each program of how many people participated and how many families we worked with and it amazes me.  But to add all the work that was done the 37 years leading up to this one is truly incredible.

This girl that came up to me at the conference has been a part of this family longer than I have, and has seen the beauty of the experiences on the worksites from a perspective I have never experienced. How incredible is it that the experience she had with a group on a worksite years ago affected her, then her experience and story affected me and my view of Mountain T.O.P.  It is an amazing cycle of hope and compassion.  And it is that hope and compassion that I am thankful for.

My experience...

For many of our campers, a week serving alongside the people of our community can be a life-changing experience. Going home after that week of service, community building, and having the opportunity to get to know families, can be a difficult transition.  I know it has always been difficult for me.  My first year as a camper I was 14 years old and painfully awkward.  I went because one of the ladies at my church said that when her son went to Mountain T.O.P. he made a lot of friends, and I was all about that.  I was all about service and making a difference but what I really wanted was to take BFF pictures with a bunch of new friends.  So, I went.

Yep there I am, airbrush shirt and all

My first trip was at Baker Mountain.  Over the course of that week I grew tremendously in my faith, as well as developed a new view of myself.  Not only was I awkward, but I was a child of God.  I realized that I was important in God's eyes.   That week when I used a power saw for the first time, and I saw the end product of our work, I couldn't believe what I was capable of.  Doors seemed to be opening right before my eyes. 

Mrs. Jones, the lady we worked with for our two day project was 95 years old.  She moved slowly in and out of her house.  Her steps were too step for her to walk down and since she lived alone she spent most of her time sitting on the front porch sewing.  We were there to build her a ramp so she could get out of her house.  During those 2 days she sat on the porch and sewed 110 pieces of fabric together to create a pin cushion.  Every so often we would stop and help her rethread her needle and she would continue her work.  At the end of the 2 days we bought it from her and it still sits on top of my bookshelf in my bedroom.   For a long time that blue and red pin cushion has reminded me of the importance of caring for my neighbors.  Mrs. Jones sat out in the 100 degree weather just to be with us. Just to talk to us.  Just to thank us and to love us.  

My 14 year old self was completely overwhelmed by that kind of love and kindness.  From that moment on I just wanted to be at Mountain T.O.P, or talk about Mountain T.O.P, or look at pictures from Mountain T.O.P, because the mountain symbolized restoration in my life, which I think is true for many of our participants.  I wanted to forever give back what I had received that summer. 

When I got home from that trip I sat in my driveway for hours, not wanting to unpack.  I figured if Mrs. Jones was living without air conditioning, I could too (that didn't last long).  How could I be at home and still be involved at Mountain T.O.P?  

I'm sorry to say that this post does not reveal how a person is able to be in two places at once. But through my involvement in Summer Staff and now full-time staff I have learned ways to stay involved throughout the year.  Things that our community can do to help continue these opportunities for restoration.  

You can provide resources to the ministry, so that we are able to provide resources to our community. As Ed said in his letter sent out earlier this year, every dollar given is worth 4x that.  For every dollar given you are contributing to the restoration of homes, families, campers, children, churches, and the community.  You are providing resources that would not be available.  You are showing love and compassion, and providing hope.  You are providing the opportunity for 14 year olds like me to realize that they are capable of amazing things.  

$10 will make a difference.  $25 will make a difference.  $100, $500, $1000, any amount makes a difference for Mountain T.O.P. and our community. It is a way to participate in the various ministries throughout the year even when you are not up here on the Mountain.  

Give a gift at Razoo and your gift will immediately help Mountain T.O.P.

ReFrame Conference

This week the MTOP we had the opportunity to go on a staff field trip to Johnson City, TN for the 3rd Annual ReFrame Conference.  As I'm sure most of you know, all of full-time staff lives in our quiet and trafficless Grundy county, with our L&L Mart and Walker's Video and Grill.  So, as you can probably imagine, we were bouncing around like a bunch of giggling school girls Tuesday as we headed for the big city. Johnson City, population 64, 528(Yes, I am aware most big cities have a couple hundred thousand people). Grundy County population 13, 650.  Where were we going to stay? What were we going to eat? And what was I going to wear if we weren't wearing MTOP polos?

