Sunday, March 17 marked the end of the Ober Gatlinburg 50th Anniversary Ski Season!   The day was planned to be a fun one with many public race and jump competitions, Ski School versus Ski Patrol competitions, and a pond skimming competition.   A great time was had by all.

Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries was involved in assisting all the above actions to be fun and easy.
We also did our regular ministry by meeting all employees with a breakfast donut from The Donut Friar and a devotional sheet.  One lift attendant said, "This is the only way I get to go to church.  This is where I get to hold onto God."   At 12:30 we also had our regular worship service on the slopes.   Twelve of us gathered in an expression of Church to announce "Amen. Hallelujah" (Revelation 19:4) as a ending of the season.

The above pictures reveal the OTHER powerful event at Ober Gatlinburg yesterday.  Just after the slopes opened and before all the fun activities began, we celebrated two baptisms in the pond skimming pool!   30 people gathered to read Scripture, pray, hear the testimonies of these two ski /  snowboard instructors, and to witness their commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives.   Bill was honored and excited to wade into the icy water with them as our friends stood on the snow and to baptize them.   Thanks be to God for a HOLY and REFRESHING ending to the ski season!

 

 

Ober Gatlinburg celebrates its 50th Anniversary this season!    And Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries has celebrated worship on Ober's slopes for 31 of those seasons!   Skiers and snowboarders gather each Sunday at the top of Castle Run at 12:30 for an outdoor, snow covered worship service.  The Church becomes beautiful in this setting as we read, sing, pray, and respond to God's inspiring presence.   It is a joy to worship at Ober Gatlinburg!



Advent: the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event

It is the season of Advent.  This is the first season of the Christian church year; the four weeks prior to and leading us into the Christmas celebration!  The air is fresh with new beginnings.  We eagerly anticipate celebrating the birth of Jesus with family and friends.  Our traditions are rich and significant- filled with foods... aromas... gifts... colors... music.

For many of us, we will travel to be with those we love to celebrate this season.  But there will be many others who will leave their family to travel around the world to find employment here in Smoky Mountain area.  Our staff and volunteers are eagerly awaiting the "advent" of students- to welcome them into our homes, to journey with them as they navigate life in the United States, and to share the hope and love that was sent by God at Christmastime.

From our home to yours, Merry Christmas!

An Olympic-sized Experience

For the first time at any Olympics, the thousands of visitors had an extra level of care and support, thanks to an initiative from the local churches.  It is not just the athletes who go higher, faster, and stronger at the Olympics; so do the emotions of the spectators as they attempt to navigate the mayhem and sometimes confusing events.  Helping visitors find the right coins to access the public lavatories or consoling a man who had recently lost his wife and child were all in a day's work me and the other 300 volunteers serving as Games Pastors.

Engaged in ministry conversation with staff at Kings Cross Station

Local kids eager to receive More Than Gold & Dollywood trading pins

The transportation hubs were full of harried, confused, and lost people, most of who were far from home.  With more than 100,000 travelers expected each day to pass through Kings Cross rail station in London, the station manager and Chaplain realized the need to be ready to offer support during the Olympic Games.  I was part of small team who worked at this particular station offering travellers support, compassion and a listening ear.

We did everything from help a man search for a lost contact lens- and direct him to a pharmacy, to help police calm a drunk and disorderly woman and talk, over a cup of coffee, with a man so consumed by guilt about his role in a fatal car crash that he was considering suicide.  When he left after an hour we knew all his problems weren’t solved, but he went away with some hope.

I was really HERE!

Standing in Olympic runner Usain Bolt's 100m stride

We developed a close friendship with the local volunteers

Another time I was able to help a Korean student who had caught the wrong train.  I talked for hours with a Christian from India who needed encouragement in his faith.  And I listened as Randolph unloaded a heap of anger and frustration about life and politics.  Randolph was my favorite conversation while I was working at Kings Cross.  He was angry when I first met him; this is how I knew we would become good friends.  I was up for the challenge.  His job was to stand outside the terminal and supervise the area; my job was to drink coffee and listen.  After two days of listening I stopped his ranting and interjected the notions of a God who is predicable, loving, and in control of the universe.  As I was preparing to leave London and return home, I made a point to see Randolph one last time.  He was no longer angry but rather excited about his life.  He expressed a confidence that God has blessed him and that he has begun to explore the reality of God’s goodness and presence.

Thank you to all who offered prayers and thoughts for me while I was on my trip.  I do not know what was most sensational.  Was it being in London?  Going to the Olympics?  Or knowing that I was doing good on a “mission trip”?  Of what I am certain is that God used me, in my place and time, to reveal His presence.  It is easy for our concerns to get stifled in the chaos of home and work.  Sometimes we just need to know someone cares.  Allow yourself to be that support, compassion, or listening ear for a friend.  Open yourself to the movement and rhythms of God; trust Him to lead you to be in the right place at the right time.

