Hope for Appalachia
Catalyst Teams in East Tennessee
Take a few minutes to watch this "Copper Basin Project" video and you'll understand why we're working in the Copper Basin.
For more information on the background of the area and the video click here.
To download a version to play on your iPod / iPhone or on your mac download this file.
For an offline version for Windows right click on this link and save the file to your computer.
We are very thankful for the skills and time that Davis Watson invested in the Copper Basin Project video.
December 2009 Project Report
Catalyst is excited to report God at work through our teams in the Copper Basin area of the Appalachian Mountains around Ducktown, Tennessee. We had personnel on location from December 10 - 21, 2009.
The weekend of December 11th, thirty-five volunteers, with the core group hailing from Lakeview Baptist Church in Tiptonville, TN, reached out to the community and focused on finishing a home for a needy mountain family. The group also worked directly with Al and Margaret Patterson who manage the Copper Basin Crisis Center. The team did nursing home outreach, made several “home health” calls, and served in several other outreach programs. Although most of the team came from Tiptonville, there were also volunteers from Nashville and Milwaukee.
One of the highlights of the weekend was the “Christmas Dinner” put on for a needy family and their children on Saturday night. The cooks from Lakeview Baptist Church were amazing, and there was no shortage of wonderful tasty food. The team also had a traveling Mr. and Mrs. Clause with gifts for the children. After Santa’s visit the team spent time worshipping Christ together and getting to know the family better. It was a wonderful and rewarding evening.
Our volunteers chose to adopt two additional families from the Copper Basin Crisis Center Angel Tree. This year the Pattersons expect close to 1200 names to be on the tree.
Catalyst teams are working with several area churches and pastors in this outreach. We are blessed to have such an extensive network of people in the area who are helping with the project. This network is in large part a result of the years of ministry of Rev. David Brown. He pastored the Mine City Baptist Church for years and the Executive Director of Catalyst Missions, Andrew Brown, was raised in Ducktown. This network of people, pastors and churches are a key to this project's focus on long-term Gospel ministry.
Several skilled volunteers served during the week. On the weekend of the 18th, a second surge of volunteers arrived on site ready to serve. They continued the construction of the house that by now was well underway for Buddy & Mary and the kids. By Monday the house was closed in and even more exciting was when Buddy prayed to receive the free Gift of Salvation that Jesus came to earth to provide. I think that this is one of the most wonderful Christmas gifts the volunteers and Catalyst staff received.
Please continue to pray for the Gospel outreach in this needy area. Pray also for Christ’s continued work in the lives of both Buddy and Mary.
Take a moment to enjoy the photos below. They share some of the memories from the project.
Appalachia Team 1 Photo at and 8"x10" resolution. Right click the link to save the file to your computer. You can then print the file on your printer or have it printed elsewhere.
Hope for Appalachia - Adventure Serve 2009
On December 18th, ten young adults headed to East Tennessee to assist with the Catalyst Hope for Appalachia project. Their job was to construct a deck for Buddy and Mary’s house the other teams had been working so hard on. The house sat a few feet below the ground outside the front door, so a deck was desperately needed in order to get in and out of the house. Kevin Anderson, owner of Build Nashville remodeling, headed up the project as lead contractor for the deck. Despite cold weather and spotty rain, the young adult team was able to completely finish the deck on Saturday!
On Sunday, the team came face to face with the glory of God’s beautiful creation by going rappelling off the side of a steep cliff above the Ocoee River, zip lining through the forest, and riding a giant swing at Horn’s Creek. Besides having a great time, the activities served as unmistakable reminder of how big of a God we serve. On Monday, the team spent the majority of the day serving at the Copper Basin Crisis Center with missionaries Al and Margaret Patterson before heading back home. The trip was an enormous success, and served as the perfect way to start the holidays by recognizing the real meaning of the season-Jesus Christ.
Hope for Appalachia - Research Trip
· Probably November 2009
· Summary: This trip will involve research and preparation for the upcoming trips.