The next day we had sessions the second half of the day.  We learned all about telling MTOP's story and how to use different online tools to spread information to our community.  Although it may not sound like it would be all that exciting,  it was thrilling to see new technology that is available to us and to brainstorm different ways we could use them to share our story, and our mission.  I'm pretty sure I took more notes than I ever did in any of my college classes (don't tell my parents).  It was fun to hear the different things other groups were using and doing, and to think of the possibilities for MTOP. Honestly, it was a little overwhelming at times, hearing all this new information and new tools to use, ways to refine things we are doing, and new ways to approach our community. I tried to just soak it in and  not to forget any of it, which had me writing like my life depended on it.  We could hardly wait to start discussing all the different ideas when we finished up the session, and it was just the first session.

Wednesday, the rest of the groups arrived to join us in the next 7 sessions over the course of two days. These sessions covered a range of topics from technology, to food options, to roundtable discussions, to volunteer management and training.  Each hour there were different options offered so everyone could find something that was related to their job.

Before all of those sessions got started the nearly 100 adults that are used to facilitating community growth, walked around the conference room playing ice breakers, yes ice breakers.  Although I generally get nervous during ice breakers, this time I laughed and shared about embarrassing songs on my itunes account with total strangers that seemed to feel like long time friends instantly.

From there, the rest of the week seemed to fly by.  I truly cherish the time that our staff had to grow and learn together this week.  In Thursday's worship, those in attendance shared about ways we have seen God at work in our Ministries.  Thomas shared about how much of a blessing it has been that our staff has grown so close, so quickly, with so many new people.   All the laughs that were shared every single time we came together as a group was evidence of the that. It truly is a blessing and a gift and I am so glad that we had this opportunity to continue strengthening our team this week.

It is difficult for me to explain how this weekend fed me spiritually, physically, socially, and emotionally, but it did.  I felt and saw how God is present throughout the United States, in rural and urban communities.  I met people whose life goals are to bring hope and meet needs to the least of these.  To fellowship with their communities and to grow alongside their communities.  It showed that the call to bring God's Kingdom to Earth is happening everywhere, and people are answering the call.     It was wonderful to talk with others that had been to MTOP or had a similar model to our programs.  Then when I had the opportunity to share about MTOP, it was a reminder of how this ministry has been such a gift in my life.

I am so excited to see what all will come out of this conference in the coming months, and to see the ReFrame Association and Conference to continue to grow and offer opportunities for fellowship in years to come.

To learn more about ReFrame click here!  If you want to get more information about what is going on at Mountain T.O.P. send an email to olivia@mountain-top.org to get on our e-newsletter mailing list.