A Change in Focus

It is a time to celebrate our country's independence- but is there more?  What is our focus as we gather around a BBQ grill with our families to enjoy a hamburger?  Why do we eat homemade ice cream while watching the fireworks explode in brilliant colors overhead?  What is the purpose of standing with 90,000 other people in downtown Gatlinburg to watch a parade at 12:01 AM on the morning of July 4th?

We challenge our staff to consider the motivations behind the July 4th celebrations.  Asking questions such as how do we bring God into country?  What is the difference in civil religion and true faith?  Do we have a 'most favored nation' status with God?

For the past several years SMRM has partnered with the City of Gatlinburg to entertain and distract the guests while they eagerly await the first independence day parade in the nation.  It has been our tradition to run giant American flags down the street inciting excitement among the crowds.  All the while, others on our staff would work their way through the crowds making balloon animals or leading the singing of patriotic songs.

This year we decided to have a change in focus.  Instead of balloon animals and crowd singing, we decided to move through the mass of people distributing little American flags- encouraging a sense of national pride, but more so allowing for intentional conversations with the crowds.  Our staff distributed more than 9,000 American flags and with each flag we were able to introduce conversations about our motivations for celebrations.  We hosted a mission team from Missouri who presented a dynamic program, consisting of songs, drama, and multimedia on the steps the convention center.

But our focus really hasn't changed, it has always been to reveal the presence of God to those who live, work, and play in the resrot areas of Sevier County.  But it is our hope that we might be able to encourage those we visit with to consider their focus and motivations for this year's celebrations- bringing light to God's presence, even in the fun of a parade!

More Than We Imagined

More than we imagined

What was anticipated to be merely a replacement of kitchen counters surprisingly turned into a kitchen remodel.  A mission team from Mobberly Baptist Church of Longview, Texas, prepared to WOW! Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries with a more efficient and sanitary kitchen work space.  They had planned not just to install counter tops and shelving, but had also planned details such as color schemes, gifting us with custom art work for decorating the dorm, a new patio on the back lawn of the staff dorm, and 600 pounds (30 cases) of resources to supply the Welcome Bags for the International students.

More challenging than we imagined

Like most construction projects, the deeper they went into the walls of this 100 year old dorm, the more challenges they encountered.  Quickly, the stress of completing the project on time began to intensify!  They couldn’t even use the kitchen to prepare meals for our work team- another challenge.  Problems, hurdles, dilemmas, issues, uncertainties… challenges!  In the darkest moments of exhaustion, God is near; a creative God who gives wisdom and strength beyond measure.

More wonderful than we imagined

Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries is blessed with a newly renovated kitchen that will allow for safer, cleaner, and more efficient meal preparation for our summer staff.  The art decorations provide beauty of color with scripture as a daily reminder of God’s promises.  The patio in the back lawn is envisioned to provide space for our staff to find solitude in the early hours or maybe Christian fellowship in a gathered circle of singing and worship.

More to be imagined

Even upon completion of such a daunting project, the team continued to share ideas for next year.  This team demonstrated the reality of ministry work.  The work is never done, and by God’s grace alone are we able to be successful in any task He places before us.  There is always more to do, and this team moved in rhythm with our creative God who reveals our needs and the means to meet them.   Mobberly has given us more hope and more encouragement as we enter into this season of summer ministry.  As we begin with more than we imagined, we look towards the end knowing that greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done!  ...And all things more than we can imagine.

Ephesians 3:20

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Lindi Berkey, LeConte Lodge Chaplain

Lindi has served as Chaplain at LeConte Lodge for two seasons.   In the tradition of all of our chaplains, she is one of the best.  Her heart for the mountain, its guests, and its crew is large and generous.  Her heart for God is filled with desire to live in Him and to serve Him.  It is a great privilege to work with her and have her as part of our SMRM family.

The great news is that Lindi is moving onto Mt LeConte and will be working there as crew at the Lodge for the rest of the season!    We have always wanted to try a full time chaplain who works as crew.  Lindi is absolutely perfect to pioneer this assignment.

Here is what Lindi says about this move:

"I have been spending three days a week in a hospital as a nurse and every other weekend on Mt LeConte as chaplain. Yet every day I found myself yearning to be in the woods, on a mountain, and worshipping God in His creation. After months of praying for God's guidance in my life I have only felt myself being called more strongly to continue to lead worship on the mountain. In a God-led decision and a moment of strength/insanity I quit my job, moved my belongings into a storage locker, and took a job as LeConte crew!  Better yet I can now be full time chaplain. Scary? Yes! But I've found time and again when you give it all up and submit your life to God, then is He able to do great and amazing things!"

Joey is arranging a group of SMRM volunteers to work as sherpas and carry her belongings up the mountain (since she missed airlift in March)!    Let us know quickly if you want to volunteer in this project. 

Pray for Lindi as she accepts a new task from God: sharing blessings on Mt. LeConte!