· Contact: Andrew Brown
· Download More Info: Downloads
Hope for Appalachia - Family Weekend I
· December 11-13, 2009
· Cost: $50 + Church Investment
· Summary: These family / church teams will have the opportunity to assist with a food ministry at the Copper Basin Crisis Center. There will also be opportunities for light construction and cleaning for needy families as well as assisting local churches in outreach programs.
· Contact: Andrew Brown
· Download More Info: Downloads
· Previous Trip Info: Appalachia 2008
Hope for Appalachia - Young Adult / Adventure Serve
· Dates: December 18-21, 2009
· Cost: $200
· Summary: Join CATALYST as we embark on the journey of a lifetime through the
2009 Adventure Serve Mission Trip in East Tennessee, North Carolina, and
Georgia. This end-of-semester retreat is the perfect way to wind down from a
hectic school year and turn your focus to God as you prepare for the Christmas
season. On this trip, you will experience God’s almighty power as we minister to
needy families in the Appalachian Mountains area through construction and civil
projects, along with coming face to face with the glory of God’s creation through
adventure activities such as caving, rappelling, and hiking. You’ll also be put to
the test both physically and spiritually as you dive into the Romans theme of
Transformation while testing some of God’s most amazing forces of nature.
Finish off your semester the right way, by making a difference in other people’s
lives, not to mention the change you’ll discover in yourself. Will you be
transformed?
· Contact: Jana Ogg
· Download More Info: Downloads
· Previous Trip Info: Appalachia 2008
Hope for Appalachia - Family Weekend II
· December 18-21, 2009
· Cost: $50 + Church Investment
· Summary: These family / church teams will have the opportunity to assist with a food ministry at the Copper Basin Crisis Center. There will also be opportunities for light construction and cleaning for needy families as well as assisting local churches in outreach programs.
· Contact: Andrew Brown
· Download More Info: Downloads
· Previous Trip Info: Appalachia 2008
Catalyst is excited to report God at work through our teams in the Copper Basin area of the Appalachian Mountains around Ducktown, Tennessee. We had personnel on location from December 10 - 21, 2009.
One of the highlights of the weekend was the “Christmas Dinner” put on for a needy family and their children on Saturday night. The cooks from Lakeview Baptist Church were amazing, and there was no shortage of wonderful tasty food. The team also had a traveling Mr. and Mrs. Clause with gifts for the children. After Santa’s visit the team spent time worshipping Christ together and getting to know the family better. It was a wonderful and rewarding evening.
Several skilled volunteers served during the week. On the weekend of the 18th, a second surge of volunteers arrived on site ready to serve. They continued the construction of the house that by now was well underway for Buddy & Mary and the kids. By Monday the house was closed in and even more exciting was when Buddy prayed to receive the free Gift of Salvation that Jesus came to earth to provide. I think that this is one of the most wonderful Christmas gifts the volunteers and Catalyst staff received.
On Sunday, the team came face to face with the glory of God’s beautiful creation by going rappelling off the side of a steep cliff above the Ocoee River, zip lining through the forest, and riding a giant swing at Horn’s Creek. Besides having a great time, the activities served as unmistakable reminder of how big of a God we serve. On Monday, the team spent the majority of the day serving at the Copper Basin Crisis Center with missionaries Al and Margaret Patterson before heading back home. The trip was an enormous success, and served as the perfect way to start the holidays by recognizing the real meaning of the season-Jesus Christ.
God as you prepare for the Christmas
season. On this trip, you will experience God’s almighty power as we minister to
needy families in the Appalachian Mountains area through construction and civil
projects, along with coming face to face with the glory of God’s creation through
adventure activities such as caving, rappelling, and hiking. You’ll also be put to
the test both physically and spiritually as you dive into the Romans theme of
Transformation while testing some of God’s most amazing forces of nature.
Finish off your semester the right way, by making a difference in other people’s
lives, not to mention the change you’ll discover in yourself. Will you be
transformed?