2013 Annual Giving Campaign

Executive Director Report    Dear Friends of Mountain TOP, I love the fall! It is a season of remembrance, reflection and thanksgiving. For the ministry it is a time to look back and see just how powerful God has been in the lives of all connected with Mountain T.O.P. during the year. We still have a very active October with five Fall AIM Weekends and the Fall Festival. But the bottom line is we have already made a difference for God in the lives of those we serve, those who come to serve and those who support this ministry with their prayers, gifts & presence. You see, something I have come to realize is just how much God uses this ministry to multiply every gift we are given. So many places celebrate the work they do, how efficient they are with their resources and how their bottom line grows. Few can say with confidence that financial gifts they give results in a four to five times return on investment because of volunteer labor and in-kind gifts with nothing left on the bottom line. (we are a non-profit after all) Every gift is fully utilized for the glory of God! Because of our fundamental belief in partnership, we are able to leverage gifts received many times over the value of the gifts given. The result of this leverage is that gifts go so much further and are able to make a more significant impact on the lives of those we serve or on the projects we undertake. I have included just a few of the many examples of transformation that takes place when you invest your resources in this ministry: A Family - Renewing Hope This fall, through AIM, we have been working with a woman in Tracy City. She is brand new to Mountain T.O.P. and to our type of ministry. Her house needed some major attention including a large hole in the roof, which resulted in the ceiling collapsing in several of the rooms. We partnered with a local church to provide materials for this project and last weekend was the first time a team had ever been to her house. When the team arrived Friday morning she was very uncertain and a bit leery about what was about to happen. But as the weekend progressed, she warmed up to the team and her trust in them grew. By Saturday afternoon she was talking and praying with the members of the team, amazed that there were folks in the world willing to give of themselves to help her. Through their works and stories, they shared their faith, not only transforming her house but also her faith in humanity. Before After        A Child - Transforming Ministry Each summer Mountain TOP hosts hundreds of children from our service area in our various day camp programs. A new program this summer took a dramatically different approach. We actually invited youth from churches in Grundy County to come to camp as YSM campers. We called the program "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" and the youth participated in a typical camp week at our Baker Mountain Camp. One of the youth came to camp not knowing what to expect at all, being used to receiving Mountain T.O.P. services instead of providing them. As with many of the youth, she came as a shy, hesitant young person without a clear direction but she left a strong, confident witness for Christ. In one short week she was transformed. Our hope is that future experiences will help her grow to the point that she will want to further serve her neighbors by being on summer staff. Neighbors Helping Neighbors Staff and Campers Neighbors Helping Neighbors YRG A Facility - Creating Space Our camps play a key role in the experience of those who come to serve. Besides meeting the basic needs of food and shelter, our camps provide an environment for our campers to come see, worship and talk to God. Many who come to camp say that in our space they are able to hear God more clearly. Some have even claimed they have heard the call to ministry at one of our camps. Funds and labor given by volunteers to the ministry allows us to build and transform spaces that invite campers to interact with God. One such space was the recent renovation of the Three Crosses Worship Center. This space has been transformed into an even more special place in our camp. Three Crosses After Three Crosses Before These are just three examples of the many ways the financial gifts given to Mountain TOP are multiplied into transforming opportunities to share God's grace. We could fill pages and pages with stories and pictures of how your gifts have worked this year to transform lives for Christ but maybe the included infographic will provide a snapshot. So it is from a place of sincere gratitude to Christ who sacrificed himself for me, who chose me for ministry, who called some of the most passionate, faithful servants to this ministry as staff and volunteers, that I come to you with this challenge: your financial help is needed to finish this year and to have this ministry meet all of its God-given goals. Our Annual Giving Campaign is how we hope to meet our goals and show our love and gratitude to Christ while accepting his call to do service. Please consider making a generous gift to our Annual Giving Campaign. Our need is$75,000 before the end of the year to help finish the plan God had for us this year. These funds are part of our plan as a ministry each year because we believe in those who love and trust Mountain T.O.P. and their commitment to support this program. In this way we rely on God and the work he can do in your hearts to make this ministry function. Every gift received is important and every gift is a blessing. Please also pray for this ministry and the Board & staff as we continue to seek God's will for Mountain TOP. On behalf of all of us who serve this ministry year-round, may God bless you and may His grace be with you as you discern how God is calling you to help. Grace & Peace,      Ways To Give We Love Cash!  It is the simplest way to give. You can write a check or even charge your gift to a credit card to build up those airline miles. Please contact Jen at (931) 692-3999 or visit our Razoo site http://www.razoo.com/story/2013-Annual-Giving-Fund  Give a Gift of Stock. The growth in the stock market has made giving appreciated stock even more attractive. A gift of long-term appreciated stock offers two tax savings: you can avoid capital gains tax on the stock and receive a deduction based on the current market value of the stock versus what you paid for it originally. Please contact Buddy Boyce for assistance at (615) 279-9917. Donate your Car or Truck. Vehicles that cannot be used by the ministry can be sold or traded for vehicles that can be used. Ronnie Scissom, our gifted and talented mechanic, can work miracles. Please contact Buddy for assistance. Honor a Friend or Relative.Give a gift in honor or memory of someone you love. We will recognize these gifts with a note to those you want recognized. Click here to view an Infographic on the impact the Volunteers and Contributions had on this Summer's ministries.

The View From Here

Friends II Work Weekend is underway.  The metal roofing is here!  The siding is waiting for a few more volunteers to show up but is ready to go!  Friends II Cabin is getting some love this weekend!  Enjoy these pics!!

Jen & Olivia just caulking away!

the metal roof going up!

even some end caps are in place

A Reflection on Summer Plus Experiences with Guest Blogger John Carney

The week of Aug. 1-7 will be the 20^th anniversary of my first Adults In Ministry experience, which was my first Mountain T.O.P. experience. I was at Camp Overton, in Warren County, in 1993 doing Summer Plus. I had signed up hoping to teach creative writing, and I've taught creative writing at Summer Plus many times since. But I didn't get to do it that first year, at least not in a regular, daily workshop. I assisted Paige Wadford (now Smith) in a volleyball workshop and, on short notice, co-taught a drama workshop with Mark Sellers. 

We struggled with the drama workshop the first two days, until Carolyn Greenwood offered to loan us her video camera. The kids began producing a video newscast reporting on all of the other afternoon workshops. They wrote it themselves – and the teen who'd been most disruptive on Monday and Tuesday was the most active in making sure the script was worded the way a real newscast would be.

The experience I had that week was enough to hook me on Summer Plus, and Mountain T.O.P., for life. 

By the way, I did get to teach a very short session on writing with a different group of kids each day that week. But it was nothing like my intended workshop.

I got to teach a real writing workshop the next year, and I've done so on numerous occasions since.

Creative writing at Summer Plus can be an iffy situation. I try my hardest to make the workshop as little like school as possible, and if the teens are at all interested in writing things usually work out. But sometimes you'll get someone who got their first choice of workshops in the morning but ended up having to take creative writing in the afternoon, and they really don't want to be there because it reminds them of English class. I'm a writer, not an educator; a devoted uncle, not a parent; and I don't have as many tools in my tool kit as some of my fellow volunteers have for engaging the reluctant.

There have been several times that by Tuesday afternoon, I was pulling my hair out, cursing my own lack of ability, and swearing to myself that I'd never sign up for Summer Plus, ever again.

But God has a way of turning things around. I remember one year when I made it through four days thinking I had failed the kids as an instructor, and then, as I was taking my transportation route home on Thursday, one of the girls from my writing workshop gave me a little bead bracelet she'd made in her other workshop and told me how much she enjoyed the writing class.

I tried not to start crying until she was out of the car and headed up the steps to her house.

There were two years in a row when I ended up teaching not only creative writing but also the cooking workshop. In both cases, another volunteer had signed up to teach cooking but had to drop out at the last minute.

One of those two years, my assistant (whose name now escapes me) had two of our students – precious young women – on his van route through Jasper or Whitwell. He couldn't believe the conditions in which they lived, and wasn't sure they were getting enough to eat. He'd already agreed to be in charge of the menu for one day, since I'd had to put everything together at the last minute. He decided, and I agreed, that he would bring enough ingredients to make two casseroles instead of one, and that we'd casually offer the girls the chance to take the extra casserole home with them that night.

His plan seemed to work like a charm – until we found out the next morning that the girls' uncles had come over and eaten every last drop of the casserole. The girls hadn't gotten any of it.

This year, I wasn't able to make plans for Summer Plus until the last minute, and so -- for the first time -- I was a Summer Plus volunteer but not a workshop leader. I'm used to being an assistant when I come to Kaleidoscope, and of course I usually only teach one session of creative writing, meaning that I'm an assistant during the other half of the day. But this was my first time to be an all-day assistant in the Summer Plus program. In some ways, it was a nice change of pace to be able to play that support role without any responsibility for providing content. I missed teaching my creative writing workshop, but I had fun playing in Jan Lloyd-Gohl's printing workshop. I wasn't so much of an assistant as I was an additional student, participating in the activities right alongside the teenagers. (Jan put up with me, and I did at least help clean up afterward.)

Sometimes, there are only one or two male instructors in Summer Plus, and that bothers me. While you mustn't overgeneralize about any specific aspect of mountain culture, I think there are teens I've met, and households I've seen, that demonstrate a need among some of these kids for loving, Christian male role models. I'm in awe of Robert Matthews and the way he works so hard on two different workshops -- photography and juggling. He's a great example to the kids, and they show it in the way they respond to the content he provides. I know he was disappointed that a conflict kept him away from Summer Plus this year.

I think relationships are the key to Summer Plus. As much fun as we have with the content, you have to understand that it's about ministry -- about relationships, and having fun, and trying to make a connection. The kids will remember that you cared even if they forget what you taught.

John I. Carney is city editor of the Shelbyville (Tenn.) Times-Gazette and a certified United Methodist lay speaker (now known as lay servant). He served 12 years on the Mountain T.O.P. board over a 14-year period and was the editor of “Getting Hooked: Stories From Mountain T.O.P.'s Twenty Years of Ministry,” published by the ministry in 1995.